Gentlemen, here is a draft of an article I'm working on. Since the complete dos and don'ts list would fill a book, I am putting it together incrementally.
Seat It! Don't Slam it!
...and other muzzle loading mistakes that will spoil your shot
By Dave Rodgers
Sept. 2, 2019
Fraley Farm, Tennessee - April, 1862
Wilbur Douglas concealed himself along a forward picket line in the woods to the south of the main army. There was word that rebel skirmishers were probing along the lines and so, he and his comrades were spread out to give warning should the enemy make their presence known. 'Will' as his friends called him, had never even fired a gun before his enlistment four months earlier. Being relatively green to the use of arms, he gained the basic rudiments through military drill and despite the good intent of his older comrades, their "advice" on how to shoot was not always valuable. When loading, the conical ball followed the powder, gliding under the ramrod to a firm seat. He then forcefully pounded the round with three-sharp blows from the rammer to make sure that it was "well-seated". He was also told that if an enemy approached, a firm "jerk on the trigger" would ensure a certain shot.
Time passed slowly as the chorus of blue jays and chickadees sounded from the branches and echoed through the trees. Anticipation gave way to fatigue. He sat with his shoulder braced against an old dogwood well concealed in its shade. Will picked away the bark at the end of a twig, and chewed it for some time so that he may brush his teeth with. The regiment had been on the move for the last few days so attending to the basics of hygiene had been a difficult for everyone.
Casting the twig aside, he noticed that the birds had stopped singing. Did he hear footsteps in the leaves? Was that a branch snapping? From the forest gloom in front of him emerged drab forms of men in earthen colored uniforms who seemingly sprouted up from the soil. His heart leapt into his throat as one in particular started directly toward him. From his concealment, Will drew a bead, hesitated and then determined to hit his mark. His heart raced as his enemy approached to within four rods, filling his sights. He jerked the trigger and his gunshot smashed the silence. Through the smoke, Will saw the Rebel soldier standing unscathed. The Rebel's eyes were wide in surprise and terror as he took aim to return fire. Will turned and ran back to the battle line. To his left and right, the other pickets were firing and retreating as well. His lungs could not seem to draw in enough breath as a multitude of thoughts ran through his mind. Did he shoot back? Was that a shot; or was that thunder? His chest felt compressed as a dull throb turned into a searing pain running from his lower back up to the base of his neck. What is this? he thought, as the forest floor rose to embrace him and the sound of battle faded.
A Fatal Mistake - Had Will hit his mark, the enemy soldier nearest to him would have been unable to take the fateful shot. This parable also serves as a reminder that then, as it is today, not everyone with a firearm in their hands knows what they are doing. When I first got into the living-history hobby, there were many who gave me bad advice. My previous shooting experience protected me from some of it. There were however, other bad habits taught to me that would eventually be remedied through trial and error. I have included a short list of shooter mistakes for muzzle loaders. Many of the shooters here already know this stuff. However, for those new to this or afraid to ask, here are the most common mishaps that I've encountered in my 30+ years as a shooter.
Never slam your ramrod down onto your ball - Most muzzle loading rifles and fowlers come with either a brass-tipped or plain wood ramrod. Slamming will weaken and eventually split a wooden ramrod. If you are match shooting with a tight-patched ball, use an all-metal utility rod in conjunction with a short-starter. For military rifles & rifle-muskets firing the conical or "Minie" ball, the US Army Ordinance Department was kind enough to equip their arms with a metal ramrod that will push the bullet all the way down to the breech in one stroke. Never pound the ramrod. This will almost guarantee that the Minie bullet's skirt would split and accuracy be destroyed. I repeated this experiment at the target range with an m.1855, .58 caliber Springfield Infantry Rifle. Not only did I seat the ball, I pounded it with 4-hard strokes and actually thought I felt a slight give as the skirt split. I then bench-rested the piece at just 25 yards perfectly zeroed on the bulls-eye. Instead of a crisp report, I heard the fizzle of gas escaping as the round tumbled the moment it cleared the muzzle. The round hit over 9-inches high to the left. The hole indicated that the ball hit the target sideways in just 25 yards before skipping into the sand berm 100 yards beyond. I repeated the experiment with a .54 conical ball that is much too small for a .58 bore, and I also tried a .577 ball that was previously dropped and its skirt misshapen. The results were nearly the same in each case. If there is doubt that people of the period were unaware of this, an interesting article was written by British mercenary and Brigadier General of the Army of the Republic of Nicaragua (ARN), C. F. Henningsen in the November 1, 1856 edition of El Nicaraguenese regarding the use of the ?American Minie Rifle? (m.1842 Rifled-Musket). In the article, he specifically addressed the cardinal sin of either slamming the round or overloading the recommended powder charge. His caution was that either would split the skirt and destroy accuracy.
