Myths of the Blunderbuss

[Flint62Smoothie]

Posting because there's sooooooooo much BAD, erroneous, or just plain WRONG information out there about our historic arms. What prompted this rant today are YouTube videos alleging - by 1 shot - that the muzzle of a blunderbuss does NOTHING for the shot pattern.

Well that premise is FLAWED! The article ‘Myths of the Blunderbuss’ by Melvin Flanagan (American Society of Arms Collectors, Volume No. 96, Sept 2007) details 108 patterning shots conducted to evaluate the pellet dispersion in blunderbuss barrels. Summary on Page 8 – "The results of these tests prove that the blunderbuss barrel did scatter shot over a larger area than a gun barrel without any flare."

Note however that the trumpet end of the muzzle did in fact aid in easier loading, whether it be on a rolling ship in seas or whilst rockin' on a coach/wagon escaping highway men!

 

[Comfortably_Numb]

Patterns from funnel barreled B busses suck. I tried out an 11 bore at the skeet range and the only birds I could hit were #1 low house, probably 8ft off the end of the barrel.

 

[Sam squanch]

Someone try a load of 4 f and the skychief load!

 

[Felonious]

Someone try a load of 4 f and the skychief load!

I can't find the video, but there was a YouTube short of a guy with a blunderbuss that was able to get pretty decent patterns, he was using a load similar to Skychief.

From what I understand, the flared end was just meant for easier loading on the go. Not to mention that the average gunfight engagement distance is about 7 ft, making the blunderbuss with its large pattern quite effective.

 

[Rudyard]

One of the myth's of B busses is the ease of loading .As if you try cut wads they fall willy nilly if you use paper it soon jambs maybe wool or horse hair might go in better as for wide spread you be lucky to hit a 2 foot square target with many pellets . I once let go at a Magpie just a few feet above me & off it flew unscathed .Probably a bit surprised but not hit .I conclude theirs more sycology that science . but a fun gun non the less .The old gravel ,nails, broken glass ,tin tacks rubbish persists Don't try that at home ,at work, any the clay ground. well anywhere one earth unless you specifically wanted a burst barrel .stick with lead balls they 'give', if you don't believe that youve never eaten a shot rabbit .
Rudyard's take on B busses

 

[Flint62Smoothie]

From what I understand, the flared end was just meant for easier loading on the go ...

... I guess you didn't fully read the 1st post then huh?

 

[Felonious]

... I guess you didn't fully read the 1st post then huh?

I did read it fully, I was just repeating that I had also heard that was the function of the flared muzzle.

 

[Sam squanch]

Everybody needs a blunderbuss.

 

[Rudyard]

Everybody needs a blunderbuss.

So true . Ive made a few &' got up 'more India ones . I mean you don't need to be running up & down the bench they behave them selves by the vice .Blunder busses & Childrens guns youde allways have orders .
Regards Rudyard

 

[Commodore Swab]

I wonder how duckbilled blunderbusses would have compared.

 

[Flint62Smoothie]

I wonder how duckbilled blunderbusses would have compared.

Did you read the article? See barrel #4:

"The oval muzzle barrel was tested more times than the other barrels because of testing of paper buckshot cartridges. The width of the shot patterns made by the oval muzzle barrel was consistently wider than the height of the pattern. Only one of the twenty four test patterns of the oval muzzle barrel did not have the typical wider pattern."

 

[Coot]

Everybody needs a blunderbuss.

Some of us have two.

 

[Commodore Swab]

Did you read the article? See barrel #4:

"The oval muzzle barrel was tested more times than the other barrels because of testing of paper buckshot cartridges. The width of the shot patterns made by the oval muzzle barrel was consistently wider than the height of the pattern. Only one of the twenty four test patterns of the oval muzzle barrel did not have the typical wider pattern."

Only have the phone and don't have it set for pdf, my computer died last week so I was wondering. Hopefully I will be able to view it at some point.

 

[earlwb]

Shotguns need to be carefully loaded. You need the wads under the shot column to be just right. Then the over shot wad has to go in straight and level too. Otherwise the shot pattern can be severely affected. I tend to cheat and use the plastic power piston cups with an over shot wad to hold it all in. I get much better patterns that way. The same with blunderbusses too. They are just shortbarrel shotguns too. But when these were popular medical care was pretty much nonexistent. If you got shot and didn’t die right away the wounds would likely become infected an septic and you die a slow death instead.

 

[rickystl]

Flint: Thanks for Posting the Link to this article. Never seen this before. Of course, I was only 5 years old when this was published. LOL Most interesting. Thank goodness articles like this are saved in archives. Never knew there was such extensive testing of both styles of barrels.

Rick

 

[rickystl]

When I first took my 11 gauge blunderbuss to the range for testing, I really had no idea where to start. My initial load was 90 grains of FFG, an over-powder card, a greased wad, 10-each .36 caliber balls, and an over-shot card. All CAREFULLY loaded in the barrel. FFFG for priming. The target was a plain, white piece of stiff construction paper 3' tall by 2' wide. Positioned at 7 yards. One of the early difficulties with these guns is knowing about where to aim the barrel on the target. In my case, I found it better to aim the top edge of the barrel with the bottom edge of the paper. Anyway, here is my first three attempts:

Rick

 

[rickystl]

As mentioned above, it can be difficult to load using pre-cut cards/wads as they can easily tilt sideways while going through the trumpet shape. What I found worked well was to start with a loading rod with a trumpet/shotgun style tip close to nominal bore size. A tiny dab of patch grease between the ramrod tip and the card/wad would hold the card still long enough to get it into the nominal bore size and rammed home. Then just twist the rod and it separates from the card/wad.

Later on, I found that reducing the load to about 80 grains of FFG and 10-each .31 (OO) caliber balls produced a better pattern.

Judging from seeing load extractions for other original smooth bore guns I suspect these blunderbuss during the period were not loaded as carefully (like a shotgun) as we do today. Maybe just powder, lead, and tow/wad to hold the load in place (?)

Using the right gauge bore mop is a huge help cleaning the blunderbuss barrel. A wet mop and two dry mops seem to do the job.

Just my experience.

Rick

 

[Rudyard]

I wonder how duckbilled blunderbusses would have compared.

Well Gentleman Johny Burgoine persuaded Ordnance to make some for his troops, Some Austrian notion I think .I presume they where some sort of' Horse' contingent .
Regards Rudyard

 

[sussexmuzllodr]

I think every kid should own a Red Ryder Blunderbuss.....

 

[PhDBrewer]

Once I get the old load out of this barrel I intend to have it magnifluxed to determine if safe to shoot. The oval flair on the barrel is very psychologically intimidating!
This was dated from around early 1700's.
William