"Lock and Load" on History Channel

[Enfield1]

Anybody else catch this show on the History Channel on Friday night? I like "the Gunny" (R. Lee Ermy) as much as anybody, but he got some extremely important facts wrong. He said that American muzzleloading longrifles had a lead ball that "bounced" down the barrel. Neither he nor his computer model mentioned anything about a lubricated patch that hugged the rifling to give the ball a good spin on the way out the barrel.

 

[rabjr]

Yeah, I was a little disappointed in the the historical accuracy of of the "Kentucky rifle" that won the Revolution and how it was loaded and fired. I'd have to question those he gets his info from. But it looked like everything beyond that to the present was about right.

 

[Russ T Frizzen]

I was very disappointed in the show. Way too many errors. Chronology and facts were screwed up badly. I guess that's what happens when you try to be funny and informative at the same time. The Gunny needs to pull his head out and get his act together. :barf:

 

[redwing]

Yes I did. :shake: I did not care for the errors in the KY. Rifle history. He kept referring to the Ky as if it were no more than a stick. :youcrazy:
I like Ole Gunny but this was not one of his better efforts. :nono:

 

[rabjr]

Well he did get one thing right when he said they were the most beautiful firearms ever made.

 

[musketman]

He said that American muzzleloading longrifles had a lead ball that "bounced" down the barrel. Neither he nor his computer model mentioned anything about a lubricated patch that hugged the rifling to give the ball a good spin on the way out the barrel.

I am guessing that all of that machine gun firing made him bias. Perhaps his "production staff" should have taken the time to research muzzleloading rifles first.

You can always contact the History Channel at the web site below and inform them about the discrepancy. :wink:

email:
[email protected]

Or through their post a comments: http://www.aetv.com/global/feedback/contact.jsp?site=History.com&NetwCode=THC>

Another contact: http://www.rleeermey.com/forms/feedback.htm

 

[rabjr]

Na, he was surrounded by good friends who are experts. They were where he was getting his info from. But from what I saw they need to go back to expert school.

 

[Raider2000]

Yeah, when I saw that episode I pobably said "Say What!" too many times because my 7 year old come up to me & asked what was wrong. :youcrazy:

Well I plan to email Gunny to give him some info to hopefully set his knowledge straight. :nono:

 

[kragluver]

I saw the show too and it really bugged me that the animation of the Krag continually showed the loading gate standing open during the sequence. Also, they showed what looked like .30-06 cartridges in the Krag, but I guess I'm being too picky. Call me biased. :wink:

It would have been nice if they had shown a side-by-side comparison with the various cartridges through history as they were doing with the rifles.

 

[runningbadger]

Yea, Gunny may have had a few mistakes, but my wife stayed and watched the whole thing. So a big U-Rah for the Gunny on that one.

 

[kragluver]

Of course, you never know -- the moderator (Gunny in this case) may not have made the mistakes so much as the show's editor. I wonder how much Gunny has a say in the final editted product.

 

[Grizzled Roberts]

The History channel has never got their facts right about the Longrifle. They had a show last month about sharpshooters. The had the best longbow shooter in the world showing his stuff, they had one of the best cowboy action shooters
showing off his skills. They had other experts with other weapons systems. When they got to muzzle loaders thay brought out a " collector "
to demonstrate loading and firing of smooth bore muskets and flintlock rifles. With a Brown Bess musket he could not hit a watermellon at 25 yards!! With the flint lock rifle, he shot 3 inches under the 10 ring at 25 yards! He then made the comment { because of the flash the people back then shot with their eyes closed }!!
I damn near Elvised my TV!!!!
:cursing:

 

[Raider2000]

The History channel has never got their facts right about the Longrifle. They had a show last month about sharpshooters. The had the best longbow shooter in the world showing his stuff, they had one of the best cowboy action shooters
showing off his skills. They had other experts with other weapons systems. When they got to muzzle loaders thay brought out a " collector "
to demonstrate loading and firing of smooth bore muskets and flintlock rifles. With a Brown Bess musket he could not hit a watermellon at 25 yards!! With the flint lock rifle, he shot 3 inches under the 10 ring at 25 yards! He then made the comment { because of the flash the people back then shot with their eyes closed }!!
I damn near Elvised my TV!!!!
:cursing:

Yeah I saw that one too & it just amazes me how they got some really good shooters but then brought someone that probably doesn't shoot often enough to demonstrate the accuracy of muzzleloaders & some of these arm chair types that make comments like that.

 

[Bullmoose]

I agree with ya Raider2000,

as to the muskets demo, that was real bad and also the put down of not hitting a side of a barn.
That was real stupid information too. There was a reason why they used muskets over rifled barrels in war and one of the VERY BEST demos is on youtubes called "WHY A MUSKET part#2" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HEgUiaPAwsQ

It really gives you an understanding why these guys in the military carred the Brown Bess. Good little demo and lots of good quick information in 4 mins. Hope you all enjoy this one its worth it. So good, I am considering coping the information and using it to do a demo at our Rendezvou too.

:applause: Watch this guy shoot 3 times a musket in 46 sec. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h7_wRJLcNc4
Good stuff to realize why they shoot muskets, put 500 guys in line and shoot 4 times a min and there is 2000 projectiles coming your way all within 60 SECS, That could be scary!!!

 

[mark/wi]

Those were great to watch, Thanks Mark