Ethnographic Arms & Armour - View Single Post

Jim McDougall · 9th October 2008, 05:15 AM

Fearn and Fernando,
Thanks so much guys for the explanations, which really make sense. It does sound pretty frightening to think of all these barrels going off...just one at a time is bad enough when dealing with black powder.
Sounds pretty difficult to work with, and I once had the chance to fire an old flintlock musket, out in the backwoods in Arkansas, where guys still hunt with these and bow and arrow. The ignition, sparks and detonation were pretty amazing and talk about smoke! One could see how in battles like Waterloo, where thousands of these were discharged in unison, nobody could see anything in just minutes (a great book describing this "Face of Battle", John Keegan).

BTW, me, the total novice, with that long gun...hit my target!!!

Thanks again, All the best,
Jim

9th October 2008, 05:15 AM	#14
Jim McDougall Arms Historian Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Route 66 Posts: 10,191	Fearn and Fernando, Thanks so much guys for the explanations, which really make sense. It does sound pretty frightening to think of all these barrels going off...just one at a time is bad enough when dealing with black powder. Sounds pretty difficult to work with, and I once had the chance to fire an old flintlock musket, out in the backwoods in Arkansas, where guys still hunt with these and bow and arrow. The ignition, sparks and detonation were pretty amazing and talk about smoke! One could see how in battles like Waterloo, where thousands of these were discharged in unison, nobody could see anything in just minutes (a great book describing this "Face of Battle", John Keegan). BTW, me, the total novice, with that long gun...hit my target!!! Thanks again, All the best, Jim