Today reader Ian McKee, whose blog handle is 45Bravo, tells us more about muzzleloading. If you’d like to write a guest post for this blog, please email me at blogger@pyramydair.com.
Take it away, Ian.
An introduction to muzzleloading: Part Two
by Ian McKee
Cherokee rifle.
This report covers:
- How you got here
- First things first
- The easy way
- The Airgunner way (and the most expensive)
- When all else fails
- Summary
In the last report we covered how to tell if a muzzleloading firearm is loaded. In this part we will cover how to safely deactivate the powder charge and remove the projectile.
This blog applies to percussion guns primarily as that is what I have on hand to demonstrate. It also applies to flintlocks in most respects, except for the method of igniting the charge.
How you got here
If you recently bought, were given, or inherited the rifle, you don’t know what it’s loaded with. It could be a dry ball (no powder) and the owner didn’t know how to clear it. It even could have been loaded with the wrong powder or charge amount.
Since it’s an unknown quantity the first thing in my opinion is to deactivate the powder charge. That can be done by getting water into the powder charge from the breech of the rifle. Have you ever heard the old parting phrase, “Keep your powder dry?”
First things first
Remove the barrel from the stock. You don’t want to accidentally ding or damage the wood.
Some rifles have a cleanout screw near the nipple that allows straight access to the powder charge. But on most percussion guns, the easiest way is to remove the nipple with a special tool called a nipple wrench (what else would you call it?). You can then submerge the breech in water, but there may be an air pocket that keeps the water from reaching the charge. I have always dribbled water into the hole the nipple screws into and let it soak into the charge and added more water as needed.
The easy way
You then need a tool that will screw into the ball, but stays centered in the bore so the steel screw does not damage the barrel. Called a ball puller, it screws to the end of your ramrod or range rod. A range rod is a strong ramrod used at the range, as it is longer, stronger and easier to handle than the regular ramrod that comes on the rifle. It normally is a one-piece metal rod and may have a muzzle protector to protect the crown of the barrel.
The bullet puller is threaded on one end and screws into the ramrod. The other end has a sharp thread that will self tap into the soft lead projectile you need to remove.
A bullet puller is inexpensive and easy to carry and use. It is an essential piece of muzzleloading equipment.
You simply pull the ball out with the rod, and then clean the rifle in a normal manner.
There are other ways to remove a stuck ball, but the bullet puller is the smallest, cheapest and most field expedient way to do it.
The airgunner way (and the most expensive)
Another way to remove a charge that has come into favor recently is using a CO2 cartridge to eject the powder and ball. Some use a 16-gram cartridge and others a 12-gram CO2 cartridge. They also cost in the $35-$50 range and you only get one or two “shots” per cartridge. Talk about a low shot count!
The down side of this method is it’s more complicated and expensive than the ball puller, and the projectile is expelled with a fair amount of force. So watch where you point the muzzle if you do it this way.
It works, but it is more expensive and more stuff you have to carry with you.
When all else fails
The last way is the messiest and is best used on guns that have been loaded for a long time or have an extremely tight ball/patch fit and all other methods have failed.
It involves buying a zerk fitting that is threaded the same as your nipples. NOTE: A zerk fitting is a one-way fitting that you use with a grease gun to inject grease into bearings and other moving parts of your car or truck.
It isn’t just for cars anymore! Sometimes it is the only way.
Replace the nipple with the zerk fitting, and wrap a trash bag over the muzzle end of the rifle. Attach the grease gun and start pumping grease into the breech behind the charge. If the ball is stuck extremely tight, it will build pressure, then suddenly start moving.
When the ball is expelled from the barrel, the grease is contained in the trash bag. The bore will be filled with grease. Remove the zerk fitting and run a tight-fitting patch on a cleaning jag down the bore. The grease will noodle out of the nipple hole and the rifle can then be cleaned in the conventional way.
After clearing and cleaning I always try to get a look at the bore. Some of us have inexpensive endoscopes (I haven’t bought one yet) but they make them that will even fit in a .177 caliber bore. Most muzzleloaders are .45 caliber or larger and a small battery operated bore light can be dropped down the bore to inspect it for rings or corrosion. (We will cover rings in a future blog.)
