'Pepper and salt' shot?

[Wes/Tex]

I've heard the expression used before and recently saw it used in Howard Fast's older book "April Morning", a novel about the fight at Lexington. My feeling is that 18th century salt and pepper was not ground as finely as what we see now. Basically, I feel it's what we now call "birdshot"...any thoughts?

Purely as bit of interest and, I suppose, controversy, the context was suppose to be the committee's report on available firearms in that village. It went....
"....:there were seven close-bore guns with rifled barrels, a small number, but rifles are expensive instruments and the very devil to load. There were some sixty-odd smoothbore guns, of which ten were old fashioned firelocks. Among these sixty were fourteen British army guns, which had traveled to us--that is, they belonged to the Committee--a very nice way of saying that they were stolen. There were five dragoon pistols, but these were the kind that a family bought to show off on the mantel in the sitting room, and it was questionable whether they would work. All the rest were fowling guns for pepper and salt shot."

Exactly what Fast's knowledge of muzzleloaders was is questionable but he made an interesting run at it. Since the Massachusetts militia regulations of that period specified things like iron ramrods; 'bayonet fitted to his gun'; 'a hundred of buckshot' and other comments I figure "close-bore guns with rifled barrels" is just another part of the legend that refuses to die! :wink: :haha: I won't even comment of "....ten were old-fashioned firelocks"! :hmm:

 

[BrownBear]

...fowling guns for pepper and salt shot."

That makes me wonder if he was just referring to guns designed mostly for launching bird shot rather than military models designed for round ball. Here in the computer age we devote a lot of time to praising the "fowlers" for being able to shoot both, but I wonder about the reality behind the claim. Did guys with fowlers ever use them much with round ball? My gene pool makes me doubt it.

 

[Einsiedler]

As long as pepper and salt are on the table, hunting is always a good option!

If I took a pepper and salt shot, it would be for table fare.

Kinda like wondering what size "pot-shot" or "skillet-shot" is?

But this is just me. I like to hunt.

 

[Cruzatte]

Or could it be bird shot the size of peppercorns and coarse rock salt? :hmm:

 

[Wes/Tex]

I just don't know...my feeling it that it's small sizes like out modern 6 to 8 sized bird shot but that's just a guess!

 

[Bo T]

Or perhaps editorial license.

 

[Wes/Tex]

:wink: :rotf:

 

[Treestalker]

:shocked2:

 

[765x53]

I believe "pepper and salt" shot refers to unscreened shot: all sizes mixed together, just as it fell from the shot tower.

 

[Wes/Tex]

That certainly is a possibility....I was under the impression specific screens created generally similar standard sizes in dropped shot...live and learn!

 

[Feltwad]

I believe "pepper and salt" shot refers to unscreened shot: all sizes mixed together, just as it fell from the shot tower.

Here in the UK there used to be shot size 12 this was loaded into cartridges in the early 1900s for shooting small birds .This was called Dust Shot or Sparrow shot you never see it today .
Feltwad

 

[azmntman]

.22lr "birdshot" is 12 if I recall correctly

 

[Loyalist Dave]

I believe "pepper and salt" shot refers to unscreened shot: all sizes mixed together, just as it fell from the shot tower.

Except I don't think shot towers were around yet.
:hmm:

It might mean what we call a "duplex load" being different sizes of shot combined.

What if, however, he could have written it thus...,

All the rest were fowling guns for pepper shot, or for salt shot.

What I'm suggesting is that he's not writing about a combined load of different sized shot, but commenting that all the rest were shotguns, used for birdshot and buckshot (pepper shot) depending on what the hunter was after. Peppercorns are about #4 buckshot sized.

LD

 

[coloradoclyde]

It might mean what we call a "duplex load" being different sizes of shot combined.

That gets my vote....The actual sizes are debatable....but irrelevant.

 

[robinsroost]

That gets my vote....The actual sizes are debatable....but irrelevant.

Mine too! It makes more sense than any of the other explanations offered. I have used duplex loads in both BP and modern loads........robin :hmm:

 

[Zonie]

After reading the quote in Wes/Tex's original post several times, I agree with Loyalist Dave's idea.

It sounds like the author was saying, "all the rest were fowling guns suitable for shooting pepper and salt size bird shot."

Pepper corns and course ground salt gives a pretty good description.

Measuring a bunch of black pepper corns shows they average about .175" which would be about "BB" size, good for goose and swan.

Anyone have some course ground salt to measure?

 

[765x53]

Here you go! http://www.ballisticproducts.com/Chilled-Lead-Shot-12-13mm-10_bag/productinfo/02612/

 

[Wes/Tex]

I have no idea how familiar Howard Fast was with muzzle loading weapons but his comment that "There were sixty-odd smoothbore guns, of which ten were old fashioned firelocks" shows me he had limited knowledge since "firelock" was the military term for the King's musket at the time. The comment about seven close bore guns with rifled barrels is questionable as well, since the Massachusetts militia regulations specifically mentioned 'iron ram rods', 'bayonet fitted to his gun', '20 ball cartridges' and '100 of buckshot' all specifically identify smoothbore muskets or converted fowlers. I had heard the term "pepper & salt shot" before and was just curios.

The story is of course fictitious and the main character mentions hunting loads where he counts out 20 'pellets' per load, etc. He also got Capt. John Parker being killed on the green wrong and the Redcoats never stopped, fixed bayonets and marched onto the green. This is where Major Pitcairn lost control. When the light companies saw the militia on the green they rushed forward with leveled bayonets and Pitcairn and the other officers leading the advance guard had to ride around the meeting house and got there late. Whether he yelled "Lay down your arms ye villains, ye rebels" is unknown but the 38th and 10th light-bobs were just at the uncontrollable level. Technically, Pitcairn had lost control and who fired first will never be known. What many don't know is that a march into the country side had been attempted a few times and the one to Salem lead to the draw bridge being raised and Col. Leslie left looking stupid on the south shore, as well as powder and cannon being snitched from the armory in Cambridge. Every stroll into the country was met with ringing bells and armed colonials following and making threats...the British were ****** and on the prod. What happened isn't surprising!