Loading smoothbore flintlocks from the bag

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I have followed many of your videos on You tube. I have been shooting BP rifles and shotguns for decades, Toby Bridges and Hershel House being my gurus. After discovering smooth rifles, their ease of carrying , loading and hunting in the field. Your videos and your way of explaining things, appealed to me and guided me through some of the practical aspects of the gun. I hunt with my kit-built .54 smoothbore, and enjoy it a lot. I haven't come around to using tow, as you are fond of, and I don't re-enact.;) More to the point, your videos have been very enjoyable, and given me a lot of "aha!" moments. You are well organized, articulate and easy to watch. I am glad for you, and your level of expertise. Congrats on your Muzzeloader article, I will watch for it. Well done! :thumbup:
 
I agree. Great video. I have loaded my flint jaeger from the pouch for many years, even at the gun range (lots of folks seem intrigued by the process). I've made all of my bags and accouterments over the years and I really enjoyed your video. Hell, I enjoy all your videos!
 
The smooth bore guns major problem was they required a larger ball and more powder. The favored bore among the Indians and others on the far Frontier was the .58 caliber or 28 gauge. The Brown Bess .70 caliber was too expensive for nonmilitary to shoot.
The rifle could deliver a killing load with less powder at longer ranges. The rifles were more expensive and required far more disciplines. As the populations grew and there were more supply points the larger bores such as the .62/20 gauge became a popular civilian bore.
 
duelist1954 said:
I just finished writing an article for “Muzzleloader” magazine on setting up a hunting bag for smoothbore shooting. It will probably run in the magazine next year.

I also put together a video on loading smoothbores from the bag.

I welcome your thoughts on the subject.









Click to expand...

Thank you M.B. For all the information you give when you do your demonstrations. You are very helpful and knowledgeable. Also appreciate your knowledge on black powder pistols. I have started out with 3 R.O.A 's and have learned a lot from you. WFH.
 
I would like to know more about smoothbore pistols. Were they strictly weapons of war? Our state allows a single shot .32 'finishing' pistol during BP season. I really can't envision our forebears slogging with a horse pistol on their belt and a long arm but I wasn't there and have been mistaken once or twice in life.
 
Peridog, Now that is an interesting question. Arms were expensive. A civilians often could not afford any kind of firearms. Many whites used bows and arrows. During the Revolution they considered organizing Archers to fight the Red Coats. It never developed.
The point here is handguns were primary Military arms. The citizens were not likely to spend money on a handgun. Martial pistols were smooth bores. The upper class had travailing and some Dueling pistols. These were also smooth bored.
It seems the "Over The Mountain" hunters began carrying rifled and smooth bored pistols. They were often in combat on the Kentucky frontier. We know by 1820 during the fur trade heavy belts for carrying two handguns was common.
We know that the Flat Boaters on the Ohio and Mississippi carried large pistols. Many authors point out military veterans were more likely to carry handguns. It seems the large smooth bore pistols were popular until well after 1865.
This is just based on my own experience with black powder arms.:)
 
I have a 16 gauge Fowler that is my upland gun.
I load it from the bag. Two and three quarter drams of FFg. Two thin hard cards over the. black powder and an ounce and an eighth of #6 shot with a single thin hard over the shot. Carrying.
Only one type of card simplifies what I pull out of the bag. Shot is in a small shot pouch and powder in a flask.
 
duelist1954 said:
I just finished writing an article for “Muzzleloader” magazine on setting up a hunting bag for smoothbore shooting. It will probably run in the magazine next year.

I also put together a video on loading smoothbores from the bag.
I welcome your thoughts on the subject.
Click to expand...

Very Well Done Mike!
Thanks very much for posting, ( esp since I will not do facybook etc due to security constraints)

excellent as always, and will look forward to the article .

best
shunka
 
Dog Soldier said:
Peridog, Now that is an interesting question. Arms were expensive. A civilians often could not afford any kind of firearms. Many whites used bows and arrows. During the Revolution they considered organizing Archers to fight the Red Coats. It never developed.
The point here is handguns were primary Military arms. The citizens were not likely to spend money on a handgun. Martial pistols were smooth bores. The upper class had travailing and some Dueling pistols. These were also smooth bored.
It seems the "Over The Mountain" hunters began carrying rifled and smooth bored pistols. They were often in combat on the Kentucky frontier. We know by 1820 during the fur trade heavy belts for carrying two handguns was common.
We know that the Flat Boaters on the Ohio and Mississippi carried large pistols. Many authors point out military veterans were more likely to carry handguns. It seems the large smooth bore pistols were popular until well after 1865.
This is just based on my own experience with black powder arms.:)
Click to expand...
Thanks, I haven't found much on the subject with the googles. I kept seeing these antique and reproduction 'trade' pistols. In my hillbilly culture handguns are, as you said, mostly restricted to vets or small cheap defensive guns. So I found the notion of a well made 'trade' pistol confusing. So many 'internet experts' talk about how nobody carried a rifle and pistol.
OTOH, ginseng hunters, moon shiners, pot farmers, these types tend to be well armed today so maybe certain vocations made the economics work out?
 