Larger calibers can be easily inspected with an inexpensive bore light that can be dropped down the barrel.
Summary
Knowing how to clear a ball from the barrel is an essential skill. In your time shooting muzzleloaders you will at least once forget to put the powder first. [Editor’s comment: Or maybe more than once!]
Today we mentioned a few essential tools needed in your kit. Historically most of the tools were carried in a “possibles bag” on your person. So you could remedy almost anything that would happen to the rifle while out in the woods.
In the next blog, we will cover more of the accouterments you need for muzzleloaders. They are akin to the things needed to support a PCP airgun.
Shoot safe, have FUN.
Ian
Safety first!!!!!
-Y
45Bravo,
what an interesting article.
But muzzleloading a lead ball without first pouring in some black powder, HA !
To do that, you gotta be as forgetful as a…
…, erm, me? 🙁
I had not heard of the grease gun method, thanks. 🙂
Hi3,
Believe me! I have done it several times. Most often while loading cap and ball revolvers! Fortunately their nipples are in the back of the cylinder and removable to load a pinch of powder to blow the ball out!
BB
Tom Gaylord (B.B. Pelletier),
oh no! You too?
I guess you’re only as human as the rest of us, eh. 🙂
I wish I had thought of- or read about your much more fun method. Instead, I hammered a blunted nail through the cylinder. 🙁
——–
Can you guess what I have pictured below?
Yeah, when the ball is stuck in a .32″ calibre, flintlock Kentucky rifle, then I find it gets challenging… happily it only happened once and, to my great relief, the pictured homemade brass ball puller actually worked. I seem to remember that it screwed itself into the patched edge of the ball…
I am still alive! I learn something new every day. Thanks Ian!
Ian
Does the CO2 method use a zerk fitting directly on the nipple? This method seems like only a one time expense and is much cleaner than grease method. Also less chance of damaging the bore of a rifled barrel. Also takes up less room in a possibles bag than a range rod or grease gun. Pure speculation because my black powder loading experience is only with wheel guns.
Deck
Deck-
The CO2 kit utilizes adapters to fit over the nipples. Think of an air chuck/tire valve. In fact, they make kits for bike tires, too.
pac
Thanks. Based on your comment at 7:17 am below the CO2 method is getting better and better.
Deck
Deck-
I forgot to mention that the bike kits are much, much cheaper.
A side benefit of the CO² method may be the reduction of the chance of an inadvertent ignition?
The grease gun method is mainly for projectiles that have been in the bore for a LONG time.
As in decades.
I have had 2 muzzle loaders cross my path that I have had to use that method, the ball puller stripped out of the lead ball.
Both of them had been loaded for a long time and the lubrication of the patch had long since evaporated.
And the patch had corroded into the barrel. Causing an internal ring, and a rough spot n the bore.
If your friends find ou you work on guns, they bring you “projects”.
Ian
Yes, water can be used to deactivate black powder, but don’t do it. There are better, cleaner methods. Use a thin oil like Kroil or kerosene. They also add some lubricity to help get the ball moving.
Ball pullers? Depends on why you are having to use them. Ball without powder? Probably okay to try. Stuck ball due to powder fouling (residue from combustion left in the barrel). I usually don’t try. The wedging action of the screw entering the lead ball just tightens the patch and ball in the bore. Help yourself by first drilling a pilot hole in the ball (yeah, I know, another tool in the box) to reduce the screw’s swaging effect. I also file the threads to reduce the root diameter and give sharper cutting edges.
Best ways I’ve found over the years. Air compressor- slowly increase pressure until the projectile moves. If I’m not near the shop- well that’s why they make 4F powder. Remove the nipple or flash hole liner and work the 4F into barrel with a pick or needle. Replace nipple or liner. Point muzzle in a safe direction and ignite the charge.
paco,
How do you remove a flash hole liner? Mine have always been soldered in the barrel — or so I thought.
