Wiping sticks…a plains and mountain thing?

[Rod Man]

In Spellmans book about the "The Old 300", Stephen F. Austin gave a rifle to William S. Lewis for some work. It was said to be, "a steel-barreled rifle that fit the bill although the molds, wipers, etc., were missing." That was 1821.

 

[tenngun]

It has long been my understanding the term 'wiping stick' is synonymous with 'ram rod'. From what I have seen in museums I believe wiping stick was what they were called back in the day. I think I have a book that refers to them that way as late as the 1940's. Will try to look it up if I still have the book.

Back to matchlock days the ramrod was called scouring stick.
They were a might sloppy with words back in the day

 

[Snake Pleskin]

Ram rod sounds like what it is for, Ramming something down the barrel. Wiping stick, sounds like it is for "cleaning" IMHO, though I imagine in a pinch it could do the ramming too! Jut a thought? It would make sense to me that back in the day, carrying an extra rod was a smart thing to do. imho

 

[Notchy Bob]

I’m thinking it was an extra stick, as it was often carried in the bore

It’s an extra ramrod. Often transported in the bore of the gun.

It’s a relatively new concept in the research of the plains. But there are period drawings showing them in use and documentation of their use.

Portrait of "Long Jack," by Charles Deas:



"Trapper and Family," also by Charles Deas:



Detail from "Trapper and Family":



Portrait of a plainsman named Bellange, by Rudolph Kurz:


All three of these image show rifles with rods in the bore.

There is also this quote, from The Museum of the Fur Trade Quarterly, Vol. 5, No. 4 (Winter 1969), p. 1, “Fremont’s Trappers.” The original quote is by Lieutenant Frederick Walpole of the Royal Navy, from Four Years in the Pacific, in Her Majesty’s Ship, “Collingwood,” from 1844 to 1848. The quote relates to John Charles Fremont’s visit to Monterey, California in 1846. Walpole was evidently an eyewitness:

“During our stay in Monterey, Captain Fremont and his party arrived… Fremont rode ahead… After him came five Delaware Indians… The rest… rode two and two, the rifle held by one hand across the pommel of the saddle…. His original men are principally backwoodsmen, from the state of Tennessee and the banks of the upper waters of the Missouri… The butts of the trappers’ rifles resemble a Turkish musket, therefore fit light to the shoulder; they are long and very heavy, carry ball about thirty-eight to the pound [0.497" diameter, 184.21 grains]. A stick a little longer than the barrel is carried in the bore, in which it fits tightly; this keeps the bullet from moving, and in firing, which they do in a crouching position, they use it as a rest.”

Ruxton also mentioned the "wiping stick" for use as a rest for the rifle. These are from Life in the Far West:

"With a yell, the Indians charged, but halted when they saw the sturdy trapper deliberately kneel, and, resting his rifle on the wiping-stick, take a steady aim as they advanced" (p. 80)

"Squatting on the ground, he planted his wiping stick firmly at the extent of his left arm, and resting the long barrel of his rifle on his left hand, which was supported by the stick, he took steady aim and fired" (p. 222)

"Down dropped Killbuck on his knee, and stretching out his wiping-stick, planted it on the ground at the extreme length of his arm. As methodically and coolly as if about to aim at a deer, he raised his rifle to this rest and pulled the trigger" (p. 34)

In the same book, Ruxton also unequivocally used the term "wiping-stick" to mean a ramrod:

"But as Pete was in the act of forcing down the ball with his long hickory wiping-stick,..." (p. 59)

"Here's the beauty," he philosophised, "of having two 'wiping-sticks' to your rifle; if one breaks whilst ramming down a ball, there's still hickory left to supply its place" (p. 122)

So, here we have period documentation of the use of the term "wiping-stick" as a synonym for "ramrod," in addition to multiple quotes describing the use of the wiping-stick as a monopod rifle rest. This Warm Springs scout is shooting a breech-loading Spencer carbine, but he is demonstrating the technique for us:



It is hard to see, but I'm pretty sure this Cree hunter is using a similar technique to steady his trade musket:



So, from all of this, I would conclude that:

1. A wiping-stick is a ramrod. We infer that it was called that because it was used as a cleaning rod as well as a loading rod.

