Re-enactment

[TheHunter]

Does anyone know what is used to load a musket when it is used in battle re-enactments.

 

I need to get the BANG and the smoke but don't want anything dangerious being fired from the barrel. Just removing the bullet doesn't work as there is no compression therefore no BANG.

 

Thanks for your help

 

TH

[Vince Green]

You put in something like shotgun wads or the soft felt wads sold by Kranks to the same weight as the bullet would have been. Usually with the soft felt wads its about 3 wads = the weight of a bullet. Check it with scales, don't guess. You need to load a card wad between the powder and the wadding.

You still have to be very careful when firing the gun as the wads will travel 20yds plus and will still cause injury at close range so should never be fired directly at anyone.

 

Other ideas include cutting out about 25 thin card wads from old cornflakes packets (again to the same weight as a bullet) or a card wad, then a quantity of semolina powder to the same weight as a bullet then another card wad on top.

 

Other ideas, for shows, load a tissue paper bag with about a teaspoon of talcum powder in it between the wads so the bag is broken open when the whole lot is rammed home. This increases the visual effect of the shot but can look a bit naff.

Edited January 6, 2010 by Vince Green

[Bleeh]

I used to use wads of long grass compressed by hand.

Edited January 6, 2010 by Bleeh

[Floating Chamber]

M.L.A.G.B members use blackpowder and bog-roll.

Edited January 15, 2010 by Floating Chamber

[JRS]

M.L.A.G.B members use blackpowder and bog-roll.

top answer

[Zapp]

You'll get a pretty good bang with a tightly packed toilet paper wad

 

ZB

[Magus69]

M.L.A.G.B members use blackpowder and bog-roll.

Yep bog roll or large cigarette papers.

The way to do it is to make paper cartridges by rolling bog roll/cig paper round an AA battery and twisting the bottom pouring in a measured charge of black from your flask then twisting the top closed.

On the field bite off the top of your paper cartridge, pour in the charge,screw up the paper enter it into the muzzle,spit into it,ram,prime the frizzen or cap off,and you get a nice realistic bang.

Mike...

[Dougy]

And whatever you do dont forget to remove the ram rod before firing, ive seen one that wasnt at a display, it missed the crowd by only a few feet.

 

There a chap in the local that is really into it, goes abroad doing re,enactment displays from the 1st and 2nd world war.