> Carlis > > The Kentucky or "Hog" Rifle was originally built in Pennsylvania. These > were black powder weapons as opposed to modern "smokeless" powders. > Charcoal, salt petre and sulfur are the three ingredients needed to make > powder. The barrells were usually a one/sixty-six twist and was a round > ball. Mini-balls weren't around until much later...apx the Civil War era. > The Kentucky rifle had anywhere from 38 to 42 inch barrels. The extra > length was there so that the powder would burn completely before leaving the > muzzle which would give the lead round ball extra speed. Muzzle velocity > for these would average about 1500 to 1600 feet per second. This, always > regulated by the size/weight of the bullet and the amount of powder used. > Sights were normally a bead front site and a V-notch back site. They were > flint-lock rifles...the percussion rifle came along later. > > The flash pan was the apparatus that held powder. The Hammer of the rifle > held a piece of flint which struck a piece of steel which ignited the powder > in the flash pan. The spark or "fire in the hole" in turn burned thru a > small apiture which ignited the black powder inside the barrell. This fire > was often what cause the shooters to have their beards burned and scorched. > The powder in the flash pan was usually a much finer grain. > > It was/is imperitive to keep your powder dry. Salt draws moisture. > Wet/moist powder won't ignite. Thus the parting comment "Keep your powder > dry". > > To load this type rifle commonly known these days as a Muzzleloader, one > followed these steps. A pre-measured amount of black powder (from the > powder HORN) was poured down the barrell, a greased, round patch was placed > over the muzzleor crown, the round ball was placed on the patch (usually > with the spew facing outward so it wouldn't obstruct the trajectory or > bullet path, then the bullet was started with a "starter" (these were made > of several different things, mainly hickory wood), the bullet was then > tamped & seated with the rod. (The patch grease was anything from animal > tallow to bees wax.) > > They molded their own bullets from lead. As pure a lead as possible. > Additives made the lead harder and heavier. Heavier would change the bullet > path. They all carried "possible bags". The bags had everything they > needed plus spares in everything. They put everything they would "Possibly" > get/need in the bags. > > Their rifles meant survival to people of that time. The difference between > health and injury...life and death...eating or being hungry. They treated > them all with respect because they knew their worth. > > Keeping the barrels clean in order to prevent the salt petre from corroding > them was also a challenge. If they were fired and not cleaned within a > reasonable amount of time the corrosion would ruin the barrel. A rusty > barrel was useless. You couldn't hit the broad side of a barn with a > pitted, rusty barrel. They normally cleaned them with boiling water and lye > soap. > > They didn't have the "blue" finishes on the barrels that we have today. > They were browned. I know what they used to brown the barrels. If anyone > can guess I'll give them the MENSA award for today! *G* > > > Joyce Gaston Reece > Rootsweb Mail Administer for > Meigs Co, TN, South East TN, North East TN, > Raper, Gilbreath, Galbreath, Hembree, Knuckles > Message Board Administrator for > Gaston, Shields, Reece, Raper, Gilbreath, Galbreath, > Hembree, Knuckles & Daugherty > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Carlis Wilson" <[email protected]> > To: <[email protected]> > Sent: Friday, January 11, 2002 4:30 PM > Subject: [BOONE-L] Daniel Boone carried a Kentucky Rifle > > > > Hi > > > > The rifle of the noted Daniel Boone was a Kentucky > > Long Rifle; This firearm was about as noteworthy as > > Mr. Boone himself was. > > > > "This rifle became the primary weapon of the > > frontiersmen, especially in the then remote and > > dangerous wilds of Kentucky. This extensive use in > > Kentucky led to the adoption of the name "Kentucky" > > for this rifle. > > > > Daniel Boone carried a Kentucky Rifle through the > > Cumberland Gap." > > > > Quote taken from the Kentucky Explorer - Number 3, > > August 2001. > > A Short History Of The Kentucky Long Rifle. By James > > Clell Neace. > > > > Do you have information on Col Boone and his weapons? > > > > Carlis B. Wilson > > > > > > > > __________________________________________________ > > Do You Yahoo!? > > Send FREE video emails in Yahoo! Mail! > > http://promo.yahoo.com/videomail/ > > >