Getting Your Ears Burned

[Frizzen]

This is from a club in Ohio back in the 1940's. It clearly shows the danger of standing too close
to a Flintlock. Bet that old boy had a few choice words.

[Fred_Dwyer]

Since forever ago, I was taught the observers position in any shooting was to the rear and left of the shooter. This was with smokeless guns. I thought it was so you didn't distract the shooter since you were behind his head. Then Garands eject spent ammo to the right rear. When I started shooting ML it made sense, that this probly goes back to Colonial Army training and just stayed that way cuz there was no need to change the training just because guns changed the lock mechanism. "That's the way we always train!"
Imagine the nasty burn if you're reloading and measuring out some powder!!

[mjm46@bellsouth.net]

Most re-enactment groups I was in (Back in the 70's) all had rules about using "Flash Guards". Haven't done any re-enacting in 40 years and maybe things have changed. The guards direct the flash upward. I had a bucktail in my hat once that was about half fried from flashes directed up from my own flash guard on my musket. Personally, I hated them, but if you're in a line like Revolutionary soldiers they do protect the guy next to you.

Are they historically correct or a modern adaptation for safety?

[Chris Treichel]

Almost all reenactment units now require flashguards.  As far as being historically correct... I have only ever seen chimneys (they really look like that) for wheelocks and one flintlock that had a projection from the top jaw that would have acted as a flash guard. https://www.facebook.com/#!/photo.php?fbid=10150424812122850&set=a.341539292849.149916.337377617849&type=1&theater 

[SCLoyalist]

There's a scene in the Heston movie "Mountain Men" where Brian Keith's character winces noticeably from the flash from Heston's flintlock.   If you look at the trailer for the flick at
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=endscreen&v=j1jF0PMgNts&NR=1   it happens around 1:15-1:20 into the clip.

[Chris Treichel]

on the other hand... if your wearing a brimmed hat and have a little bit too much primer in the pan and a flashguard on it will burn your eybrows off. Speaking from Personnal experience.  We have also had some guys in the line set their hats a smouldering.

[The other DWS]

One reason hats got their brims pinned or stitched up on the lock side of the head. Maybe a reason too for the full facial hair going out of style, and coming back just about the time percussion replaced flintlocks in the military world.  The few boot-level accounts I have read mention the men's faces being blackened with powder soot after a serious engagement

Remember too that most reenactment group shoot only a loose powder charge, that is not even tamped  down.  So even their vent jet is pretty minimal.  Most I was around tended to over prime since it looked more dramatic. made crowd go oo-oo-oo-oo-oo, and the sponsors happy. At one event my outfit got called on the carpet "the sponsors issued your powder ration,  We want to see lots of flash and smoke".

[Canute Rex]

I did some reenacting and learned of one drawback to the flash guard. One day the guy to the left of me was 8 inches shorter and a newbie. He presented his musket canted to the right at a 45 degree angle. When it went off it felt like a propane torch on the left side of my jaw. The flash guard concentrated the fireball into a column. I spoke to him quietly later.

Historically, there are accounts of veteran British soldiers with black powder "tattoos" on the left side of their faces. I seem to remember a passage in a satirical work of the time (Advice to the Officer) telling soldiers to get revenge on their corporal by having the right hand enlisted man overcharge his pan.

[Dr. Tim-Boone]

Check out the second guy from the right blowing in the muzzle of his rifle.....  Bunch of scroungy looking dudes...

[G-Man]

Intersting video - thanks for posting it.  They are all probably shooting originals.  The guy blowing down the muzzle looks to have a long barelled fullstock - possibly a southern mountain rifle - but can't tell really exactly what it is from the film.

I would not be surprised if there are a few folks on this board who might be able to identify one or two of the shooters.  If they were shooting at an Ohio cub, you can be sure they were among the early shooters at Friendship as well.

Thanks for posting

GM

[The other DWS]

blowing down the barrel  MAY have helped keep fouling soft,  the BCPR guys have made an art of it.

[Dphariss]

blowing down the barrel  MAY have helped keep fouling soft,  the BCPR guys have made an art of it.

If you lived in the west you would understand. 90% humidity its not a big deal at 10-15% and hot weather? Its something else again.
With the powder of the time if you did not blow in high humidity you have to wipe pretty often if not using a water based lube.

Dan

[The other DWS]

wonder if that became sort of traditional and carried over into those old early westerns where the shooters'd "blow the smoke out of their barrels".  lots of stuff that made sense in its context gets carried on long after the context is gone.

I'd love to see more of that film clip, and know more about it

[Daryl]

The boys from BC's Thompson Mountain's black powder section were advisers on The Moutain Men. Some were used as Indians and other 'extra's. They had fun.

[Dphariss]

wonder if that became sort of traditional and carried over into those old early westerns where the shooters'd "blow the smoke out of their barrels".  lots of stuff that made sense in its context gets carried on long after the context is gone.

I'd love to see more of that film clip, and know more about it

The early westerns were populated with real cowboys and such.
The exaggerated flip when cocking seen in some early westerns, I have read, was used to throw the fired cap from a Colt cap & ball (never mind it was used in SAA cartridge revolvers in most movies).
There are photos of blow tubes, as used today in BPCR shooting, in catalogs from the late 19th century.
So the movie stuff is based on actual use in the past it would seem.

Dan

[Candle Snuffer]

Thanks for the footage, Frizzen.  Where did you come by it?

These things still happen today as we all know.  Not intentially, but it does happen.  Seen it a few
times at Rendezvous.

[Frizzen]

I came by it in a post over in Over the back fence .

[4ster]

In the "over the back fence" section the topic was the Brandon gun flint makers.  The whole video is worth a watch.

[trentOH]

I watched him get burned about 20 times in a row. I guess he was a slow learner!