2. A spare rod was carried in the bore of the rifle. This was a convenient place to carry it, and the rod would keep the ball from becoming dislodged.

3. The wiping stick (or ramrod) was used as a rest. This may help explain how those old boys managed to shoot their twelve or thirteen pound Hawken rifles. Personally, I think a kneeling position and the use of a rod as a monopod rifle rest should be allowed in our matches, rather than insisting on offhand shooting. It is a period correct technique, and would encourage people to use period-correct rifles, which were generally a lot heavier than the ones most people carry now.

Just one old duffer's opinion...

Notchy Bob

 

[TDM]

Portrait of "Long Jack," by Charles Deas:

View attachment 169322

"Trapper and Family," also by Charles Deas:

View attachment 169324

Detail from "Trapper and Family":

View attachment 169325

Portrait of a plainsman named Bellange, by Rudolph Kurz:

View attachment 169326
All three of these image show rifles with rods in the bore.

There is also this quote, from The Museum of the Fur Trade Quarterly, Vol. 5, No. 4 (Winter 1969), p. 1, “Fremont’s Trappers.” The original quote is by Lieutenant Frederick Walpole of the Royal Navy, from Four Years in the Pacific, in Her Majesty’s Ship, “Collingwood,” from 1844 to 1848. The quote relates to John Charles Fremont’s visit to Monterey, California in 1846. Walpole was evidently an eyewitness:

“During our stay in Monterey, Captain Fremont and his party arrived… Fremont rode ahead… After him came five Delaware Indians… The rest… rode two and two, the rifle held by one hand across the pommel of the saddle…. His original men are principally backwoodsmen, from the state of Tennessee and the banks of the upper waters of the Missouri… The butts of the trappers’ rifles resemble a Turkish musket, therefore fit light to the shoulder; they are long and very heavy, carry ball about thirty-eight to the pound [0.497" diameter, 184.21 grains]. A stick a little longer than the barrel is carried in the bore, in which it fits tightly; this keeps the bullet from moving, and in firing, which they do in a crouching position, they use it as a rest.”

Ruxton also mentioned the "wiping stick" for use as a rest for the rifle. These are from Life in the Far West:

"With a yell, the Indians charged, but halted when they saw the sturdy trapper deliberately kneel, and, resting his rifle on the wiping-stick, take a steady aim as they advanced" (p. 80)

"Squatting on the ground, he planted his wiping stick firmly at the extent of his left arm, and resting the long barrel of his rifle on his left hand, which was supported by the stick, he took steady aim and fired" (p. 222)

"Down dropped Killbuck on his knee, and stretching out his wiping-stick, planted it on the ground at the extreme length of his arm. As methodically and coolly as if about to aim at a deer, he raised his rifle to this rest and pulled the trigger" (p. 34)

In the same book, Ruxton also unequivocally used the term "wiping-stick" to mean a ramrod:

"But as Pete was in the act of forcing down the ball with his long hickory wiping-stick,..." (p. 59)

"Here's the beauty," he philosophised, "of having two 'wiping-sticks' to your rifle; if one breaks whilst ramming down a ball, there's still hickory left to supply its place" (p. 122)

So, here we have period documentation of the use of the term "wiping-stick" as a synonym for "ramrod," in addition to multiple quotes describing the use of the wiping-stick as a monopod rifle rest. This Warm Springs scout is shooting a breech-loading Spencer carbine, but he is demonstrating the technique for us:

View attachment 169328

It is hard to see, but I'm pretty sure this Cree hunter is using a similar technique to steady his trade musket:

View attachment 169329

So, from all of this, I would conclude that:

1. A wiping-stick is a ramrod. We infer that it was called that because it was used as a cleaning rod as well as a loading rod.

2. A spare rod was carried in the bore of the rifle. This was a convenient place to carry it, and the rod would keep the ball from becoming dislodged.

