Is THIS how they loaded???

[Smokey Plainsman]

Hello guys! I was reading a passage in my book about flintlocks by Eric A. Bye, and the author claims that this is a passage written in 1835 by humorist Augustus Baldwin Longstreet:

He then wiped out his rifle –rubbed the pan with his hat –drew a piece of tow through the touch-hole with his wiper –filled his charger with great care –poured the powder into the rifle with equal caution, shoved in with his finger the two or three vagrant grains that lodged round the mouth of his piece –took out a handful of bullets –looked them all over carefully –selected one without flaw or wrinkle –drew out his patching –found the most even part of it –sprung open the grease-box in the breech of his rifle –took up just so much grease –distributed it with great equality over the chosen part of his patching –laid it over the muzzle of his rifle, grease side down –placed his ball upon it –pressed it a little, then took it up and turned the neck a little more perpendicularly down-ward –placed his knife-handle on it –just buried it in the mouth of the rifle –cut off the redundant patching just above the bullet –looked at it, and shook his head, in token that he had cut off too much or too little, no one knew which –sent down the ball –measured the contents of his gun with his first and second fingers, on the protruding part of the ramrod, shook his head again to signify there was too much or too little powder –primed carefully –placed an arched piece of tin over the hind sight to shade it –took his place –got a friend to hold his hat over the fore sight to shade it –took a very long sight –fired –and didn’t even hit the paper. “My piece was badly loaded,” said Simon, when he learned the place of his ball.

Is this the best period written account of how they loaded their muzzle loading rifles??? I’ll have to do more reasearch on this, but if the account is true, and this was really written in 1835 then... my god!! What good information!! It answers so many of my questions on historic loading methods and I was THRILLED to learn this and just HAD to share it!! What do you guys think??

[James Rogers]

Your choice. I think theres referencea to women cutting patches at Ft. Boonesborough and here is an 18th century reference to a German loading with circular pre-cut patches. (Acton, 1779 but plagiarized from earlier writings. )

[OldMtnMan]

Smokey.........I'll accept that. Cut at the muzzle, swab between shots, grease just one side of the patch. All stuff I do already.

TOW in the touch-hole is a new one.

[Smokey Plainsman]

Your choice. I think theres referencea to women cutting patches at Ft. Boonesborough and here is an 18th century reference to a German loading with circular pre-cut patches. (Acton, 1779 but plagiarized from earlier writings. )

Not my choice on any one thing, pard, just how it was apparantly done. Thank you for your Germanic account, that’s interesting. I’ll bet it was done both ways honestly.

[D. Taylor Sapergia]

The article describing a man loading his rifle could truly be an actual account of how ONE man loaded his rifle on ONE occasion.  A modern reader would be foolish to believe that this was THE WAY it was done historically by all shooters.  Some of what he did is pertinent and some is certainly not my method.  Again, it boils down to what one wishes to achieve with his muzzleloading rifle/gun.  Personally, while emulating my forebears, I want the best accuracy that I can wring out of my rifle, and have developed a regime to deliver that.  I could care less if what I do is exactly like the process of 200 years ago.  When I join in a match, if there are fifty competitors, I will see 45 different ways to load a rifle.  Again, I could care less.  What is important to me is my own enjoyment of the sport and some of that is receiving an award for coming in first.  I'm a geezer and not some immortal without fault.  But I have to believe that the way in which I load my rifle translates to the recognition I've received all these years. 
In the aboveaccount of the shooter,  he shakes his head on two occasions while loading.  Let me suggest that he has already lost - he doesn't believe in his load.  But to completely miss the paper...that's the shooter, not the load or rifle.

[WadePatton]

I'm am almost completely convinced that the most productive and seasoned shooters of the day

loaded, almost nearly always


powder first.

 

Taylor does too!

[James Rogers]

Your choice. I think theres referencea to women cutting patches at Ft. Boonesborough and here is an 18th century reference to a German loading with circular pre-cut patches. (Acton, 1779 but plagiarized from earlier writings. )

Not my choice on any one thing, pard, just how it was apparantly done. Thank you for your Germanic account, that’s interesting. I’ll bet it was done both ways honestly.

Your choice.... meaning any way you want and still be historically correct as there are documented ways for cut square and round as well as cutting at the muzzle.

[OldMtnMan]

I'm am almost completely convinced that the most productive and seasoned shooters of the day

loaded, almost nearly always


powder first.

 

Taylor does too!

That's not right Wade.

What's important is to load the ball and patch last.

Taylor does too.

[WadePatton]

Righto.

Well, as I sees it we gots:

Two kinda dryballers. 

Those that have, and those who are going to.



Pardon our levity.   

But maybe the others have answered your questions. I never doubted that loading is like personalities, now or then and also has a lot to do with how Pappy loaded his'n.

[Smokey Plainsman]

Some seem to think I am trying to criticize their current loading methods or say that this was the only was it was done.