Please teach me.
BB
Some liners are/were swaged into the barrel. Some were threaded in and then filed flush. Removable liners will show a telltale screwdriver slot.
Paco,
Oh. I never saw any with the telltale screwdriver slot. And I understand that most of it will have been filed away. Is that right?
BB
Tom Gaylord (B.B. Pelletier),
I just had a look and yes, the flash holes in mine look like they were screwed in with a flat bladed screwdriver. So, a) remove barrel and b) unscrew flash hole liner. Done! 🙂
Except these simple jobs never are because they know it’s me trying and so I hope I never have to bugger up that hollowed out screw…!
I just bought a new Pedersoli Blue Ridge .54 flintlock. Got it in January and am just done sourcing all I need for a .54 cal flintlock, just need to find time to cast some balls and go shoot.
.
.
singleshotcajun,
ooh, that’s one very, very nice rifle! 🙂
I wish you much continued enjoyment in your ownership of it. 🙂
Merci
“Remove the nipple or flash hole liner and work the 4F into barrel with a pick or needle.”
paco,
Yes, in the heat of a match, I’ve loaded a .50-caliber patched round ball into a barrel with no powder charge.
Twice it was removed with a ball-puller; the third time, I did as you suggest here; I removed the nipple, and poured a small amount of powder in behind the ball; then I re-installed the nipple, and fired the ball into a dirt mound downrange. 🙂
Blessings to you,
dave
That method was going to be in a future blog about when YOU loaded one improperly.
And you knew what was in the bore.
Today’s blog was really geared to a gun that you know nothing about other than it has an obstruction in the bore.
Could be no powder, could be black powder or pyordex, or 777.
Or heaven forbid, smokeless powder…
That’s why I didn’t mention trickling in powder.
With a new to you gun, or one a friend brought over for you to look at, You have no idea what’s inside…
Ian.
“With a new to you gun, or one a friend brought over for you to look at, You have no idea what’s inside…”
Ian, I concur with you 100%! 🙂
I have been lucky enough that it hasn’t happened to me. Guess I’m not forgetful. Oh never mind the double charge I did on a Thompson .50 cal rifle (YIKES). Good thing it was a solid well built rifle and not a cheap knock off. That said, I too like the idea of the C02 Cart to clear the barrel.
Oh last time, would be nice if you (or someone) could add a link back to Part One. I wanted to refresh myself on it.
Doc
Doc Holiday,
if and until pyramydair notices, here’s a link to part one, called “An Introduction to Muzzleloading”:
https://www.pyramydair.com/blog/2024/03/an-introduction-to-muzzleloading/
——–
I was under the impression that loading more than the recommended amount of black powder into a muzzleloader, only results in a fantastic muzzleflash, ie blackpowder is ejected from the muzzle while it’s still burning. 🙂
Hihihi
Thank You for that link!
On the double loading, it produced a big flash and a lot of noise. Like a cannon went off.
Doc
Thanks for an interesting report Ian. Ingenuity is always fascinating to me. Is there a similar report somewhere for the preferred ways to clear a stuck pellet in an air gun? I have read about some of the different ways people have cleared air guns. But some of them appeared better than others to me. And of course it depends on the variables involved as to which method might work best.
Elmer, it depends on the situation and Airgun.
One pellet that just got stuck, I use a solid brass rod that is tight fitting to the bore and push the pellet out.
If more than one pellet, (see photo below.)
I normally remove the barrel from the airgun if at all possible.
Then apply a thin oil down the bore in the direction I intend to move the pellets.
I try to just push them out with pressure, but some times it takes force.
I put a piece of wood over the end of the barrel and gently tap it with a hammer to get things moving.
You can also use a rubber mallet.
The first pellet in the bore was the crosman flying ashcan.
Then 10 more pellets of a newer dome variety.
That’s the most pellets I have ever had to remove from one gun.
Ian
A closer look.
The barrel removed.
Thanks Ian, that all appears to be great advice. Wow, 10 pellets! I need to start looking for some brass rod (just in case I might need it one day).
