Transporting a Musket

[Oregonjohn]

Hey No Powder....what material do you use for the lining? Canvas, leather, buckskin, ???
Hey, hope all is well there in the arctic midwest....

 

[No Powder]

The lining is just a heavy cotton, it won't stretch much and will hold the silicone. Wind chill was only between -20 and -30 last night, but should start warming up by this weekend. Now where did I put the lodge???

 

[musketman]

It's cold here in Ohio too, we had to jump start the dog...

Wind chills down to -12, not quite as bad as it is in Iowa, but it's still too cold for this yankee.

 

[Oregonjohn]

Hey Musketman or anyone else.
How do you carry your musket between home and shootin'? Blanket or canvas or leather sleeve, or what? Purchased or home made? Choice of material. Am thinking that unless a blanket sleeve was lined that everything would snag. Not too interested in "period correct" but more in handy and "lookin' good!"
Thanks.
John in Oregon

 

[musketman]

For a while I was using leftover material from my 4-point Hudson Bay Blanket capote...
But I also just cover the bore of the barrel by sliding a tanned, full length mink skin (complete with tail) over my barrel and ram rod, so the mink looks like it is laying length-wise on my barrel.

During hunting, I just wrap the musket in a wool blanket and then use the same blanket to wrap me while I'm waiting for the deer to come.

 

[No Powder]

I use a case made from an old blanket. It is lined and about once a year I turn it inside out and give it a light spraying with silcone. It looks nice and protects the weapon.

 

When traveling "to and from" I use an oversized aluminum rifle case (suitcase type). Even the trained-apes that pass for baggage handler's with Alaska Airlines and ERA Aviation haven't been able to destroy the guns contained within, though they've created numerous dings in the case itself.

In the field, I use a blanket cover over the gun. When stopping for a break on the trail it allows me to shove the gun (in the cover) muzzle down into a snowbank rather than trying to find a tree or something to lean it against.

Historical evidence indicates that North West Trade Guns were placed in wool "sleaves" or covers prior to packing in crates for shipment. I've found a couple of journal entries describing guys removing the guns from their cases prior to use, so we do have evidence that they were carried in such a case in the field at times. The precise appearance of the early ones are unknown and subject to some speculation. I believe there is some artwork from the 1840s and later showing soft cases made from blankets, leather and probably other similar materials, but not a whole lot from earlier.

Swanny