Shooting Buck&ball

[WalkerMountain]

Shooting Buck&Ball

Hi all, looking for what smooth-bore musket might of shot these buck & ball loads found buried around 8 inch deep near Fort Lane, Oregon. Built 1853-55. Two Army regiments (Dragoons) companies C and E and volunteers took part in the Rogue River War 1855-1856. Measuring the best condition lead ball was around .65

 

[Flint62Smoothie]

This post here has some info on B&B loads ... https://www.muzzleloadingforum.com/threads/buck-ball.145884/

 

[smoothshooter]

Shooting Buck&Ball

Hi all, looking for what smooth-bore musket might of shot these buck & ball loads found buried around 8 inch deep near Fort Lane, Oregon. Built 1853-55. Two Army regiments (Dragoons) companies C and E and volunteers took part in the Rogue River War 1855-1856. Measuring the best condition lead ball was around .65

Were they found in a tight cluster like someone dropped a paper cartridge and lost it on the ground or were they scattered around over several yards or acres?

 

[Flintandsteel]

Quick question……. What is the purp of a buck and ball load?
Personally, can see no practical use.
Maybe I’m missing something.

 

[sb 54 cal.]

Quick question……. What is the purp of a buck and ball load?
Personally, can see no practical use.
Maybe I’m missing something.

Anti personnel round. Most likely for volley fire.

 

[TScottW99]

Quick question……. What is the purp of a buck and ball load?
Personally, can see no practical use.
Maybe I’m missing something.

Long line of red coats, hope to take more than one out of the fight per shot.

 

[Flint62Smoothie]

… and CLOSE range … 30-yards or less

 

[WalkerMountain]

Were they found in a tight cluster like someone dropped a paper cartridge and lost it on the ground or were they scattered around over several yards or acres?

These were scattered over thirty acre or so, if you take a close look at the lead balls you see 3 dimple on each ball cause by EmPack when fired as the buck shot (3) sat on top of ball. Also there a ban (1/16-3/16 flat ring around Balls cause by rifle bore. Different ban width tell me shot from different musket you think. all lead balls were buried around 6-8 inches.

 

[Smokey Plainsman]

Quick question……. What is the purp of a buck and ball load?
Personally, can see no practical use.
Maybe I’m missing something.

The single large roundball carried a great deal of killing power and accuracy out to 75 yards and further. The ancillary buckshots were there to boost likelihood of a hit. They put FOUR projectiles in the air vs just one with normal shot. Granted they were smaller with less killing power at range, but even a glancing hit could severely reduce a soldier’s combat effectiveness and they’d need to have aid rendered to them.

This combo was devastating and used with great effect clear up through the civil war with the Irish Brigade (and others) with their smoothbore .69 caliber M1842 muskets. Another benefit was the paper cartridge design of the classic smoothbores meant slightly faster reloading over most rifled musket cartridges. These two factors combined made the old-fashioned smoothbore musket loaded with buck n’ ball a telling weapon in the woods and closer in skirmishes during the war.

 

[WalkerMountain]

Quick question……. What is the purp of a buck and ball load?
Personally, can see no practical use.
Maybe I’m missing something.

Was standard military loads for musket used right up into civil war. My research show most likely M1842 Springfield .69 cal or M1842 Harper-ferry .69 cal musket fired these shots near Fort Lane, Oregon, most likely soldiers hunting game,

 

[WalkerMountain]

This post here has some info on B&B loads ... https://www.muzzleloadingforum.com/threads/buck-ball.145884/

That was my first post in the wrong place lol.

 

[Whitworth]

These were scattered over thirty acre or so, if you take a close look at the lead balls you see 3 dimple on each ball cause by EmPack when fired as the buck shot (3) sat on top of ball. Also there a ban (1/16-3/16 flat ring around Balls cause by rifle bore. Different ban width tell me shot from different musket you think. all lead balls were buried around 6-8 inches.

The "smiley face" and "band" around the balls are just like the ones I've found on my mountain battlefield, like yours they weren't fired to make friends. I recently shot a few buck and ball loads thru my M1842 Harpers Ferry Musket. The 3 buck's extra 166 grains of lead made it kick a bit more. YMMV

 

[oldwood]

In the 18th century , old testimony shows Indians used buck and ball loads in trade muskets for ambush unsuspecting travelers. Also , some folks would cut into buckshot balls , and wire or insert cordage to make chain shot for greater effectiveness.

 

[WalkerMountain]

In the 18th century , old testimony shows Indians used buck and ball loads in trade muskets for ambush unsuspecting travelers. Also , some folks would cut into buckshot balls , and wire or insert cordage to make chain shot for greater effectiveness.

The story here Indians had better guns during the Rogue River Indians Wars 1855-56, shooting gun that were rifle. U.S. Army still using smoothbore had a tough time.