Thursday, January 11, 2024

Aiming a Rifle - Where to Focus Your Eye?

I recently noticed a discrepancy in some of my shooting references that took me down a historical rabbit hole and provided an interesting glimpse into the history of marksmanship instruction.  Before I get into detail, some context:

For many years I have been an avid rifle shooter and volunteer marksmanship instructor.  I am an instructor for Project Appleseed, and also a certified instructor for both the National Rifle Association and the Civilian Marksmanship Program. Project Appleseed is where I spend my volunteer time, both because I believe the instruction is of superior quality and also because of its focus on American colonial-era history and our mission to reignite the spirit of the American Revolution.  I am an avid student of history, especially military history and historical military firearms.  I like to collect the reference books and manuals that go along with the vintage military rifles I collect and shoot, and these were the source of the observation that inspired this little voyage of discovery.

Among the fundamentals of rifle shooting that we teach in Project Appleseed are the "Six Steps of Firing the Shot". Step four is "focus", by which we mean to focus the eye on the front sight, and focus the mind on keeping the front sight on the target.  This principle of focusing on the front sight is consistent with every other modern firearms training reference that I have, insofar as they even mention the concept of where to focus (several, notably the NRA, do not mention it at all).


Each participant in a Project Appleseed rifle clinic receives a copy of this “Guidebook to Rifle Marksmanship”.  It is the best concise reference I have ever seen.


“Focus your eye on the front sight…”


I recently acquired a copy of the U.S. Army Small Arms Firing Manual of 1913.  My copy includes changes 1-20, so it was current as of 15 March, 1918.   This would have been the training received by the soldiers of the American Expeditionary Force (AEF) who fought in World War I. 


This manual is very small, with tiny print! It was probably intended to fit in the shirt pocket of the uniform of that period.





I was quite surprised to read the guidance in this manual which instructed the soldier to focus on the target, and not on the front sight: 


“The eye can be focused accurately upon objects at but one distance at a time; all other objects in the field of view will appear more or less blurred…”


“Whatever sight is used, the eye must be focused on the bull’s-eye, or mark, and not on the front or rear sight.”


The Soldier’s Handbook for the U.S. Rifle, Model of 1917 gives the same guidance: 


This is both a manual for the rifle and also a scorebook.  This soldier had many scores recorded in the scorebook section, but only two of the pages were properly filled out with dates: September 2, 1918 and October 15, 1918. I cannot read the names of the Army camps, but they are different from each other.


“Always focus your eyes on the target, never on the sights.”


“Focus the eyes on the target only.”


This led me to consult some WWII-era references, including Field Manual 23-5, U.S. Rifle, Caliber .30, M1 (30 July 1943).   It contains the opposite advice, consistent with modern instruction, to focus the eye on the front sight.  FM 23-7, U.S. Carbine, Caliber .30, M1 and M1A1 (23 April, 1944) contains the identical verbiage.


This manual is also pocket-sized, with tiny print.


“…in aiming, the rifleman’s eye should first be focused on the target, in order to ascertain that he is firing on his own target. His eye is then focused on the top of the front sight…”


My copy of FM 23-9, M16A1 and M16A2 Rifle Marksmanship (July 1989) emphasizes the point repeatedly across two pages and several paragraphs.  This is not the most current version of the field manual, but it is one of the last versions before the Army began to emphasize optics over iron sights. The principle of focusing the eye on the front sight is clearly well-established as the correct approach to precise aiming.




“…the eye must be focused on the tip of the front sight post…”


So: sometime between WWI and WWII, this crucial aspect of marksmanship training was fundamentally changed.  The questions now in my mind were: how and when did this change occur, and why?  I consulted a number of other references in my library, and was quite surprised at how little I was able to find on the subject.  

The first book I consulted was "Rifles and Rifle Shooting" by Major Charles Askins.  He was one of the most prolific and authoritative gun writers of his day, and this book went through several editions and printings between 1912 and 1932.  But although it contains a wealth of information and advice, I was unable to find a single reference as to where the eye should focus while aiming. Similarly, ".22 Caliber Rifle Shooting" by C.S. Landis (1932) went into excruciating detail about the various types of sights and their uses, but I couldn't find a single word about where the shooter should focus the eye.

Finally, I consulted Captain Edward Crossman's "Military and Sporting Rifle Shooting" (1932), and hit the jackpot!  In fact, it contains so much information, in so much technical detail, that it was challenging to sort through it and find the simple facts I was looking for. I think it answers the “why?” and points towards the “how and when”.



The chapter on "Aiming" had nothing to say about where to focus, so I was initially disappointed.  But there is another chapter towards the end of the book entitled "The Rifleman's Eyes".  It goes into great detail about the nature of the eye and vision, the effects of light, different colored glasses, optical aids to shooting (e.g. diopters), and quite a discussion about the effects of aging and different types and degrees of visual acuity.  He includes a lot of detail from a study conducted by the War Department in which they had men with normal vision shoot while wearing glasses that artificially impaired their vision, and measured the effects on their shooting scores.  The objective was to determine what level of visual acuity should be required in order for a man to be eligible to serve in the Army and be able to shoot effectively.   The pages in which Crossman describes this study are included below.  While somewhat dense, they make for fascinating reading:


“Some 23 years ago…officers of the Army Medical Corps…conducted a test…to determine whether a sharp image of front sight, or a sharp image of target was necessary for good rifle shooting.”



“If…the essential condition being a clear image of the sights…it will follow as a corollary that the present standards of vision are unnecessarily high.”



(Some details of the testing)




“…we are forced to the conclusion that a clear image of the bull’s-eye, or object aimed at, is not necessary to good shooting.”



“Upon well-defined optical principles the marksman with normal vision will not be able to distinctly see the bull’s-eye and focus his front and rear sight at the same time…a blurred target and a sharply-defined front sight…is…invariably chosen by riflemen…”



“Conclusions: 1. That a perfectly sharp image of the target or bull’s-eye is not necessary for good shooting…”


The study and its conclusions were published as War Department Circular No. 5, January 25th, 1908.   (Historical Note: What was then the War Department is now the Department of the Army. There was no Department of Defense until after WWII). It is quite clear from this study that the Army knew at the time that bringing the target into clear focus was not necessary for good results.  It is also clear that the riflemen preferred to focus on the front sight, regardless of how they had been instructed.  Nonetheless, the War Department's 1913 Small Arms Firing Manual recommended focusing on the target.  Why?   

I do not have any earlier marksmanship manuals, nor any manuals or other training materials from the interwar years, so don't know for sure and I cannot answer the question definitively.  But having had a total of 28 years' service in the Army, I can venture an educated guess.  The Army is a very conservative (some would say "hidebound") organization, and the bureaucracy is often very resistant to change.  Ordnance in particular was very conservative, and even resisted the adoption of repeating rifles for decades on the grounds that soldiers would waste ammunition by firing too fast (!)  When the Army finally did adopt a repeating rifle, the first few models (1892, 1896, 1898, and 1903) included a magazine cutoff switch to permit single loading. Soldiers were instructed to fire single shot, and to conserve the rounds in the magazine for emergencies when rapid fire was necessary.  As a rule, things in the Army did not change rapidly!

It is apparent that Army doctrine at the time of the study was to focus the eye on the target when aiming.  It is easy for me to imagine that it took years to get the knowledge from this study (even though it had been produced and published by the War Department) to penetrate the bureaucracy and be translated into a change in training doctrine. That is most likely the explanation for the two-stage instruction to first focus on the target to ensure proper identification, then focus on the front sight for greater accuracy. I suspect this represents a compromise between those who thought it most important to keep the enemy in clear focus during battle and those striving for the most precise aim. One finding of the study was that even soldiers who were somewhat nearsighted could still get good shooting results by focusing on the front sight, despite the fact that they were unable to bring the target into clear focus. Because the study seems to have been motivated primarily by the desire to ensure that the vision requirements for enlistment did not unnecessarily restrict the pool of potential soldiers, the experiences recruiting and training the AEF in WWI may have finally pushed the Army to adopt the change.

