All of this misinformation is really getting old

[springfield art]

The internet is a good source for passing information. Unfortunately it passes on bogus information as well as the good.

Sure, but a sane, educated, informed person can usually filter out in their own mind which is which.

 

[springfield art]

The first time I walked into a monthly club shoot at our range I encountered one of our founding club members who proceeded to tell me the "cover the ball with powder in the palm of your hand" story. What? Now I will admit I was somewhat of a newbie to black powder shooting but why do that when I had a powder measure? That was around 1975 or 76 and I have yet to see anybody use that method.

Reminds me of all the times one hears about using a shard of glass to scrape a powder horn, too.

Ha! And we thought stitch counters knew it all!

Some of the current Horner actually do use that method; the old-timers did, too. 'Course, a good steel scraper's handy, bet that's what most use.

 

[springfield art]

Such was published in Dixie gun works catalog as an old-timer's starting point for working up to the right load. I never tried it myself. 100 grains GOEX 2f always did the job in my 54 GR Douglas barreled Hawken at longer distances. For targets I used lighter loads for each shorter distance.

I recall that being in the Dixie Catalog back-section, too. Some things that we moderns think are silly, people actually did. How about the Sears catalog thing? as an example, in the ol' outhouse.

 

[Jakeytoo]

"It ain't what you know that hurts ya; it's what ya know that ain't so."

Mark Twain

 

[Shotgunblast]

You dry balled it, now you have a fancy wall hanger.

 

[Grenadier1758]

The first time I walked into a monthly club shoot at our range I encountered one of our founding club members who proceeded to tell me the "cover the ball with powder in the palm of your hand" story. What? Now I will admit I was somewhat of a newbie to black powder shooting but why do that when I had a powder measure? That was around 1975 or 76 and I have yet to see anybody use that method.

Reminds me of all the times one hears about using a shard of glass to scrape a powder horn, too.

Ha! And we thought stitch counters knew it all!

I never said that pouring powder over a ball in your flat palm would result in an optimum load, only a load that was useful. Nor do I use the powder over a ball in my palm to measure a load for any of my firearms. Load development with a good volume measure is necessary to settle on an accurate on target and reasonable recoil. Due to so many variables the range of the load I tested for my 0.715" ball for the King's Pattern Musket varied from 90 to 110 grains of powder which is a usable load. This was an experiment as an infantry soldier was required to load from his paper cartridge. And yes, there is no need to use the pour the powder over a ball in the palm when you have a perfectly good volume measure.

The sharp edge of a shard of plane glass is effective in scraping a horn to remove scale.

And as stitch counters go we really don't know it all, but it is imperative to act that way.

 

[R.J.Bruce]

There's a ton of people out there like that for sure.
The main one believed as gospel around here is that 3f should never be used in something over .50 cal.
I get some very earnest and concerned replies from people when I tell them that I use a 3f load for PRB in my .54.

I used 75 grains of fffg Goex in my .62 flint longrifle, Getz swamped octagon barrel, coned muzzle, Siler lock, iron-mounted, kinda Lancaster-ish, with a wide butt.

It's what I had on hand when the rifle arrived from the builder. Being unmentored, I just used what was there for the other two smaller caliber rifles I owned.

It would keep 5 shots inside a silver dollar size group at 100 yards all day long. With no need to wipe the bore between shots, until you got tired of shooting. Longest I ever went with that rifle was 75 shots in a row without wiping. Walking around a piece of property, doing the same thing as archers do stump shooting.

 

[N.Y. Yankee]

I use the term "misinformation" to represent all of the "old wives tales' lies, stories and other tall tales" that abound in black powder shooting. I have always been of the opinion that you have 2 ears and one mouth. Better to listen twice as much as you speak. There comes a time though when the BS is getting too deep and you have to speak up.

 

[Jakeytoo]

My favorite bit of misinformation was given to the public by a volunteer state park ranger/naturalist/school teacher.

We used to camp a lot during the summer at Cowans Gap State Park. Never one to attend any entertainment functions the park offered, we decided one Saturday to do one.

Mr. B was all dressed in his finery ( imitation suede buckskin and fake coonskin hat ). He was taking park visitors on a walk through history. The kind where he’d walk, we’d follow, and stop every so often in certain year and recite some snippets of local history.

He was doing ok, except when he got to the siege of Ft. Loudon PA by the Black Boys. He held up his Dixie Tennessee Mtn rifle and proceeded to tell everyone how to load and fire the flintlock. All well and good until the spectators were told a ball was wrapped in a cotton patch and rammed, primed and fired.

Someone asked why the bullet was wrapped in a cotton patch. “ To make the lead bullet easier to load and the patch would burn up when fired “.

I waited until after his presentation then pulled him aside, and told him the patch wasn’t supposed to burn. The next weekend a coworker was camping and attended the presentation. According to my friend, Mr. B asked “ Is there anyone here from the Ft. McCord Militia, before I start ? “ I guess he didn’t want to be corrected on anything else

 

[Bad Karma]

I recall that being in the Dixie Catalog back-section, too. Some things that we moderns think are silly, people actually did. How about the Sears catalog thing? as an example, in the ol' outhouse.

Yeah, I remember the gun section and the ladies undergarments section too! The wish book indeed!

 

[vintovka]

The jury is still out on the "blowing thru the barrel" thing. Back when i started shooting ML trap everyone was doing it and said to put out lingering sparks. I did it cause everone did it. Almost a rule but not enforced. Still not sure, but funny when all the shooters had black rings around their lips. We called it:

la Embracia de la Morte (kiss of death)

 

[billraby]

The guys spewing out nonsense tend to be the ones with very little experience that are trying to give the impression that they know more than they actually do. It is all based on stuff they saw on the internet instead of actual experience. This happens in every subject. Not just old guns.

 

[The Crisco Kid]

The guys spewing out nonsense tend to be the ones with very little experience that are trying to give the impression that they know more than they actually do. It is all based on stuff they saw on the internet instead of actual experience. This happens in every subject. Not just old guns.

At least they have a future as gun writers!

 

[cannonball1]

I own/ operate a muzzleloader shop outside of Pinedale Wyoming. I spend a ton of time hearing about the “proper way of things”, believe me! It sometimes makes for a very long day

And the older they get, the bigger the stories. Believe me I've heard it all - - I'm old.

 

[Rickf1985]

I find this kind of thread both informative and funny. I am new to BP so I am just reading and absorbing info. Still kind of lost on the swabbing and cleaning since there are SO many differing ideas on that one but the powder over the ball in hand, I tried that with my .45 ball and then poured the powder into my measure to see just what I ended up with. Yea, I wouldn't want to pull the trigger on that one! 145-146 grains!!!! I have big hands so I can only cup it so far and I end up with a lot of powder. I always figured that was one method that was better left to the ages. I will keep absorbing and also using common sense to filter things out.

 

[LME]

Half of the folks in this great Country "NEVER" had any sense.

I think you may be right? Look at what happened in out last election?

 

[LME]

Sure, but a sane, educated, informed person can usually filter out in their own mind which is which.

That rules me out? I just don't qualify!

 

[Jakeytoo]

I think you may be right? Look at what happened in out last election?

I know this is off topic and I’ll be chastised but….
What election?

 

[ML48]

Sure, but a sane, educated, informed person can usually filter out in their own mind which is which.

Education doesn't always enter in to the picture. There are at least 82 million that may be educated, with no common sense, and just plain stupid

 

[LME]

I know this is off topic and I’ll be chastised but….
What election?

I was reluctant to mention which election . I didn't want to break any rules. Lets just say it was a national election.