For the last 25 yrs., have only hunted with my flintlock smoothbores....small game, birds, deer and black bear mostly. .62Cal., .72Cal., .75Cal.
They are the most versatile long gun I've found. Swallows anything and doesn't complain about it. Round ball, I mostly rasp for speed of reloading for a second shot no wad while shot loads it's either wasp nest, long grass or the paper my cartridges are loaded in if I'm using them...........just love'em.
 
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xXxplosive said:
For the last 25 yrs., have only hunted with my flintlock smoothbores....small game, birds, deer and black bear mostly. .62Cal., .72Cal., .75Cal.
They are the most versatile long gun I've found. Swallows anything and doesn't complain about it. Round ball, I mostly rasp for speed of reloading for a second shot no wad while shot loads it's either wasp nest, long grass or the paper my cartridges are loaded in if I'm using them...........just love'em.
Click to expand...
i'm saving up for a 12g fowler and so i look forward to getting my first smoothbore soon! :)
 
It's a beautiful thing.......and if you "live with the gun" the accuracy you can achieve with it is startling....and with no fixed sight. As I mentioned, never bothered with any conventional, store bought wads or patches....really, use the gun the way it was intended, working up my own loads and using natural materials for wadding if I choose.
It's a deadly accurate, fun gun that will allow you to get to know her and will capture your imagination and love of history. It's truly the "Gun That Won The East" before the gun that won the west.
 
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I have a "River Bottom", .62 caliber flint lock smooth bore. It has only a front turtle sight. My Fuzee has a front and rear sight. I just lock tight the rear sight on. If I shoot in a match I can knock it off with brass hammer.
 
Why bother with a sight.....on my Fusil I filed down the blade on the front turtle as I just sight down the top Bbl. flat and cover my intended target with the muzzle.....accurate as all heck....some would cheat it by turning the tang screw so the slot in the screw head would be facing the front blade, using that as a rear sight...nope just want to use it as it was suited.
.....also, watched the vid.....all those pockets in his shooting bag...wow...check out some original period bags early 18th cent....you will not see that....also, I never use a separate priming horn....who needs it really and they really weren't prevalent until the later part of the 18th cent. I've always primed my smoothbores with 2F from my powder horn...instant ignition with a 3/32 touch hole....you'll find if you do some research and try to emulate what methods were actually used rather than something you read about in a fictional book you'll see it was much easier than all these prescribed experts write about....or, this is how you do it videos.

You asked for it....My thoughts.

Little Priming Horns
Little Patch knives
Pre-cut commercial wads and wadding
Commercial Lubes
Commercial Knapping tools .... what wrong with using the back edge of your neck knife. Oh, you don't use one.
Those little gadget powder measures hangin' from his bag strap......now that's funny...wouldn't last five minutes in a thicket.

Leave'em Home......they're just all for show.

Live the life, not the character on some book cover or video..............my god his new store bought clothing and commercial foot wear aren't even dirty. Guess they're brought out only for special occasions like his new side seam legging's and commercial belt knife, unused. Shooting bag doesn't even have a scratch on it...........Geeezzzz...You wouldn't last an hour in a woods camp with that stuff....back to the catalogue....Sorry, this vid is geared towards the beginner by a beginner.
 
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Catalog is the operative term. Magazines are made by money from advertisers. I hear you, but having worked in media myself a tiny bit have to cut Mike some slack on that front. He gives a good visual range report from my perspective. It's up to me to figure out that my H&K Speedloader case actually will hold .44 cylinders :D
I could give two whiffs about 'period' when cheap or free works. So I feel you on the store bought stuff. But i don't hold it against Mike for what he does. The outfits are just more product placement. Many folks don't want to have them shown 'worn in'.
 
His commercial equipage is more for the range or woods walk arena, it won't work in the field hunting, trekking or in a woods camp. I could discuss his methods, shooting bag and alike but I won't save his embarrassment.....and as far as cheap or free, I couldn't care less...how about researching and making it yourself or asking for some help from others that know how....it lends itself better to the 18th cent. smoothbore experience, not just being historically correct. As far as appearance ....I'd be more inclined to accept the views of someone who has used the equipment, hunted and trekked the Appalachian trail, eastern woodlands and frontier for over 25yrs. than someone who looks like he just got his clothes out of the cleaners or some catalogue bought yesterday.........anyone can make a video.


Certified NRA Muzzleloading Instructor, Rifle, Pistol, Shotgun...26th year.
 
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Some people don't want to make their own stuff. I have folks offer to pay me to make a self bow. Had offers to buy my hand made boats. To each his own. When I say cheap or free I mean using what is on hand or making do with home made just as my grandfather did when he got his first gun in 1916. Coincidentally a cap lock hand me down smooth bore. Could be where I picked up some bad habits i guess.
Loading from the bag, we are trying to sell some accessories in a magazine it would seem. One read by re-enactors and 'range' rangers perhaps more than hard core mountaineers perhaps?
The saving grace of YouTube is that they will host your video done the right way and give you equal time so to speak. Can't wait to see it. Apparently I need some education as well.
 
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