There are many other interesting differences from our current marksmanship practices contained in these manuals (firing positions, breath control, training methods, etc), but this one just jumped out at me and I needed to dig in a little.  At our Project Appleseed shoot last weekend, one of the more experienced instructors told the students that if they focus on the target rather than the front sight, their shot group will be likely to expand and form a “shotgun” pattern around their aiming point.  He encouraged them to try it as an exercise to validate the need to focus on the front sight.  I think it will be interesting to try it, especially after reading this.

One final thought:  we notice that the majority of our students show up on the line with some sort of optics on their rifles - either a scope or a “red dot” type.  But if you really want to get to know your rifle and understand shooting fundamentals, take off the scope and learn to shoot with iron sights!


 

Mood: Happy

Music: Jäger & Schützenlieder (Folge 2)

Tuesday, January 02, 2024

Happy P7 Patent Day! The Heckler & Koch P7M8 at the Range

Happy P7 Patent Day!   Today is the day key elements of the unique mechanism of the Heckler & Koch P7 pistol were patented by Helmut Weldle:  


HK P7 Patent


Here is a detailed rundown of how the P7 works and why it is the best pistol ever made:


The HK P7 Pistol


This pistol has been a significant part of my life since I bought one as my first modern pistol and taught myself to shoot with it in 1982.  Seriously - most of my online userids are “hkp7fan”, my Appleseed instructor handle is “P7”, and my license plate has been “HK P7M8” for the last 14 years, in two countries and three states.  I love this pistol! So naturally I had to go to the range today and shoot it.



My Heckler & Koch P7M8.   

The P7M8 is my EDC gun, as it has been for nearly 40 years. Cognoscenti may wonder how I could have bought it in 1982 when it has an IE (1984) date code. To be more precise, my first pistol was actually a P7 (PSP), purchased at the Hanau Rod & Gun Club. Right before I left Germany in 1985, I purchased the P7M8.  Shortly after I returned to the US I retired the P7 and the P7M8 became my EDC gun.


Today it was also time for the semi-annual rotation of my defensive ammunition.  Twice a year I go to the range with my carry guns and shoot the ammunition that’s been in them. The idea is to ensure that it goes “bang”, that the pistol functions as desired, and that I am able to hit the target reasonably accurately.  After I’ve shot the full-power defensive ammunition, I generally get in some additional shooting with less expensive practice ammo. Afterwards I clean the gun thoroughly, swap in fresh magazines to give the ones I’ve been carrying a rest, and load them with fresh defensive ammunition.



All set up to shoot and to record the results.


Appleseed large silhouette drill targets at 7 yards and a steel silhouette target at 15 yards.


These days I’m carrying Speer Gold Dot 124 gr. Jacketed Hollowpoint Law Enforcement Duty Ammunition.  I prefer to carry +P or even +P+, but unfortunately my last case ran out during the depth of the COVID ammo shortage, and standard pressure was all I could find  (I don’t like to think about the price I paid).  I prefer ammunition with “Law Enforcement” or “Duty” in the name rather than catchy marketing names like “Zombie Killer” or “Terminator”, because it would sound better if I ever had to use it for actual self-defense.  This may sound a bit flip but it is a very real consideration. If you are ever placed in the unenviable position of having to defend your actions to a judge and jury, anything that can reinforce their understanding that you are a solid, responsible citizen is important.



Speer Gold Dot - "The No. 1 Choice in Law Enforcement"

Today every round functioned perfectly, and I got in some very good practice.  I started off by shooting the carry ammo at a pair of Appleseed silhouette targets at seven yards.  My EDC load is 25 rounds:  Three eight-round magazines plus one in the chamber.  I fired six strings of 4 shots each, two at the first target and then two at the second target.  Out of a possible 20 points, my scores were: 13, 12, 12, 14, 19, 17.  Then I shot one round at the steel  silhouette target at 15 yards (hit).


The last eight rounds of carry ammunition.  Two strings of four rounds, two rounds on each target.

After this I fired ten rounds of practice ammunition at another pair of Appleseed silhouette targets, following the Appleseed pistol drill of two magazines (six and four), firing two shots on the left, then two on the right, alternating until all ten rounds had been fired.  My score for this was  39/50.  I would have practiced more and raised this score, but the light was fading and I had another pistol to shoot.  So this was it for the P7 today.  


