Match lock powder charges

[Henry]

With a match lock , the powder charges were generally kept
in small wood botles [url] http://www.engerisser.de/Bewaffnung/weapons/Bandolier.html[/url]

often called " apostles " , actually that name was given by 19 th cent. collectors .

So , I would like to know from wich wood those botles were made ?

 

I would believe them manufactured from alder, beech or ash. Cups and plates of the time were made from beech, alder was used for shoes.

CP

 

[Wes/Tex]

Google Paul Meekins, his site for matchlock musket gear www.bandoliers.co.uk/ shows the bottles he makes. I'm sure he can help you with the wood types used during the English Civil War era.

Agree about the term "apostle", I've never found it used in serious references on period works. The actual number of powder bottles depended on the bore size of the musket. Many of the early ECW pieces were noted as '10 bore taking 12 balls "rowling in"'...basically meaning a 10 guage bore using 12 guage balls "rolling in" the bore. In this case, the musketeer would have had 10 powder bottles on the bandolier, powder being issued by the pound. This guy would have bottles holding 1/20 pound of powder (350 grains), since it was issued out at 1 pound lead balls to 1/2 pound powder. Obviously, a smaller gun would have had a 12 guage bore and the powder would have been held in 12 bottles.

 

[robinghewitt]

English civil war battle sites are littered with lead apostle caps, and the occasional primer spout. I can send you one to copy if you PM me with an address. They look good if you clean them with limescale remover and then bend them back to shape :thumbsup:

 

[Bob Riegl]

:hmm: Robin, by that am I to assume that these were dropped in the heat of combat and/or fired? I was unaware of apostle caps being made of anything other than wood (live and learn). :thumbsup:

 

[robinghewitt]

I'm not saying they weren't also made of wood. The lead ones survive a whole lot better if left for 350 years and are easy to find with a metal detector :thumbsup: