Musket and smoothbore loading basics

There has been much ado made about the loading and shooting of flintlocks. In reality shooting them is a very simple affair, particularly smoothbores. In this video we cover the basic procedure of how I load a smoothbore flintlock from a shooting pouch. Please like, subscribe, and enjoy!

[@Real11BangBang]

You're speaking my language when you break out the smooth bore muskets

[@martinmeltzer2696]

One could tell by your smooth, efficient movements that you have spent plenty of time practicing with your musket... and that your equipment did not flop around when you moved quickly! I have found that when it comes to shooting a muzzle loader that consistency is the key to success! Well Done!

[@revere0311]

Flintlocks are just absolutely beautiful. I love mine and wish I got to shoot it more besides the reenactment.
This is an awesome
Channel!

[@talexander7217]

It's good to see the smoothbores getting some spotlight on your channel and others recently.

[@DrunkenBowmen]

That’s awesome. I like running paper cartridges for both these and rifled barrels. Really speeds up loading

[@FlintlockOperator]

It really does! How well do the paper cartridges work in your rifle?

[@Everythingblackpowder]

I’ve used birdshot and buck in my Brown Bess. It works swell

[@desertborn7579]

Nice frontiersman tutorial Operator!

[@mttmayne]

Need to do buck and ball in a Bess! Nice video. The one nice thing about black powder shooting is there is a million different ways to do it and none are wrong. Always curious to see how others do it. For cheapness though I usually stick to newsprint paper for wadding.

[@FlintlockOperator]

That's a good idea. I only have so much scrap wool blanketing.

[@victortuten4399]

Since there was no patch around the ball I am guessing the wool cloth was used as a form of tow?

[@FlintlockOperator]

There's scant documentation that 18th century smoothbore shooters used patched round ball. The wool patch acts as a seal and prevents the ball from rolling out of the barrel.

[@leoscheibelhut940]

@@FlintlockOperator I believe that the preferred term is "wadding" rather than "patch" for material for keeping the ball from rolling out--or away from the powder. Soldiers mostly used the cartridge ball, but civilians generally used tow, a bit of wasp's nest paper, green grass or leaves, or anything else handy to keep the ball or shot in place.

[@victortuten4399]

@@leoscheibelhut940 Spanish moss works GREAT if you happen to be in an area where you can get it. I have used wasp's nest between powder and shot when loading smaller pellets.

[@leoscheibelhut940]

@@victortuten4399 Excellent tip but no Spanish Moss up here by the Canadian border.

[@SecretAsianMan122333]

Have you ever used paper cartridges?

[@FlintlockOperator]

I have. Check out the most recent video on the dragoon pistol to see them in action!

[@dontfallyoumighthurtyourse4694]

You’re handsome. (This is a comment for the algorithm but that doesn’t make it insincere)

[@briansherrillruralliving9708]

Is that a Pedersoli?

[@RestingScotFace]

I think it’s from Access Military Heritage in Canada. I’ve got their rodgers rangers short pattern Bess and I’ve been shooting for about two years. They’re pretty solid guns and the markings are way more accurate than Pedersoli. They take some cleaning up but Drake did a really good job polishing up the parts on his.

[@laurencethornblade8357]

Just patch the ball

[@estherevony9482]

'promosm' 😒