3. The wiping stick (or ramrod) was used as a rest. This may help explain how those old boys managed to shoot their twelve or thirteen pound Hawken rifles. Personally, I think a kneeling position and the use of a rod as a monopod rifle rest should be allowed in our matches, rather than insisting on offhand shooting. It is a period correct technique, and would encourage people to use period-correct rifles, which were generally a lot heavier than the ones most people carry now.

Just one old duffer's opinion...

Notchy Bob

That is a very good and informative article, learned a lot from it. Nicely done Notchy Bob!

 

[Snake Pleskin]

Portrait of "Long Jack," by Charles Deas:

View attachment 169322

"Trapper and Family," also by Charles Deas:

View attachment 169324

Detail from "Trapper and Family":

View attachment 169325

Portrait of a plainsman named Bellange, by Rudolph Kurz:

View attachment 169326
All three of these image show rifles with rods in the bore.

There is also this quote, from The Museum of the Fur Trade Quarterly, Vol. 5, No. 4 (Winter 1969), p. 1, “Fremont’s Trappers.” The original quote is by Lieutenant Frederick Walpole of the Royal Navy, from Four Years in the Pacific, in Her Majesty’s Ship, “Collingwood,” from 1844 to 1848. The quote relates to John Charles Fremont’s visit to Monterey, California in 1846. Walpole was evidently an eyewitness:

“During our stay in Monterey, Captain Fremont and his party arrived… Fremont rode ahead… After him came five Delaware Indians… The rest… rode two and two, the rifle held by one hand across the pommel of the saddle…. His original men are principally backwoodsmen, from the state of Tennessee and the banks of the upper waters of the Missouri… The butts of the trappers’ rifles resemble a Turkish musket, therefore fit light to the shoulder; they are long and very heavy, carry ball about thirty-eight to the pound [0.497" diameter, 184.21 grains]. A stick a little longer than the barrel is carried in the bore, in which it fits tightly; this keeps the bullet from moving, and in firing, which they do in a crouching position, they use it as a rest.”

Ruxton also mentioned the "wiping stick" for use as a rest for the rifle. These are from Life in the Far West:

"With a yell, the Indians charged, but halted when they saw the sturdy trapper deliberately kneel, and, resting his rifle on the wiping-stick, take a steady aim as they advanced" (p. 80)

"Squatting on the ground, he planted his wiping stick firmly at the extent of his left arm, and resting the long barrel of his rifle on his left hand, which was supported by the stick, he took steady aim and fired" (p. 222)

"Down dropped Killbuck on his knee, and stretching out his wiping-stick, planted it on the ground at the extreme length of his arm. As methodically and coolly as if about to aim at a deer, he raised his rifle to this rest and pulled the trigger" (p. 34)

In the same book, Ruxton also unequivocally used the term "wiping-stick" to mean a ramrod:

"But as Pete was in the act of forcing down the ball with his long hickory wiping-stick,..." (p. 59)

"Here's the beauty," he philosophised, "of having two 'wiping-sticks' to your rifle; if one breaks whilst ramming down a ball, there's still hickory left to supply its place" (p. 122)

So, here we have period documentation of the use of the term "wiping-stick" as a synonym for "ramrod," in addition to multiple quotes describing the use of the wiping-stick as a monopod rifle rest. This Warm Springs scout is shooting a breech-loading Spencer carbine, but he is demonstrating the technique for us:

View attachment 169328

It is hard to see, but I'm pretty sure this Cree hunter is using a similar technique to steady his trade musket:

View attachment 169329

So, from all of this, I would conclude that:

1. A wiping-stick is a ramrod. We infer that it was called that because it was used as a cleaning rod as well as a loading rod.

2. A spare rod was carried in the bore of the rifle. This was a convenient place to carry it, and the rod would keep the ball from becoming dislodged.

3. The wiping stick (or ramrod) was used as a rest. This may help explain how those old boys managed to shoot their twelve or thirteen pound Hawken rifles. Personally, I think a kneeling position and the use of a rod as a monopod rifle rest should be allowed in our matches, rather than insisting on offhand shooting. It is a period correct technique, and would encourage people to use period-correct rifles, which were generally a lot heavier than the ones most people carry now.

Just one old duffer's opinion...

