A Musket for All Seasons

[danno50]

Firearms today: Well built, light weight, simple to use, dependable, and accurate. All these things we consider, and considered a given, or the rifle doesn't make the list when choosing a hunting rifle in this day and age. The lands and groves in a barrel can make it more accurate and faster, which as we know hasn't always been the case in the firearm evolution. This article makes you think about how primitive firearms were, and what men had to put up with in a military/ hunting rifle in order to survive battles, or put food on the table. With the onset of war, four things determined the outcome of most battles, ammunition, reloading, courage, and close quarter fighting(hand to hand combat) These things are still inevitable in wars of today, but not to the extent of times past. As for accuracy of the musket, (Brown Bess) recoil wasn't the only thing you had to worry about. If your a bit of a firearm buff, read the whole article for a better understanding of the word difficult.
https://www.gunsamerica.com/l/782F58DA-9A4C-475A-9D34-DDFE29B8A8A1/Pr35E/20200928_BlogDigest_397.htm

[BB340]

Thanks for posting that Danno. It was very interesting.

[danno50]

For me, it was hard to believe the number of steps involved in just loading the musket, and then what it took to be accurate.
The original drill required twelve steps to load and fire. Americans, being American, reduced this number to ten.
1) Bite off the base of the paper cartridge
2) Prime the pan, placing the cock is in the half cock, safety position
3) Close the pan
4) Place the butt on the ground. Pour the remaining powder down the barrel
5) Place the cartridge in the muzzle
6) Ram it home
7) Pack the powder
Cock the musket
9) Present
10) Fire
            Then, the "delay." You pull the trigger, the hammer falls, a cloud of smoke and fire right in your face. Half a second later, when you are starting to think about misfire procedures, BOOM, a .69 caliber ball goes down range. It takes a stout human spirit to see that flash in the face and calmly await the BOOM without a flinch.
            Imagine having to hunt with this thing.