Interesting how we can be so quick to judge and make remarks.

Just trying to share what I just learned as some might have been interested in reading a historical account of loading. That’s all.

[OldMtnMan]

I took your post for what it is Smokey. I don't think anyone can claim there's only one way to load. That would be foolish.

What I took from it is it showed one way that was done. I like that way and it's what I do. It feels good that I use a correct method. Not the only method.

[James Rogers]

Funny how some to think I am trying to criticize their current loading methods or say that this was the only was it was done.

Funny how we can be so quick to judge and make remarks.

Guys ALL I WAS TRYING TO DO was put out what I just learned as some might have been interested in reading a historical account of loading. That’s all. Take it or leave it, I don’t give a @!*% one way or t’other.

This is probably due to the fact that the category of blackpowder shooting is comprised of all types of shooters using that forum. Some are historical purists, some are accuracy oriented like modern target shooters with only the best methods to achieve that pursuit. Some are in between those extremes.

[Daryl]

Hello guys! I was reading a passage in my book about flintlocks by Eric A. Bye, and the author claims that this is a passage written in 1835 by humorist Augustus Baldwin Longstreet:

He then wiped out his rifle –rubbed the pan with his hat –drew a piece of tow through the touch-hole with his wiper –filled his charger with great care –poured the powder into the rifle with equal caution, shoved in with his finger the two or three vagrant grains that lodged round the mouth of his piece –took out a handful of bullets –looked them all over carefully –selected one without flaw or wrinkle –drew out his patching –found the most even part of it –sprung open the grease-box in the breech of his rifle –took up just so much grease –distributed it with great equality over the chosen part of his patching –laid it over the muzzle of his rifle, grease side down –placed his ball upon it –pressed it a little, then took it up and turned the neck a little more perpendicularly down-ward –placed his knife-handle on it –just buried it in the mouth of the rifle –cut off the redundant patching just above the bullet –looked at it, and shook his head, in token that he had cut off too much or too little, no one knew which –sent down the ball –measured the contents of his gun with his first and second fingers, on the protruding part of the ramrod, shook his head again to signify there was too much or too little powder –primed carefully –placed an arched piece of tin over the hind sight to shade it –took his place –got a friend to hold his hat over the fore sight to shade it –took a very long sight –fired –and didn’t even hit the paper. “My piece was badly loaded,” said Simon, when he learned the place of his ball.

Is this the best period written account of how they loaded their muzzle loading rifles??? I’ll have to do more reasearch on this, but if the account is true, and this was really written in 1835 then... my god!! What good information!! It answers so many of my questions on historic loading methods and I was THRILLED to learn this and just HAD to share it!! What do you guys think??

Seems to be the way he loaded - and missed.

[Smokey Plainsman]

Hello guys! I was reading a passage in my book about flintlocks by Eric A. Bye, and the author claims that this is a passage written in 1835 by humorist Augustus Baldwin Longstreet:

He then wiped out his rifle –rubbed the pan with his hat –drew a piece of tow through the touch-hole with his wiper –filled his charger with great care –poured the powder into the rifle with equal caution, shoved in with his finger the two or three vagrant grains that lodged round the mouth of his piece –took out a handful of bullets –looked them all over carefully –selected one without flaw or wrinkle –drew out his patching –found the most even part of it –sprung open the grease-box in the breech of his rifle –took up just so much grease –distributed it with great equality over the chosen part of his patching –laid it over the muzzle of his rifle, grease side down –placed his ball upon it –pressed it a little, then took it up and turned the neck a little more perpendicularly down-ward –placed his knife-handle on it –just buried it in the mouth of the rifle –cut off the redundant patching just above the bullet –looked at it, and shook his head, in token that he had cut off too much or too little, no one knew which –sent down the ball –measured the contents of his gun with his first and second fingers, on the protruding part of the ramrod, shook his head again to signify there was too much or too little powder –primed carefully –placed an arched piece of tin over the hind sight to shade it –took his place –got a friend to hold his hat over the fore sight to shade it –took a very long sight –fired –and didn’t even hit the paper. “My piece was badly loaded,” said Simon, when he learned the place of his ball.

Is this the best period written account of how they loaded their muzzle loading rifles??? I’ll have to do more reasearch on this, but if the account is true, and this was really written in 1835 then... my god!! What good information!! It answers so many of my questions on historic loading methods and I was THRILLED to learn this and just HAD to share it!! What do you guys think??

Seems to be the way he loaded - and missed.

Nice observation, Daryl.

[Dennis Glazener]

drew a piece of tow through the touch-hole with his wiper

How did he do this? Or was the wiper not what I call a wiper (ram rod)?
Dennis

[OldMtnMan]

I scratched my head at this too Dennis. He couldn't have meant what we think he meant.

