Crawdad, very good. What do you think about the enduring argument regarding the "Short Starters". There are pistol rods but I have to speculate on the short starter? Back in the day undersized balls and thick patches and over powder wads were used. They did not need a short starter?You see cappers in original cased sets all the time and in Ned H. Roberts excellent book, 'The Muzzle-Loading Cap Lock Rifle' on pages 64 and 65 there is a picture from the Collection of F.E. Dunn that shows all sorts of original cappers that are available today. Even shows pictures of small 'priming' flasks that are currently available. But powder measures are a different story as I see nothing in any source that I have that shows a graduated and adjustable powder measure like the kind that is available today.
Doesn't mean that they didn't exist but perusing Robert's book I don't see any pictures of a graduated and adjustable measure so if they were common I'm sure Roberts would have included them in his book.
There is also an old rule where you use,
"One inch of powder for each foot of barrel."
From that statement or 'rule' I'm seeing that the owner of the rifle would set up the charge to give him the best accuracy then construct a nonadjustable measure out of horn or bone or brass for that specific charge.
In your opinion. I prefer 100% historical correctness.Historical accuracy matters little today. Whatever gets you shooting and does the job easier for you is not a bad thing.
Ah. Few do today, but I commend you, sir.In your opinion. I prefer 100% historical correctness.
I suspect that short starters were the out growth of target shooting and chunk guns where a tight patch ball was needed. I think the first short starters might have been mallets in the early days... After hunters and casual shooters discovered them, they became a routine accessory. Just an opinion.Crawdad, very good. What do you think about the enduring argument regarding the "Short Starters". There are pistol rods but I have to speculate on the short starter? Back in the day undersized balls and thick patches and over powder wads were used. They did not need a short starter?
Jeff, Now as always. You are most likely correct. Great post. They are a more modern device.I suspect that short starters were the out growth of target shooting and chunk guns where a tight patch ball was needed. I think the first short starters might have been mallets in the early days... After hunters and casual shooters discovered them, they became a routine accessory. Just an opinion.
The brass adjustable measures with the swing out funnel or without and marked in grains are pretty close copies of the ones made in the early 1800's.
Do you have a source for your information. I've never seen one even close.The brass adjustable measures with the swing out funnel or without and marked in grains are pretty close copies of the ones made in the early 1800's.
In your opinion. I prefer 100% historical correctness.