18th century Speed Loading Technique?

[Donny]

Gus I think you have come across what some folks call "historic shift".

You found an account of how one fellow speed loaded. It mentions the number of rounds, how they were held, the fact that the balls were not patched, that the touch hole was worn so that the shooter need only bang on the breech to prime the piece, that the distance he could accurately shoot was limited, and his name.

This was probably a true account. For example, I have found that I cannot shoot more than three patched balls without having great difficulty in ramming home the 4th, and I could never expect to be able to load 6 patched ball without having the rifle jam due to fouling. I

Remember, the purpose was "speed loading". I would think for this method to work, the last balls were progressively smaller to allow for the increasing fouling ??? ? When normal loading, these finger balls were not needed and regular loading was used ? ?.

 

[George]

An...unusual... thread. Would anybody here be interested in a great vintage bridge in Brooklyn for a very reasonable price? Or, how about some really scenic land on the Florida coast that's only slightly swampy?

Spence

 

[Artificer]

Gus I think you have come across what some folks call "historic shift".

You found an account of how one fellow speed loaded. It mentions the number of rounds, how they were held, the fact that the balls were not patched, that the touch hole was worn so that the shooter need only bang on the breech to prime the piece, that the distance he could accurately shoot was limited, and his name.

This was probably a true account. For example, I have found that I cannot shoot more than three patched balls without having great difficulty in ramming home the 4th, and I could never expect to be able to load 6 patched ball without having the rifle jam due to fouling. I

Remember, the purpose was "speed loading". I would think for this method to work, the last balls were progressively smaller to allow for the increasing fouling ??? ? When normal loading, these finger balls were not needed and regular loading was used ? ?.

Actually, IF the loading method was used beyond the one documented case, I would expect it to be used in close range combat against hostile humans and without a patch around the ball. This would make it almost as fast as using a smoothbore musket, except of course it would probably be a little slower than if one used paper cartridges in the smoothbore musket.

Gus

 

[TNGhost]

An...unusual... thread. Would anybody here be interested in a great vintage bridge in Brooklyn for a very reasonable price? Or, how about some really scenic land on the Florida coast that's only slightly swampy?

Spence

Nice try, but everyone knows all that coastal land is soon going to be underwater from climate change. :wink:

 

[coloradoclyde]

An...unusual... thread. Would anybody here be interested in a great vintage bridge in Brooklyn for a very reasonable price? Or, how about some really scenic land on the Florida coast that's only slightly swampy?

Spence

Nice try, but everyone knows all that coastal land is soon going to be underwater from climate change. :wink:

Yep!, That's why the bridge is the better deal.....

 

[George]

Nice try, but everyone knows all that coastal land is soon going to be underwater from climate change. :wink:

Drat, TNGhost, you ruined my sale. The kind of customer who believes men made their children wear roundballs between their fingers all during their childhood to deform their hands so they could load faster don't keep up with current events, probably never even heard of global warming. I was counting my money. :cursing:

Spence :haha:

 

[Donny]

[

You found an account of how one fellow speed loaded. It mentions the number of rounds, how they were held, the fact that the balls were not patched, that the touch hole was worn so that the shooter need only bang on the breech to prime the piece, that the distance he could accurately shoot was limited, and his name.


[

Actually, IF the loading method was used beyond the one documented case, I would expect it to be used in close range combat against hostile humans and without a patch around the ball. This would make it almost as fast as using a smoothbore musket, except of course it would probably be a little slower than if one used paper cartridges in the smoothbore musket.

Gus[/quote]

I am thinking a paper cart. would still have to be ramrodded down, a smaller size ball can just be dropped down onto the powder.
Remember, one highly disgruntled savage is rushing you with a tomahawk from 15 yards away.

 

[Artificer]

I was thinking tear the cartridge near the ball, dump the powder, squeeze the ball out into the muzzle. Undersize ball would fall down the bore even when fouled because cartridge ball sizes ran about .050" undersize. British Soldiers were taught that when they had really fouled bores, btw.

Gus

 

[TNGhost]

An...unusual... thread. Would anybody here be interested in a great vintage bridge in Brooklyn for a very reasonable price? Or, how about some really scenic land on the Florida coast that's only slightly swampy?

Spence

Nice try, but everyone knows all that coastal land is soon going to be underwater from climate change. :wink:

Yep!, That's why the bridge is the better deal.....

Not so, latest "progressive" predictions are that Brooklyn will also be submerged, the bridge might stick up some though. :rotf:

 

[Darto]

" I normally load and shoot 30 to 40 rounds with no increase in force. To do this merely requires: #1. the right lube. #2. a rather snug patch/ball combo. "

Which almost nobody had in early times because cloth was not of even thickness and was *extremely* expensive. Unlike today when leather is cheaper than cloth!

Which is one very big reason, I think, that until the minie ball, smoothbores ruled!