[OldMtnMan]

Hello guys! I was reading a passage in my book about flintlocks by Eric A. Bye, and the author claims that this is a passage written in 1835 by humorist Augustus Baldwin Longstreet:

He then wiped out his rifle –rubbed the pan with his hat –drew a piece of tow through the touch-hole with his wiper –filled his charger with great care –poured the powder into the rifle with equal caution, shoved in with his finger the two or three vagrant grains that lodged round the mouth of his piece –took out a handful of bullets –looked them all over carefully –selected one without flaw or wrinkle –drew out his patching –found the most even part of it –sprung open the grease-box in the breech of his rifle –took up just so much grease –distributed it with great equality over the chosen part of his patching –laid it over the muzzle of his rifle, grease side down –placed his ball upon it –pressed it a little, then took it up and turned the neck a little more perpendicularly down-ward –placed his knife-handle on it –just buried it in the mouth of the rifle –cut off the redundant patching just above the bullet –looked at it, and shook his head, in token that he had cut off too much or too little, no one knew which –sent down the ball –measured the contents of his gun with his first and second fingers, on the protruding part of the ramrod, shook his head again to signify there was too much or too little powder –primed carefully –placed an arched piece of tin over the hind sight to shade it –took his place –got a friend to hold his hat over the fore sight to shade it –took a very long sight –fired –and didn’t even hit the paper. “My piece was badly loaded,” said Simon, when he learned the place of his ball.

Is this the best period written account of how they loaded their muzzle loading rifles??? I’ll have to do more reasearch on this, but if the account is true, and this was really written in 1835 then... my god!! What good information!! It answers so many of my questions on historic loading methods and I was THRILLED to learn this and just HAD to share it!! What do you guys think??

Seems to be the way he loaded - and missed.

Which just means he was a lousy shot.

[Semisane]

One of the interesting points in that loading description was that the shooter looked over his patch material to find "the most even part of it". 

We who have the luxury of easy access to patch material that is of even thickness throughout and available in almost any thickness we want might reflect on the likely results of needing to select the most even parts on a piece of patch material for cutting at the muzzle. Many (perhaps most) of those individual "even spots" were of different thicknesses, resulting in each loading having a different degree of tightness in the bore. 

[oldtravler61]

  Black, white and grey and push it down all the way..

[rich pierce]

So here is one possible explanation of the wiper/tow/touch hole part.  He took his rammer with a tow worm on it.  Loaded with a little tow, quite loose. Rammed that down.  Somehow hooked some of the tow using something through the touch hole, and pulled a string of tow outward through the touchhole to clean it.

Alternatively he twisted some tow and threaded it through the touch hole then somehow caught it with a worm and pulled it up through the bore. That seems impossible.

[Canute Rex]

Let's all remember that the writer was a *humorist* writing about a man with meticulous loading technique blaming the vagaries of loading for his own unsteady aim.

Even so, as mentioned by Semisane, it's interesting to note that uneven fabric weave was something that the writer could assume his readers understood. Also that they would understand its significance in accuracy. Also interesting that he used his knife handle as a starter - something I've seen often enough - but not a short starter, despite his care in loading. (As the perennial argument about the dawn of the short starter revs up again)

Thanks to Smokey for sharing a fun piece from the archives. I need to get my hands on Eric's book.

[Bob Roller]

I'm am almost completely convinced that the most productive and seasoned shooters of the day

loaded, almost nearly always


powder first.

 

Taylor does too!

ABSOLUTELY,powder FIRST and there is nothing that succeeds like success.

Bob Roller

[Longknife]

There is a quite lengthy description of loading a M-L rifle  in Dillions book "The Kentucky Rifle" Chapter 10. This book was first published in 1924. He mentions swabbing with tow, he mentions pre-cut greased patches OR cutting at the muzzle. He also mentions loading blocks, he does not mention a short starter.....Ed

[Smokey Plainsman]

There is a quite lengthy description of loading a M-L rifle  in Dillions book "The Kentucky Rifle" Chapter 10. This book was first published in 1924. He mentions swabbing with tow, he mentions pre-cut greased patches OR cutting at the muzzle. He also mentions loading blocks, he does not mention a short starter.....Ed

A little after our period of interest but noteworthy non the less.

[rfd]

that 19th century period piece wreaks of journalism and not shooting.

at least within the 18th century there were only three things that mattered most for having a reliable firearm - sustenance, protection, and warfare - and probably in that order.  i believe what mattered most back then was not at all what seems to matter to most here in the 21st century.  in the day, the colonials had very different life threatening requirements for a firearm and their most ubiquitous long arm was the smoothbore/fowler, for its versatility.  i doubt many used cloth for ball patching - that was a dear and premium material early on.  tow was free and easy, as was nesting and bark and perhaps various hides.  without a doubt, balls were loaded loose and a premium was placed on consistent ignition and fast loading.  conjecture and theory, yes - but i think not.