Never overcharge the recommended powder load - In addition to a greater powder load splitting the Minie ball?s skirt, it?s also wasteful of propellant and increases fouling. There is only so much oxygen in a gun barrel and for this reason, the more powder loaded beyond the optimal load means the more unburnt powder will simply travel down the barrel leaving a thicker residue before dissipating in the cloud of powder that actually did ignite. Overloading too much may also place an unsafe amount of pressure on the gun barrel itself. It is better to follow the gunmaker or arsenal recommendation to achieve the best results with optimal powder burn.
Never Jerk the trigger - Like having a bad shooting posture, jerking the trigger will guarantee that you miss the precise mark you are aiming at. It is far better to draw tight the trigger to the point of release and then, cross the Rubicon. With many target guns and sporting rifles, a double set trigger will ensure that a hairline touch will fire the gun. Never fight the trigger, take charge of it with a steady pull.
Never fire a short-started ball - When fouling causes a ball to lodge in the barrel short of being fully seated, it is called a short start. Firing the gun with a short-started ball will certainly ruin the barrel. The sudden force of an exploding powder charge gaining momentum then coming to rest behind the ball will either "walnut" the barrel or burst it outright. Rather than soak the vent and barrel before drawing the ball, there is an easier, less wasteful solution. Using the ramrod, run a damp patch down the barrel. Moisture will collect in the grooves between the ball and the lands. It will loosen the fouling enough to properly seat the ball while removing the excess fouling from the bore.
Don't run a soaked patch lest the excess moisture run down the grooves and soak the powder charge. Likewise, do not run a wet patch before loading the powder and ball or the charge will be rendered inert. Should it be necessary to draw the ball, soak the charge and put a half gill of warm water down the barrel. Thrust down the ramrod with ball screw attached upon the round so that it may bite in. Firmly turn the screw clockwise until the ball is fully engaged and the ramrod will turn no farther by hand. Gently start drawing the ball upward and outward. Do not fight it as it turns with the rifling. Once the ball is drawn, fully clean the barrel.
Know what to do if you dry-ball or get a soaked load ? Dry-balling is a cardinal sin that is either committed by the greenest tenderfoot shooter, or by the old hand at precisely the moment when he intends to show off. It is when the ball is seated without the powder load. When this happens, there are two solutions. Either draw the ball as previously described or use priming powder (FFFFg) down the barrel vent as much as will be taken (approx. 3-5 grains). Ignition from the cap or flint will dislodge the round. A wet charge (usually from a river crossing), may either be drawn or the barrel sun or fire dried allowing the moisture to escape out the vent. Once dried, add priming as afore mentioned and clear the charge.
(Percussion) Always replace the spent cap last - Once a gun fires, the oxygen in the barrel is depleted. This allows the next powder charge to be dropped down the barrel with perfect safety. Removing the cap before loading creates an airway that may possibly stoke a wayward ember and cause a cookoff. It is not that likely but for safety purposes, it is a safe procedure. Leave the spent cap in place until the piece is reloaded. Only then should you change out the spent cap for a fresh one.
(Flint/Fuzee) Always keep your touch hole blocked when loading - As was previously stated, drill manuals regarding the flintlock musket/rifle always called to prime first in order to help smother the airflow. Many shooting ranges see this as a safety violation so it?s best to block your vent with your vent pick while loading and then prime last. I have noticed that this practice seems to enhance ignition while firing.
Never blow down your gun muzzle or otherwise, aim it at your head - This should seem like common sense but this stupidity has been demonstrated more times at shooting matches, rendezvous, and living history events than I?d care to recall. Perhaps a shooter may think that he looks macho by blowing down the muzzle to make his touch hole hiss or maybe, he hasn?t figured out that you can run a damp or oiled patch down your barrel to accomplish the same thing. It's not that there's a high likelihood that the muzzleloader is still loaded; rather, it is a really bad habit to diminish your natural fear of a firearm discharging into your face. The same applies to people resting their hands and chins over the muzzles of their arms, or seizing a firearm by the muzzle and drawing it out of a wagon towards themselves. I've heard a wide selection of knot heads say that "it's period to do this" and "they didn't know about safety then". In fact, there is period documentation of people doing stupid things on occasion in the past just as we continue that fine tradition today. Military manuals of the period specifically instruct recruits to avoid aiming the piece at their head and bodies. Even Capt. Randolph Marcy admonished the reader in his 1859 book using the then, old maxim of "See to your gun; never let your gun see you". He followed up with "Never point your gun at another, whether charged or uncharged, and never allow another to point his gun at you." The more casually you handle your firearm in an unsafe manner, the more dangerous you become to yourself and the shooters around you. All of these things are trademark greenhorn moves and if you choose to handle your arms like a tenderfoot, one of these days, your luck will run out.
Learning the muzzleloader is not just another discipline in shooting; you are embracing a legacy that is now centuries old. Some of the rules are consistent with modern shooting. Others belong exclusively to this world of black powder and smoke. There are far more dos ad don?ts for future discussion but as for now, load easy; master your trigger and keep your eye on the prize.