The blunderbuss

[vegard_dino]

So, the Blunderbuss, of dutch origin I think.

It was a close range self defense weapon. A very cool looking one. But, looking at the muzzle from a armed post man, not so fun I believe.
But, what was it loaded with? I have read they was loaded with nails, rocks and so. Really?
I was thinking more in the line of large shots.

Interesting to know what the original loading "data" was.

 

[Coot]

I have been looking for this information for some time now without much luck. I know that the British military used paper cartridges but have been unable to find information at the (UK) Royal Armories or the Royal Naval Museum (Portsmouth) on the contents (in particular wadding) of the cartridges. I have only found letters requiring various ship's gunners to make up so many rounds of ammunition (paper cartridges) for the ship's various small arms (xxxxx rounds for musket, xxxx for pistol & xxx for blunderbuss) the assumption on the writing officer's part being the the gunner (a professional warrant officer) knew how to do his job & what a "proper" load for each type of weapon was.

In his book "Blunderbusses" (1970) D.R. Baxter describes the idea of loading "nails, broken glass and pebbles" as a "popular misconception" and states that (small) "pistol balls and swan drops" (large slightly teardrop shaped shot) "were invariably loaded". Unfortunately, while I believe Baxter to be correct, he does not cite a specific period source for his information. James D. Foreman in his 1994 booklet "The Blunderbuss 1500-1900" also takes exception to the "loaded with anything handy myth". He suggests a load (blunderbusses coming in various calibers) of up to "twenty pellets of buck-shot" and as much as "120 grains of black powder". As with Baxter, no specific period source is cited but both authors do give bibliography references for further reading.

My repro RN buss is a 10 bore & for both performance and historical accuracy, a load of #0 buckshot is fine for me.

 

[vegard_dino]

Oh, great. Now I have to find these books.
:thumbsup:
Thanks for the information.

You shoot your blunderbuss at the range? Hunting?

 

[dyemaker]

Here is some information on blunderbusses. I think the beauty of these arms is that they can be loaded relatively fast... (because of the shorter barrel.) I like looking at photos of the brass barreled ones and I like the thought of rifles and pistols with brass barrels also.
Article

 

[George]

Searching through my database of 18th-century newspapers I find over a hundred references to blunderbusses, but only a couple mention specifically what they are loaded with. One mentions "lead bullets" and the other says a highwayman was killed by one "slug" from a blunderbuss. Several items mention persons being struck by multiple projectiles from blunderbusses but don't name them.

It is interesting to see how commonly used they were. By far the majority of references are to those used on ships, with coaches and carriages being next, but they show up most anywhere armed conflict is happening. Even the Continental army specifies blunderbusses for units of horse cavalry during the Revolutionary war.

Several types are mentioned, brass, iron, "for traveling" and as "swivel blunderbusses" on board ships of war.

Spence

 

[vegard_dino]

Thanks for the information and the link.

Oh, a database of newspapers.....Interesting. Thanks :thumbsup:

 

[Captain outwater]

I was able to examine some blunderbusses at Princeton battlefield exhibit...some were large straight bores, some had tapered bores.
While it is 'possible' to load a smoothbore with anything that will go down the barrel, only the desperate would do so. Odd ball shapes might catch and fail to go all the way down- or worse, fail to come out. If you want to HIT something, you want reliable shot. If you want a quick reload- which is the reason for the bell-mouth- you want reliable shot.
I also believe shot was made three ways- fine shot was dropped in a tower, but larger shot might be cast or cut into small squares, then rolled between weights to round it off. I have seen swan shot molds, which made several bb size shot and a round ball or two at once.

 

[Scharms]

A friend of mine has two blunderbusses, both flinters I believe. He has loaded birdshot with wads for squirrel & rabbits. He took a deer with a roundball a couple of years ago. If I'm not mistaken his are both .68"-.69" cal. I will check with him...

 

[vegard_dino]

Oh, sounds interesting.
Are they original?

 

[Scharms]

Both are old replicas, one is a .68 the other is a .75. The .75 has a 14" barrel the .68 has a 16" barrel. I've been trying to talk him into selling me one for a couple of years but he just doesn't want to part with 'em! Are their any companies that still make an affordable replica buss? The TVM kit looks nice, but its a bit expensive for me...

 

[Norinco]

I read somewhere that they took an ingot of lead, and cut chunks out with a cold chisel. Then they came up with drop forming of round shot.