Here’s something to load into your brain-bucket, on the subject of multiple-loading muzzleloaders.
http://www.historicalpublicationsllc.com/loaded-muskets-taken-after-battle-at-gettysburg/article_487b644e-35dd-11ed-a90d-5f066ffe4b5a.html
Keep it up Ian, and FM will be dusting off and de-mothballing that .58 Zouave – fortunately it was never multi-loaded so never a need to sweat extracting a “minny” and cleaning out the powder charge. Still, that barrel is gonna be checked out to avoid unpleasant surprises.
FawltyManuel,
would you, as well as a link, please include a description of what it says, thanks.
I only ask because the local Grown Ups love to censor my internet access… grrR! 🙁
hihihi,
A perfect example of what happens when a Citizen’s LIBERTY is lost!
Folks always talk of Freedom but few truly understand that Liberty is far more valuable in a society.
shootski
Working on it, hihihi – anything to help a fellow enthusiast get things past paranoid censors and minders. Believe – and FM is no technogenius – will have to send/post it as a series of images and hope that is not a problem with Tom and the good folks at Pyramyd. Bonus – the article is TOTALLY family friendly!
“The family that shoots together is one FM wants to be part of.” Better stop before someone tries to MUZZLE FM… 🙂
I was going to mention double loading in today’s blog, it was in the first draft.
But I figured that was a topic for another blog.
Ian.
Ian,
Never having owned a powder burner, I didn’t think I’d be too interested in this article, but it was an enjoyable read and I got a lot out of it. You reeled me right in. From a mechanical perspective, everything made sense and it was easy to understand. The comments that followed added more depth to your discussion, as usually happens here. It was an unexpected addition to my mental bag of possibles.
My takeaway is that if I encounter a wild muzzle loader, perhaps a friend is showing me something he acquired, I’ll have an inkling on how to make it safe if it was put away loaded! Thank you!
Regards,
Will
I am glad you enjoyed the article and found it informative.
I have looked at muzzle loaders for sale in pawn shops and found them to be loaded.
No percussion cap present, but it still has a charge in the barrel.
Ian.
45Bravo,
Enjoyable read.
Great progression for learning about muzzleloading.
I think i would use a power washer with a proper fitting instead of grease to push the stuck projectile out if a puller didn’t work.
Looking forward to the future Guest Blogs.
Thank you,
shootski
I don’t know that the power washer would even work. My washer has a valve at the nozzle that actually turns off the pump when the valve is closed. The upper pressure limit switch quickly turns off the power to the pump motor.
With a stuck piece, the power washer might just ramp up pressure before the round and powder even moved and shut down?
You’d have to try it and see.
On another front: As a casual employee of our LBS – Local Bike Shop – I can attest to the availability of CO2 cartridges in good supply. They do come in more than one volume. If the seal can be maintained between the nipple (assuming the firearm is a cap lock), one would have some 800 PSI available on a warm day. The pressure rapidly falls, however in the cold….
You know that the grease gun would build real pressure and move a stuck round. You also know it would be one very messy business getting the grease out of the bore.
LFrank,
You are probably correct in your thoughts on the power washer. It would be the cleaner method if it worked.
So far I haven’t had any of these problems to deal with.
I hope i never need to resort to any but the simplest of them if i ever do. My muzzleloader days are well behind me since i got into Big Bore Airguns; SO much cleaner and NO clouds of smoke and sparkle.
shootski
Shooski: My black powder career lasted about an half dozen shots. I built a Connecticut Valley Arms boot pistol back in the early 70s. A real black powder enthusiast tested it out and my flintlock weapon actually worked, if a tad poorly with rifle miniballs that were too heavy for it.
I still have the .44 pistol and extra flints but no powder nor rounds. It’s a piece for the arms locker next to may late father’s WW2 war trophy, a Japanese pistol and holster made in the “Year of the Dog,” which translates into 1939. It is a Model 1893 that was a copy of English revolvers. It was taken from a Korean arms pile after the cessation of hostilities. As an officer, dad was allowed to take two (2) trophies; my brother has the IJA sword and scabbard and I have the (officers?) pistol and holster.