Ten rounds of practice ammo, six on the left and four on the right, fired two rounds at a time, then switching between targets. 39/50 - not a very impressive score, but definitely "minute of bad guy".

I also brought along my travel gun (a Remington R51 9mm).  This is a $200 gun vs. the P7’s current ~$2,000 market value.  Hence “travel gun”, so that the P7 will never disappear from my checked baggage.


This one was quick.  My EDC load for this pistol is only 22 rounds, as the magazines only hold seven.  I fired the first magazine fairly deliberately to refamiliarize myself.  The first round failed to extract completely and thus jammed the pistol.  I believe this was because I limp-wristed it, preventing the recoil force from cycling the action completely.  After I cleared it and focused on a firm grip, it functioned perfectly.  After the first magazine, I fired the rest rapid fire, and achieved 100% hits on target (a steel silhouette target at 15 yards) with several of the hits at dead center mass.   By this time the light was fading fast, so there are no photos and this was the last shooting of the day.


After packing up and coming home, the next step was a good cleaning, followed by fresh ammunition in different magazines, and back into the holster for another six months of EDC.



"Never let the sun set on a dirty gun."

Time for a rendezvous with Jack Daniels - life is good in North Idaho!



My Christmas present from my awesome wife.


 

Mood: Happy

Music: Jäger & Schützenlieder, Folge 1



Friday, September 08, 2023

Ayn Rand University Course - ITOE

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Nez Perce - Clearwater National Forest Trip

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Gospel Hump Wilderness Trip

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From 24 July - 3 August I camped and backpacked in and around the Gospel Hump Wilderness in Idaho.  This was my first visit to this area, but it won't be my last.  It is beautiful, remote, and little-used, all very big pluses in my book.


OCON 2023

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Tuesday, June 06, 2023

D-Day Warhorses at the Range

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Sunday, May 21, 2023

First Hike of the Season

 I have been a bit slow off the starting block getting out hiking this year, but on Thursday I finally decided it was time.  I have an online class every Thursday and Friday morning, so by the time I got my daypack packed and set out, it was already early afternoon.   

I had planned to hike a portion of the Marie Creek Trail, an easy reverse-lollipop trail that is a short drive from where we live in Coeur d'Alene. No spectacular views or scenery, just a chance to get out and hike through some serene wooded mountains with a creek running alongside for much of the way.   Unfortunately, when I got there, there was a sign prominently posted declaring the trail closed for a prescribed burn.

USFS sign announcing the prescribed burn program and the trail closure.  It was unclear to me whether the sign meant the trail was closed *on* 30 April, or had been closed *starting* 30 April and was still closed.

Since I had no cell service, I could not call the Forest Service to check.  By the time I got to where I did have a signal, I decided to just go home and check from there.  Shame on me for not checking trail conditions in advance!  All part of the Spring shakedown.

When I got home, I called the Idaho Panhandle National Forest office, and was told that the trail was not closed.  It had been closed earlier, but they had just neglected to take down the sign.  I determined to go on Friday instead, and to get an earlier start.

On Friday morning after class, I packed up and headed back out to the trail.  It was very hot by the time we got to the trailhead, so I made sure that both Tillie and I were well-hydrated before we started.  She loves any ride in the car, but the myriad smells and different environment of the trailhead had her even more excited than usual.   I have only ever had her out on a couple of other hikes - usually it's just a walk in our neighborhood.  I decided to let her walk off-leash but keep a close eye out. There were three other cars in the parking lot, so I kept a leash in my pocket and didn't let her get too far ahead or behind.

The hike was pleasant and uneventful.  The first rest stop was at the point highest in elevation, a saddle at where there is a little primitive bench to sit on.  (This was the spot where I slept out overnight in February 2019, right after we moved here.) This time the day was very hot, so I was sure to keep Tillie (and myself) well-hydrated.  When we came down the other side and started along Marie Creek I encouraged her to get in the water to cool down.  


Tillie didn't need much encouragement to cool down in the creek.


