Loading from the pouch/bag questions

[54bore]

Sounds good. Try the Dickel if you can find it. Vanilla and smokey oak finish. Cut well with water. I used to drink Old Overholt, still will, but prefer George.

My dad should have bought stock in George Dickel, and Ezra Brooks. I haven't tried either of them, Probably a dood thing to, I Wasn't very good at it

[RU shooter]

Went out this morning to try out a few new tips you fellas told me about , still fumbling for about the first 5 shots but started getting smoother and quicker as I went , changed the lengths on my horn strap and measure a little and was a big help , don't think I'm gonna need a pour valve either all went well just with the plug. All in all think I have the basics down well enough to not look like it's the first time I loaded a flintlock. Again thanks to all .

Tim

[Newtire]

I bought a "Pancho Villa" style bandolier and filled it with measured charges of powder in the little tubes with the push in tops on one end and measured tubes of shot on the other. Carry the card wads in a bag and a capper in my pocket. Use the Star method of just a hard card between the powder & shot and about half the time use a thick card over the shot just the same as the over powder card. Seems to work. Those ball boards work pretty well with the patch already wrapped around the ball if using a ball load. Not too authentic but I guess you could use little glass vials with corks instead of the plastic tubes. Worked great for dove hunting. Here's a couple of links.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Kentucky-Bil...IAAOxyRhBStcDX

http://www.ebay.com/itm/65-Shell-Ban...%257Ciid%253A1

[I Haines]

The butt of my rifle is somewhat behind me and I capture the barrel with my left armpit. That allows me to use my left hand some.

I've tried to simplify things for loading. Got rid of my ball bag. A pocket within my shooting bag holds r/balls. My horn hangs on the same side as my bag. I have a powder measure inside my bag. No more pre-cut patches in a brass container. I use a strip of patch material tied to the strap of my bag and cut patches at the muzzle. My large belt knife is used for starting the patched ball into the barrel and cutting the patches. I keep the end of the patching strip in my mouth to wet it. I use the same powder ( 3f ) for the pan so I only need one horn. Sometimes I'll dump a bit too much in the pan but it's easily swept off.

This has worked well for me and it's probably more authentic if that's important to you.

[RU shooter]

The way I've been doing it flying by the seat of my pants is , have rifle leaning against left shoulder arm around it . Reach into bags main pouch grab a patch put in mouth measure is around neck grab with left hand , uncork horn, pour , cork horn with right hand , dump powder, grab ball in outer pocket of bag , get patch outa mouth ,seat ball with short starter attached to bag . Ram ball , lift rifle , prime and fire . I'm actually getting a decent rhythm going and my speed is getting better . Havent dry balled yet doing it this way ! Lol

[I Haines]

I'm actually getting a decent rhythm going and my speed is getting better . Havent dry balled yet doing it this way ! Lol

You just jinxed yourself!

[RU shooter]

You just jinxed yourself!

yeah probably did but hope not ! I think having all the stuff hanging around my neck and the patch in my mouth makes me do things more orderly unlike having all the components and gear laying on the bench top .

[Newtire]

My .62 comes in this Friday. I can hardly wait to go out shooting it!

[rfd]

from a smoothbore perspective, i think the .62 20ga is the quintessential do-it-all-purty-well long arm. i'd never be without a good smoothbore flintlock fowler, as clearly was the case of the very vast majority of 18th century colonial americana (including native americans, too). a smoothie will handle both ball and shot quite well - four legged or flying critters ... or even them two legged types.

enjoy yer forthcoming smoothie!

[Geezer in NH]

My left elbow holds the gun with the butt to the right. Left hand holds measure, right hand holds horn, my 4 teeth that line up grips the horn plug and lets the right hand pull it out. Right hand pours horn powder into the measure then my mouth puts the plug back into the horn letting the right hand release the horn to then hold rifle up until the left dumps the measure of powder down the bore