What a difference the patch makes.

[dromia]

For starting I try and get a ball to just under bore diameter with a patch thickness that will take this up to to just over groove diameter, in this particular case it just "felt" that it needed to be a goodly bit thicker and in this case the feeling was right.

I like to leave powder in flintlocks loose in the chamber so don't compress it with the ball and patch or the rod, it is seated gently onto the powder. This type of shooting is all about feel, problem solving and acquiring the skills, knowledge, experience and confidence to shoot these fine firearms successfully especially as each gun is different and will need its own approach developed.

All that challenge and learning is the attraction of these firearms.

In saying all that it cannot be that difficult as I manage it, maybe there are easier and quicker ways and just haven't found them yet.

I suspect back in the day shooters didn't have micrometers and go around measuring the cloth thickness of the womens clothes in relation to bore and barrel thickness but they would no doubt have a very good idea of what was needed due to experience. Expensive rifles no doubt were supplied with what was necessary for good shooting as that was in the makers/sellers interest so there was a developed starting point

[Maggot]

Reading all this is pretty interesting Adam.

I have only every fired BP in an old colt revolver (that was ball and percussion cap with BP) and I was gobsmacked at the ammount of smoke, an interesting pistol though.

I am starting to read the sharpe series (from the beginning, an exe Guards ACF collegue of mine read them out in Helmand, highly recommended) and there are a lot of interesting references to scorched grass, salty gritty mouths after biting cartridges open, sooty faces and scorched grass from the cannon etc.

I always had a thing about the 95th, probably because as a kid with an old man in the mob the green kit was relative, no idea as I had no perception of teh difference between rifle and musket back then.

It always makes me snigger (as long as I am not down wind) when someone is shooting a BP nearby, instant smoke screen...nearly as anti social as brakes Again though, suck it up, its history and its a firearm. Some beautifull bits of workmanship as well. A friend of mine is an RFD who has all sorts of old locks and bits knocking about and a rummage is always an education, what with it being mostly bespoke and hand made etc.

Oddly my 70+ year old mother researched all the actions and is also fascinated after the musketeers series on the box, so I guess the media can have a positive effect

Interesting stuff, keep it alive folks

[Maggot]

For starting I try and get a ball to just under bore diameter with a patch thickness that will take this up to to just over groove diameter, in this particular case it just "felt" that it needed to be a goodly bit thicker and in this case the feeling was right.

I like to leave powder in flintlocks loose in the chamber so don't compress it with the ball and patch or the rod, it is seated gently onto the powder. This type of shooting is all about feel, problem solving and acquiring the skills, knowledge, experience and confidence to shoot these fine firearms successfully especially as each gun is different and will need its own approach developed.

All that challenge and learning is the attraction of these firearms.

In saying all that it cannot be that difficult as I manage it, maybe there are easier and quicker ways and just haven't found them yet.

I suspect back in the day shooters didn't have micrometers and go around measuring the cloth thickness of the womens clothes in relation to bore and barrel thickness but they would no doubt have a very good idea of what was needed due to experience. Expensive rifles no doubt were supplied with what was necessary for good shooting as that was in the makers/sellers interest so there was a developed starting point

Did I hear about leather patches? Kip is very thin but I bet it costs a packet!!

[dromia]

Yes leather was used, seemed to be a favourite with the big bore deep groove German jaeger rifles that were the forerunners of the American black powder rifles, I suspect that people would use what they had and what they had confidence in that would probably have had more importance than proving the absolute "best".

[bradaz11]

thanks Dromia, couldn't have asked for a better reply ..

[dromia]

On the subject of the 95th I still cannot understand the lack of a good repro of the Baker rifle.

Pedersoli have been prevailed upon several times by shooters to make one but the reply has always been around sufficient popularity for such a firearm, when you look at the Pedersoli line up surely a Baker would be far more popular, even both sides of the pond, than say the Mortimer of which there were not that many rifles made.

Sharpes stories and especially the TV series has made the rifle very well known and popular even although the the hero was played by that lipsucking, tongue pointing failure of an actor Sean Bean.

[Sim G]

Did Parker Hale not do a repro Baker rifle in the 60s? I'm sure my mate has one....

[bradaz11]

On the subject of the 95th I still cannot understand the lack of a good repro of the Baker rifle.

Pedersoli have been prevailed upon several times by shooters to make one but the reply has always been around sufficient popularity for such a firearm, when you look at the Pedersoli line up surely a Baker would be far more popular, even both sides of the pond, than say the Mortimer of which there were not that many rifles made.

Sharpes stories and especially the TV series has made the rifle very well known and popular even although the the hero was played by that lipsucking, tongue pointing failure of an actor Sean Bean.

although he does spend a lot of time not dying, which is unusual for him

[FredB]

My own patched ball rifle is 25 gauge and was made in the 1840s. The bore is absolutely mint and the breech block is made to screw out with little effort for cleaning. It does not leak gas. First shots were on a par with your patched holes, but examination of the spent patches recovered from the range floor revealed that they were torn up badly. I changed from cotton to linen patches and now the performance is as your three shot group. It is percussion and has the old style nipple with the cone running top to bottom, I normally make my own nipples, but this one has defeated me: the thread is unlike any modern one.
Fred

[dromia]

Did Parker Hale not do a repro Baker rifle in the 60s? I'm sure my mate has one....

First I've heard of it, if so and its not an ageing memory then ask your mate if he wants to sell his.