Looking up the history, it seems that the pistol was produced at Nagasaki, of course, well prior to the atomic blast. I suspect it accompanied an IJA officer into China during the horrific years of Japanese oppression of its neighbor. The bluing shows that it will well used, and I loath to do ANY restoration as that would “remove” the history from the patena of the pistol.
Looking up the Model 1893, it would require the purchase of “specialty” ammunition given its nearing century of existence. A unique feature of the piece is that it can be field stripped using one’s fingers! It is ingeniously designed so that one can, with a good deal of force, slightly spring the trigger guard and it releases forward. Then, in sequential drill, one can take the action apart for cleaning. The cylinder can be unscrewed and removed from the front part of the pistol that carries the cylinder and barrel. The cylinder has a cartridge ejection feature that pops the spent empty shell cassings from the cyliner at complete rotation into the open position.
The timing of the pistol, however, appears to be somewhat worn; probably from sending too many Chinese citizens to the great beyond? I would not trust shooting it with live rounds, but not just due to age but error in alignment and lock up in the shooting position. I would fear a “clipping” or worse of a round if fired. Since the ammunition is specialty and not found one’s average gun shop, there’s no temptation to try and fire the thing.
I had thought of lending it for a time to the Ohio Veterans Home Museum, where I worked serving veterans for 28 years in social service and addiction counseling, BUT the Home decided to demand that donations, even for limited time, must become permanent. I am not willing to surrender this piece of history, my father’s war history, to the museum in the Old Administration Building where I used to have an office. I wonder what the administration thinks in trying to steal museum pieces “on loan” to it? It is just wrong.
My son is a Lt. Col. in the US Army at Ft. Leonard Wood in the Engineers. He will become the owner of his grandfather’s war trophy in time. His service in the AUS is, in fact longer than is late grandfathers. His paternal GF served in the Pacific (specifically as a liaison pilot at Okinawa), and his maternal GF was severely wounded in Patten’s northern push-out of the Bulge. Both of these GIs came home, put their uniforms on the back pegs of their closets, and became successful in engineering and management.
LFranke-
Regarding the Ohio Veterans Home museum- I recently assisted in the removal and transfer of the Johnson Island (Civil War prisoner of war camp) exhibit from the Sandusky museum. The owners (the collection was on loan) were concerned about the facility’s physical condition due to roof leaks and general lack of care. It’s a shame because it is truly an impressive piece of architecture.
Pacoinohio: We must be neighbors of a sorts? I worked at the OVH for an aggregate of 28 years as a volunteer, contract counselor, and civil servant. I retired on New Year’s Eve of 2012. Only one of the original Domiciliary Crew still remains of the staff I worked with. The Dom is where the original Administration Building is located and I had an office there for the years before Vets Hall opened. Then, it was immaculately cared for.
The biggest regret I had in my time at OVH was that there was no provision for saving ONE of the cottages alongside of the Old Admin Bldg. I wrote a monograph suggesting that the OVH seek the military service clubs to help fund the preservation of at least one cottage. No dice. Now, the actual heart of the old home is gone.
I did not know that the physical condition of the Admin Bldg has been so neglected. Such neglect was never in evidence during my tenure. That is horrible beyond words.
I don’t know if you are aware the the OVH sits in the Frelands of 1792, the first veterans’ relief effort by the United States. The OVH itself is part of the very early second great veteran care effort, the state home program by the Northern States in the 1880s. With the VA having a clinic on campus, we have the latest and last such effort.
There is so much politikin’ at OVH that obscures a linear and cogent plan that it is no wonder that things are in serious neglect. The OVH proved to have not had such a plan during Covid. They desperately needed to bring back the old guard, but pride would have prevented our helping do anything sensible.
Your comments really saddened me. There were things that drove me bonkers while i was at the Home, but letting it go to ruin is beyond my ken. It is, however, a trend that will, ultimately, cause it to close due to lack of residents. It seems to ignore the demographics that the bulge of WW2 and Korea is over and Viet Nam Vets are aging out and will soon be a diminishing demographic.
