Well, if worse comes to worse....

[majspud]

If they take our guns away and leave us with our muzzle loaders, I still have my musket for hearth and home.

I saved about 30 rounds of .715 ball, and have enough powder and caps for my M1777 Prussian .72cal flintlock (1800) percussion conversion (1849) when I retired from 18 years of Civil War Re-enacting a while back.

If my math is correct, a .715 ball has a volume of 3.16cm3. With the density of lead at 11.34g/cm3 and since M=DxV, the mass of the ball is about 36g. At 28g to the oz., that's about 1.25oz. of lead (~550 grains) going downrange about 8-900fps.

If that's not enough, once I shoot my round I have the original cam bayonet; 19 inches of triangular steel. Total LOA of 6'4" - I guess that will keep an intruder at arm's reach - or at least pin his pants to the floor until the cops arrive.

Not accurate enough to put food on the table, but enough to scare the bejesus out of a burglar.

MS

 

[duarteus]

A+ my good sir

 

[40 caliber]

From my cold dead hands!

 

[NinerMaine]

If I am only left with a musket to defend the Constitution, the time to defend the Constitution has passed.

 

[Reyn]

oh no!! not the evil bayonet!

 

[The Goose]

Just remember that anything before 1898 the ATF does not classify as a firearm and they ain't all muzzle loaders. Just a thought.

 

[SKS Ray]

If I am only left with a musket to defend the Constitution, the time to defend the Constitution has passed.

this

 

[Golddiggie]

Just remember that anything before 1898 the ATF does not classify as a firearm and they ain't all muzzle loaders. Just a thought.

Think we need to get some true Gat's then...

 

[Billsail]

AND you can make your own powder with charcoal, saltpeter, and sulfur. Lead is very common, and easy to melt and mold into reasonably sized round balls. The rest, you can figure out.

 

[majspud]

Just remember that anything before 1898 the ATF does not classify as a firearm and they ain't all muzzle loaders. Just a thought.

I had made the mental leap backwards to Orwell/1984 and was thinking that they were going to ban all 'high capacity cartridges' as appeared in the Sunday paper two weeks ago.

Well, then I do have my Loewe Gew88 made in 1890 on the other side of the wall from the muskrat - and 1700 rounds of Yugo 8mm. Don't have a bayonet for this one though...

MS

 

[NinerMaine]

Just remember that anything before 1898 the ATF does not classify as a firearm and they ain't all muzzle loaders. Just a thought.

That is easily changed with a new gun control law.

 

[majspud]

Better pics.

M1777 .72 smooth bore made by Suhl, c. 1800 (front band). Early pieces were undated on lock plate; earliest date I've seen is 1817. Percussion conversion date 1849 also confirms an early piece - they converted the oldest pieces last. Unit marked: GSW1B3C82 - GSW = Horse Guards Regiment ("Geschwadron" I think) 1st Battalion, 3rd Company, Weapon #82. Second company and weapon mark on cheek rest.

Many of these rifles were imported during the American Civil War on both sides; same build quality as the .69 smooth bores in U.S. service at the time and could use the same ammo. Only soldier complaint was that it was not rifled.

Interesting cam and not socket bayonet. Steel spring tongue sticks out in last pic from the front band, and engages a cam on the butt of the bayonet (3rd pic) as you rotate it under the spring.

MS

 

[The Goose]

Very cool indeed. I look forward to a range report

 

[majspud]

I last shot it in '04 I think. So-so at 50 yards. Makes a big hole, though.

MS

 

[enbloc]

.