I stopped for lunch a little more than two miles from the trailhead, in a nice shady spot on the edge of a meadow that has been improved as a hunting/horse camp with stone rings for tent sites, a fire ring, etc.  I ended up spending a couple of hours there just relaxing and enjoying being outdoors.  


Die Wache.  Turns out my old Sierra Club cup makes a perfect water bowl for her.


Lots of interesting smells in the air.  🙂


I ate my lunch of cheese, salami, and crackers, and then prepared to heat some water for tea.  I have taken along jasmine-flavored green tea on hiking and backpacking trips for as long as I can remember.  I am pretty sure I started doing this during the "Kung Fu" craze in the early 1970s.  I even have a leather 'Kwai Chang Cain'-style shoulder bag that I made at scout camp that I used to carry stuff in.  However I got started, it's a soothing warm drink and I am rarely in the woods without the means to make it.  On a day hike like this I usually heat the water using an Esbit stove and fuel tablets, but I decided on the spur of the moment to try out a couple new pieces of equipment that I had never used before.  

The first new piece of equipment is a small wood-burning stove from Toaks.  I thought it might be a viable lightweight alternative to carrying a stove and fuel, but wasn't sure how well it would work or whether I'd want to be tied down to gathering wood and starting a fire every time I want to cook.  So this was an initial experiment to try it out.

Toaks Titanium Stove

The stove came with no instructions, but it's not complicated and the website has photos. It consists of three nesting components, which I will call the base, the firebox, and the cup or pot stand.  I set it up, and spent a few minutes gathering a bunch of small twigs and sticks, breaking them into 3"- 4" lengths, and arranging them by size for easy access.  I had a pretty large pile of fallen sticks and branches ready to break up and feed into the stove, depending upon how fast it burned and how long it took to heat the water.  

I set it up and started the fire (more on the method of ignition below).  At first I tried to do this with the stove completely set up, but it quickly became apparent that it was too hard to reach down into the interior to get it started.  I ended up situating the base in a level, secure spot, and setting the firebox inside the pot stand over to the side.  When on the ground like this, it collapses to the height of the firebox. This made it much easier to get the fire started inside, after which I picked the pair up together by the pot stand and set it onto the base.  The firebox drops down inside the base, and there is then a fairly tall space for the fire to burn, a stable place to sit a pot, and an opening on the side to feed in the fuel.

I quickly learned that because the opening is not all that big, you really need the sticks to be well-trimmed down so they don't hang up on each other in the limited space.  I also learned that pencil-sized sticks are about the maximum diameter that will burn efficiently.  You need a lot of very small sticks (match-lightable and slightly larger) to get the fire going, and then need to carefully pace the feeding of additional fuel so the fire neither burns too low nor gets overstuffed and clogged.  A couple of times I wound up with 2-3 larger sticks that hadn't really caught fire yet, but were blocking me from feeding in smaller (and thus faster-burning) sticks that could keep the fire going.  


Once the fire was going, it blazed up very well. The company says their design promotes double combustion for greater fuel efficiency.  It's easy to feed from the top, but with a pot on it you have to feed it through the opening in the side.  Next time I will split larger sticks into sections for easier burning.




Brewing tea.  I think it's time to stop using teabags and go back to loose tea leaves and a tea ball like I used for many years.   As an aside, I love this Toaks 750 ml pot/cup.  It's just like my old one except it has a bailing handle, an addition of which I heartily approve.


I didn't time it, but it got my water heated within a few minutes.  I didn't bring it to an actual boil, but it was much too hot to drink for quite awhile so I think it was pretty close.

For my ignition method, I decided to try another new product I had just received last week.  I had originally seen an ad for the Viking Whetstone, which is an Arkansas sharpening stone on a leather thong for wear around the neck, in the manner of Vikings.  I thought this was a neat idea, as almost every time I think about sharpening my knife, I am nowhere near any of the many sharpening stones and steels that I have.  This one would always be around my neck, so why not?  Much more functional than Thor's Hammer, lol.   The fire-starting tools seemed like a worthwhile addition, so I got the Viking Spark variation and have been wearing it for a week or so.  

Viking Spark


Viking Spark (front).  I like the look, although I wear it under my shirt. The whetstone has a flat side, a curved edge, a beveled edge, and a groove for fish hooks.  I've used it - it works very well.