What you write is just plain sad….
This is for hihihi and anyone having problems with nosy bureau-nannies looking over their shoulders; it will have to be one at a time. The images are cropped so as not to exceed size limits.
Two of six
Three of six
Four of six
Five of six
FawltyManuel,
I paddle past there often it is Buzzard Point.
The Washington Arsenal is now called: Fort Leslie J. McNair. It is home to the National War College.
shootski
Sixth and final screenshot.
FawltyManuel,
I appreciate your effort and so I’m rather glad I asked. Interesting article too!
Please excuse my slightly mucky attire, having just come in from rinsing off our quad. I know you know what that can be like.
Let’s just say there are now multiple mud islands rising above a rather large driveway puddle. Anyway, please accept my, clean, gesture of gratitude…
You are welcome, hihihi. We have some good muck near here…some with alligators sunning on it. No worries – FM tends to muck things up a bit, hopefully never his muzzleloader.
Dangerous muzzleloading loads…
Apparently, when loading a muzzleloader gun, it is vitally important to firmly ram the projectile down on top of the charge. One method of double checking this, is to throw the ram rod down the barrel and if it bounces off the firmly packed load, all is good. 🙂
The idea is to prevent an airgap that, upon firing, would likely damage the barrel, if not explode it altogether. 🙁
My question is: why?
I don’t doubt the reality of this dangerous effect but, have yet to come across an explanation that makes sense to me.
Interestingly, when FM was self-teaching himself on the art and craft of shooting muzzleloaders, do not remember ANY of the publications read at the time mentioning this loading safety practice. It just seemed to make sense to ram the “minny” down the bore until the ramrod would go no further – no doubt FM was being his usual “precise/anal” self, but that might have saved him from a nasty experience with black powder.
FawltyManuel,
I seem to remember first seeing this ramrod bounce safety check thing on a video by capandball and so I just had a quick look. Phew, there are soo many videos that it would take me too long to find it.
Instead here’s a link to a very short one that just shows the movement of what I’m on about at about 37 seconds in:
https://m.youtube.com/shorts/kzEkewxWjp8
hihihi,
Airgap between powder and ball will lead to higher (possibly dangerous) pressures I think. Besides the resulting velocity will be variable leading to loss in accuracy.
Siraniko
hi3,
Black powder is considered a low explosive. In the U.S. it is used to blow tree stumps out of the ground when dynamite can’t be obtained.
When packed tightly in a rifle chamber it generates around 15000 psi. Leave a gap of 1/16-inch/1.588mm and the pressure of the explosion acts on the obstruction like a sledgehammer, causing the pressure to rise astronomically. If the shooter is lucky it will bulge the barrel, creating what black powder shooters call a walnut. If they are unlucky the barrel blows apart causing injury or death.
BB
I think the penny has finally dropped, ie my question has been answered! 🙂
I found an article, “Why Does a Short-Started Ball Cause a Barrel Bulge”, that basically says, it’s a massive pile-up of very fast moving gasses, colliding with the rear of the stationary projectile. The pressure builds so rapidly that it causes the barrel damage before the projectile has a chance to get going. 🙂
So the author finishes with: “The moral is – Never give those powder gasses a running head start; always keep the projectile seated on the charge.”
( http://www.ctmuzzleloaders.com/ctml_experiments/bulge/bulge.html )
This was going to be discussed in a future blog, when talking about proper loading procedures.
And what happens when you don’t load correctly.
We will visit this again.
Ian.
That is why it’s a very good idea to mark your ram rod when you load your first charge in a clean barrel. That way you know when your bullet is seated correctly when the barrel is dirty.
Mike
Mike,
Always!
BB
And, to drive the point home, AWAYS treat a muzzle loader as if there is a charge in place!
A friend from my grade school days
(Late 1950’s) was given a wall hanger 1861 Springfield, with rattle-can silver on all metal surfaces, to play with in the back yard. Thousands of Greenie Stick Em caps were used on the ‘cap gun’ Not to mention match heads when caps weren’t available.