Notchy Bob

It is one thing when you are on a horse, but carrying a 12/13lb rifle on foot, would get old real fast!! IMHO

 

[Eras Gone]

Here is a 1794 mention of wiping sticks, although not in a pleasant way. See the bolded line in the third paragraph. My 3rd G-Grandfather survived this fight.

Captina creek is a considerable stream, entering the Ohio about one mile above the Monroe county line. Some of its branches have their source in this county. On the banks of that stream, at an early day, a sanguinary contest took place, known as the "Battle of Captina." Its incidents are given below, as related by Martin Baker, referred to above.

"One mile below the mouth of' Captina, on the Virginia shore, was Baker's Fort, so named after my father. One morning in May, 1794, four men were sent over, according to custom, to the Ohio side, to reconnoitre. They were Adam Miller, John Daniels, Isaac McCowan and John Shoptaw. Miller and Daniels took upstream, the other two down. The upper scouts were soon attacked by Indians and Miller killed. Daniels ran up Captina about three miles, but being weak from the loss of blood issuing from a wound in his arm, was taken prisoner, carried into captivity, and subsequently released at the treaty of Greenville. The lower scouts having discovered signs of the enemy, Shoptaw swam across the Ohio and escaped; but McCowan, going up towards the canoe, was shot by Indians in ambush.

Upon this, he ran down the bank and sprang into the water, pursued by the enemy. who overtook and scalped him. The firing being heard at the fort, they beat up for volunteers, there being about fifty men in the fort. Being much reluctance among them to volunteer, my sister exclaimed, 'She wouldn't be a coward.' This aroused the pride of my brother, John Baker, who before had determined not to go. He joined the others, fourteen in number, including Captain Abram Enochs. They soon crossed the river and went up Captina in single file, a distance of a mile and a half, following the Indian trail. The enemy came back on their trails, and were in ambush on the hillside, awaiting their approach. When sufficiently near, they fired on our people, but being on an elevated position, their balls passed harmless over them. The whites then treed. Some of the Indians came behind and shot Captain Enochs and Mr. Hoffman. Our people soon retreated, and the Indians pursued but a short distance. On their retreat my brother was shot in the hip. Determined to sell his life as dearly as possible, he drew off one side and secreted himself in a hollow, with a rock at his back, offering no chance for the enemy to approach but in front. Shortly after, two shots were heard in quick succession. Doubtless, one of them was fired by my brother, and from the signs afterward, it was supposed he had killed an Indian. The next day the men turned out and visited the spot. Enochs, Hoffman and John Baker were found dead and scalped. Enoch's bowels were torn out, his eyes, and those of Hoffman screwed out with a wiping stick. The dead were wrapped in white hickory bark and brought over to the Virginia shore and buried in their bark coffins. There were about thirty Indians engaged in this action, and seven skeletons of their slain were found long after, secreted in the crevices of rocks."

The youngest man among the whites in this action, was Duncan McArthur, afterwards Governor of Ohio. After the death of Captain Enochs, he was chosen to command, and conducted the battle and retreat with marked ability. The Indians were the worsted party, having lost at least half their number in killed and wounded.

 

[Johnny Tremain]

The only thing that gets wiped here is the pan after being fired.
Dont need no stick for that

 

[Rifleman1776]

. Personally, I think a kneeling position and the use of a rod as a monopod rifle rest should be allowed in our matches, rather than insisting on offhand shooting. It is a period correct technique,

Notchy
Yes, the stick is a period correct technique. But offhand was also. Most larger ml shooting events have 'buffalo' or 'X' stick matches. They are very popular and offer an extra, or optional, competition to the event. And, many of the various woods walks I have seen allow the use of the one stick for a rest just because "it is a period correct technique".

 

[The Crisco Kid]

We allow the older folks and those with physical disabilities to sit on a chair and use a ramrod or cross stick for a rest. We've also allowed the use of the ramrod rested on the hip and bracing the shooting hand in offhand matches. Our matches are all for fun and the winner gets a can of beans so we're pretty casual about things.
Also, I'm thinking I read about Joe Meek trying to touch a grizzly with his wiping stick when it came charging out of a cave.