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Posted: 6/29/2011 7:16:08 AM EDT
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With the 150th anniversary of 1st Manassas coming up, we are hosting several people who are coming into town for the festivities. In addition to the cooked venison, homemade blackberry jam & cornbread and local whiskey we are offering, I thought it would be neat to give our guests an opportunity to pull the trigger on a Springfield 1861 rifled musket (reproduction). However, I do not want to actually send any lead downrange. All the safety rules will be followed but I would like to load a suitable black powder "blank" charge so my guests can heft the rifle, understand the function of the action, hear the thunder and see the smoke without all the recoil or the downrange point of impact concerns. Can anyone reccommend a suitable charge of BP and an overpowder wad of some sort to produce the desired effect?
Thank you in advance. |
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You won't get the full effect, but 50-100 grains of FFg black powder with a musket ball sized wad of paper rammed home tightly is pretty standard for reenacting, from what I understand. You could perhaps experiment with the cardboard or felt wads you see from time to time for sale. I would be sure and use real black powder, Goex or similar. The substitutes aren't as good at getting that satisfying pop when fired without a projectile, I think it has something to do with needing a higher temperature for ignition.
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As a former reenactor, I have to say that any kind of wadding is a big no-no in reenacting! So is ramming charges. At close range, wadding can be a dangerous projectile. Ramrod tips have been known to break off and also become projectiles. These are safety rules that have to apply whenever there's a possibility that someone may be downrange.
Reenactors pour the powder loose down the barrel. This makes plenty loud a "pop." |
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Quoted:
As a former reenactor, I have to say that any kind of wadding is a big no-no in reenacting! So is ramming charges. At close range, wadding can be a dangerous projectile. Ramrod tips have been known to break off and also become projectiles. These are safety rules that have to apply whenever there's a possibility that someone may be downrange. Reenactors pour the powder loose down the barrel. This makes plenty loud a "pop." You're right now that I think about it. The reenactors who shoot at each other do it your way. Guys demonstrating/firing salute loads will use some paper and fire in a safe direction. |
| Most of us in my CW unit use 60 grains in a paper cartridge. We tear the end off and pour the powder down the barrel, and ram the paper over it when we are doing demonstrations. As others have said, we never ram when shooting in 'battles'-some guys can really get into the moment, and fire their ramrod downrange. |
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