After his stint in the Marine Corps, Mark decided to have it refinished to surprise his dad for Christmas.
Mark told me that the look on Bob’s face was priceless (& quite pale) when he was told it had been loaded the whole time.
Be careful.
Bill
And that’s why I wrote today’s blog!
Ian.
For sure, black powder may still fire after 100 years!
Mike
Or detonate, as was the case with this Hotchkiss 3″ shell found at the Gettysburg battle site in early 2023. https://original.newsbreak.com/@andrei-tapalaga-561350/2920882686109-soldiers-retrieve-an-explosive-shell-discovered-at-the-gettysburg-civil-war-site
Shooski: My black powder career lasted about an half dozen shots. I built a Connecticut Valley Arms boot pistol back in the early 70s. A real black powder enthusiast tested it out and my flintlock weapon actually worked, if a tad poorly with rifle miniballs that were too heavy for it.
I still have the .44 pistol and extra flints but no powder nor rounds. It’s a piece for the arms locker next to may late father’s WW2 war trophy, a Japanese pistol and holster made in the “Year of the Dog,” which translates into 1939. It is a Model 1893 that was a copy of English revolvers. It was taken from a Korean arms pile after the cessation of hostilities. As an officer, dad was allowed to take two (2) trophies; my brother has the IJA sword and scabbard and I have the (officers?) pistol and holster.
Looking up the history, it seems that the pistol was produced at Nagasaki, of course, well prior to the atomic blast. I suspect it accompanied an IJA officer into China during the horrific years of Japanese oppression of its neighbor. The bluing shows that it will well used, and I loath to do ANY restoration as that would “remove” the history from the patena of the pistol.
Looking up the Model 1893, it would require the purchase of “specialty” ammunition given its nearing century of existence. A unique feature of the piece is that it can be field stripped using one’s fingers! It is ingeniously designed so that one can, with a good deal of force, slightly spring the trigger guard and it releases forward. Then, in sequential drill, one can take the action apart for cleaning. The cylinder can be unscrewed and removed from the front part of the pistol that carries the cylinder and barrel. The cylinder has a cartridge ejection feature that pops the spent empty shell cassings from the cyliner at complete rotation into the open position.
The timing of the pistol, however, appears to be somewhat worn; probably from sending too many Chinese citizens to the great beyond? I would not trust shooting it with live rounds, but not just due to age but error in alignment and lock up in the shooting position. I would fear a “clipping” or worse of a round if fired. Since the ammunition is specialty and not found one’s average gun shop, there’s no temptation to try and fire the thing.
I had thought of lending it for a time to the Ohio Veterans Home, where I worked serving veterans for 28 years, BUT the Home decided to demand that donations, even for limited time, must become permanent. I am not willing to surrender this piece of history, my father’s war history, to the museum in the Old Administration Building where I used to have an office.
My son is a Lt. Col. in the US Army at Ft. Leonard Wood in the Engineers. He will become the owner of his grandfather’s war trophy in time.
LFranke-
I have this sudden feeling of deja vu…..
Hurrah, five days later and the “Verify you are Human” thing appears to have gone ! 🙂
Neither for the first visit, nor after refreshing the page after a while, to see if the “comments” number has gone up, do I first have to remove the popup blocker.
I don’t know how many times I had to perform the same robotic procedure to verify I’m human… 🙁
The main thing is, and I’m quite relieved, that it’s back to the previous ‘normal’ for me ! 🙂
Spoke too soon: I rebooted my ipad and now the interactive blocking page is back again.
As well as possibly contributing something to this myself that I’m unaware of and don’t understand, I guess that some at pyramydair and maybe others too, like the internet service provider, really are keen to know my computer’s non virtual private network identity.
Whatever, I’m not happy. 🙁
Also, how odd, that I seem to be the only commenter with this problem.
I really like shooting black powder guns. But, I like to shoot just about anything that will shoot! Over time, they do seem to accumulate just like airguns and modern firearms! 🙂
Mike