Viking Spark (back).  The teardrop-shaped piece is the ceramic scraper, and the black cylinder is the ferro rod.  The rod slides to the end of the leather thong, and the scraper swivels out sideways.  You can see the scratches where I used it to create sparks.  I'll only use the back side, to keep the front looking good.

Almost as an afterthought, I decided to try to start the fire in the Toaks stove using this instead of matches or a lighter.  The hardest part about using flint and steel is how to get the spark to catch.  In the "old days" when people carried tinder boxes to start fires, they would keep some charred cloth to catch the spark, as well as some tow or other tinder to blow up into a flame after the spark had caught.  I didn't have anything like that, so I found some dry moss to use as tinder and tried to ignite that.


The moss I used as tinder.  It was very dry, but not quite fine enough to catch and hold a spark.  Perhaps next time I will crumble it up, or find something else to use. It's possible that if I mix it with some dry leaves, a leaf might catch the spark.  It will be fun to experiment.  Better now than in an emergency.


I found the ferro rod and the striker pretty easy to use, and with a little practice was able to get a very good spark from it.  But after about eight or ten really good tries, I still had not gotten a spark to catch in the moss.  Then I remembered that I always carry a bottle of rubbing alcohol along with my foot powder to keep my feet clean and dry.  I doused the moss with a little rubbing alcohol, and it burst into flame on the first spark!  I quickly transferred the burning moss into the stove and put some small sticks over it, and I was in business.

In a true emergency I probably wouldn't have access to anything quite so combustible as alcohol, and would have to work a lot harder to prepare appropriate tinder and get a spark to catch.  But it's good to know that the capability is there if I ever need it.  Additionally, the Wazoo video on sharpening recommends using the ceramic striker as a "first pass" in knife sharpening, as a way to debur the edges and remove any residue on the blade that might clog the pores in the stone.  It's a neat product, and one that I will keep with me from now on.

Once the fire was going and the water was heating up for tea, I settled back to enjoy a couple of my old favorite postprandial treats:


The first good-quality pipe I ever bought - a GBD "Universe".  Just the right size for an enjoyable smoke. It's important to finish the bowl all the way to the bottom to get an even char on the inside, so a smaller pipe is better for me.  I learned that, among other things, at my after-school job at "The Tinder Box".  Yes, I was a 16-year old high school kid learning to smoke a pipe while working at a tobacco store in an indoor shopping mall.  My, how times have changed!  



I suppose I should use something lighter than the glass bottle, but it just seems so *right*.  Not a problem on a day hike, in any case.


After a couple of very relaxing, happy hours, it was time to go back to the trailhead.  At a total of about 4.5 miles with an 850-foot elevation gain/loss each way, it was not an epic hike by any stretch.  But it was just what I needed to shake off the cobwebs and relax.  Many more to come in the weeks ahead, as I train up for summer backpacking!

Mood: Relaxed

Music: Wenn Ich auf hohen Bergen Steh (Anni und Rosemarie)

Wednesday, April 19, 2023

Firing the Brown Bess for the First Time

Every year on April 19th, I try to get out to the range to fire at least one shot to commemorate the events of April 19th, 1775 and "the shot heard round the world". I do it to honor those Americans who stood their ground on Lexington Green and Concord Bridge. Usually I take one of my historic WWII firearms to shoot, but this year I did something different.

In 1973, my father bought a replica Short Land pattern "Brown Bess" musket that had been commissioned by the British American Bicentennial Group for the 1976 U.S. Bicentennial. The documentation that came with the musket (see photos) tells the story. The short version is that this is the musket carried by the 23rd Regiment of Foot (Royal Welch Fusiliers) from when they charged up Bunker Hill until they surrendered to Washington at Yorktown.
Until now it's been a wall-hanger, but I decided that the 50th anniversary year of its manufacture and acquisition would be an appropriate occasion to fire it for the first time. And what better day to do it than on April 19th?
To fire a flintlock muzzle-loader the way soldiers did it at that time, you first have to make paper cartridges. These are just rolled-up tubes of paper with a lead ball tied into one end with thread, the correct charge of black powder poured into the tube, and then twisted shut.

The Brown Bess with some accoutrements:  paper cartridges, a .71 caliber lead ball, wire pick and horsehair brush to keep the flash hole and pan clean, and flint wallet with extra flints and a knapping hammer.  The musket is .75 caliber, but they used smaller-diameter bullets so they could continue to load when the barrel was fouled with black powder residue.

The sequence of loading and firing the musket is as follows:
1. Hold the musket horizontally, bring the hammer to half-cock, and open the frizzen.
2. Secure a paper cartridge and tear off the end with your teeth.
3. Pour about 10% of the powder into the pan, and close the frizzen.
4. Turn the musket muzzle-up and pour the rest of the powder down the barrel.
5. Place the ball (still wrapped in paper) on the muzzle and start it into the barrel.
6. Remove the ramrod from under the barrel, and use it to ram the ball and paper wadding down the barrel onto the powder charge.
7. Replace the ramrod under the barrel.
8. Turn the musket to a horizontal position.
9. Bring the hammer to full-cock ("MAKE READY!")
10. Bring the musket to your shoulder and point it at the target.("PRESENT!")
11. Pull the trigger ("FIRE!")
Repeat steps 1-11 three to four times per minute (!)
I have hunted deer with a flintlock Pennsylvania rifle before, but it is loaded with loose powder and ball, in a different sequence. So this procedure was new to me. I had made some paper cartridges at home, and brought them to the range with me. I put a B-27 silhouette target 25m downrange, and prepared to load and fire my first shot from the Brown Bess.
I made a video of the entire process of shooting the Brown Bess for posterity (whoever that might be, lol).  

The first shot ever fired from this Brown Bess.  It is a screen capture from the video I took of the loading and firing process.  Unfortunately, this first shot was a miss.  It probably went high, as I have read they were wont to do.  It could also have gone wide, because the trigger pull is extremely heavy.  The flintlock  also has a very long lock time, so it requires great concentration to stay on target with that flash right in front of your face!

My experience is summarized below:
1. Load the musket.
2. Misfire (click, no flash or bang). It turned out all the powder had fallen out of the pan when I turned the musket vertically to load the rest into the barrel. I resolved to be more careful closing the frizzen onto the pan.
3. Tear open a new cartridge and re-prime.
4. Successful shot! (See dramatic screen capture). Unfortunately this shot was a miss.
5. Reload the musket.
6. Misfire (flash in the pan).
7. Re-prime and try again.
8. Misfire (no flash).
9. Misfire (no flash).
10. Adjust flint.
11. Misfire (flash in the pan)
12. Reprime and try again.
13-16 (see 11-12).
16. Give up on using coarse FFg powder for priming, and switch to fine FFFFg priming powder from my hunting flintlock. Try again.
17. Successful shot! This time it was a solid hit in the X-ring.

This was my second shot. I was better-prepared to hold the musket on target this time (several shots of unintended dry-fire practice!) My aiming point for this shot was the bottom of the target. That seems to be the right place!


Unfortunately for me, I would have been run through with a bayonet long before I ever got off the second shot, unless it was a pretty slow Redcoat out there.

What follows are photos of the documentation that came with the musket when it was purchased.

General information about the commemorative musket and why this particular model was significant for the U.S. Bicentennial celebration.



The letter my dad received acknowledging the purchase. There is a similar letter from when they got the check for the balance, but this one has more information.



A certificate signed by the Colonel of the Royal Welch Fusiliers (former 23rd Regiment of Foot). By sheer coincidence, when I was in the U.S. Army, I served in the 23rd Engineer Battalion.



I love this: "...In our very long history, we have never before had an opportunity, or perhaps considered it appropriate, to commemorate a defeat..."


Some regimental history.


Some more detailed information about the Brown Bess


So: I totally respect and revere the people who went to war and hunted for their food using these (to us) primitive firearms. Shooting it for the first time was a very educational experience, and a worthy tribute to the courageous Patriots who decided "enough was enough", and risked everything to secure our Liberty and Independence.

Mood: Reverent

Music:  The Concord Hymn