Cascabel

Would Sky Captain qualify? I know it's more of a thirty's style, rather than 1800s, but it does have airships, strange robots, and ray guns. Oh, and a mad scientist.....ummm, who's actually dead.

Hmmmm..... It DOES have all the right elements, doesn't it ? Sort of "Steampunk of the Future" !!

>>>> Cascabel

You really want to put the gun out of action completely? Blow the trunnions off...

Out of period, but it seems to me that back when I was doing Rev War, that I read in the orders from General Howe, that the British troops sent out from Boston to take charge of any war material stored at Concord were instructed to "knock the trunnions from any cannons found", presumably using a large hammer. Seems reasonable to me. I would suspect that the technique had been fairly standard for quite some time. I really don't know how they could be blown off easily, but some well-place blows from a sledgehammer would do nicely, at least on the average field gun.

>>>> Cascabel

Awesome that everyone is having luck with theirs. I'm not having any luck with mine. My doglock still hasn't fired yet. Just a continuous "click, click, click". The frizzen is terribly grooved now. Sad when It's barely been used!

Suggestions, mates? Should I get a new frizzen or harden the frizzen? About ready to trade the hammer and frizzen for parts or something.

I love my doglock, it's massive and wicked looking. I wouldn't trade it unless for a working doglock.

Hell, my over used carbine works better than this brand new doglock.

Again, suggestions?

Yes, Dogge... I did try a new flint. Still didn't work.

~Lady B

If you are getting a lot of wear to your frizzen, and no spark, then there is a better than even chance that the frizzen needs hardening. The quality is inconsistent with these India made guns. Sometimes they have more than one issue preventing proper function.

The very first thing I would do in your case is re-harden the frizzen. That may solve the problem without further work. Don't bother buying a new frizzen. The one you have can be re-hardened as often as needed. A new one would need to be hand fitted, and could also have hardness problems.

>>>> Cascabel

I'll start it off with my favorites........ 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea (1950 version starring James Mason), First men in the Moon, Master of the World

>>>> Cascabel

Some of you may recall the story of the baby lion stuffed animal I had as a child from the PiP '08 Surgeon's Journal. I told this story to Grace Thatcher (who was 8 at PiP) and she was very concerned that I had lost my favorite stuffed animal. So she did something about it.

This last Easter Egg page is especially for her. Be forewarned that it is not like the other pages because I wrote especially for her. I hope she can read it or Silas and Constance can read it to her. Perhaps she will learn a little bit about Mexico that way.

You will find it here:

http://www.markck.com/images/Piracy/PiP08/...g_Baby_Lion.htm

If you don't remember the whole story, you can go back and re-read it in the Surgeon's Journal which starts here.

Thanks Grace!

Your pal,

Mission the Surgeon

Well done, Suh !!! Honoring the gift from Grace is a wonderful thing. A gift from a child freely given is truly from the heart, and therefore priceless. Worth far more than gold, sez I !!! Treasure it always......

>>>>> Cascabel

Ah, Mission, ye may have lost a tankard, but ye have gained a cheese grater!

LOL !!! Perhaps we need to market a new line of custom kitchen utensils, with Martha Stewart as spokesperson.

I can see it now......... "Blunderbeast Creations, for the Discriminating Pyrate"

>>>> Cascabel

But Cascabel, where would he keep all th' photos o' all th' tarts 'n strumpets he meets at all them ports they travel?? Ye know they did naught yet have "wallet size" back then!

I keeps 'em all in my pornographic..... er.... ahh...., PHOTOgraphic memory !!!!

>>>>> Cascabel

cascabel, thankyou for looking at this. the intent is to be able to have pub members be able to get ther hand on the event rules of the day for which ever event they are headed to which means we will all need to share ahead of time. now this is assuming that the event rules follow state and federal law. This will also make guidelines, rules, and practices available as a reference to others. It in no way should be used as a teaching tool or replace common sense. I think that us trying to post and decipher 51 sets of laws will end up defeating the purpose of the thread and might be better suited with a home of their own.

an examle. Lets say you are coing to Hampton, you simply hit that sticky and you know what we are expecting from visiting shooters. In return, Harry posts for PIP so we know what to exect when we get there. Eventually, Hopefully.... "Hey Cascabel, Hawkys, Crudbeard, Maddogge, who ever- hey we are just starting up and interested in learning about black powder for an event. We want to medel them after whats on the pub, but we need hands on- can you come out and teach us?"

I think the pirate community might be better served by encouraging the event coordinators to post this information on the individual event websites. It really is important for prospective participants to know the rules ahead of time, and I think the people that run the events need to be made to understand the importance of getting the information out there. It could be made part of an information package, such as Harry makes available for PiP.

The problem with posting the information here on the PUB is that what was current in past years may no longer be valid for this year, and the "official safety officers" and their views on the accepted procedures may not always be the same from year to year. For instance, in the early years of the Hampton Blackbeard Festival, it was me, but I have not been there for several years, so things have probably changed to some degree. Another issue is that not everybody reads the PUB, so this should not be the only source of this info. It really belongs on the event websites.

Having said all that, I would encourage those in authority to post the information here on the PUB in more than one location prior to the event, in addition to making it available on the event websites. It should probably be posted here in the Armory section and in the Raids section also as the event draws near.

Until such time as there is a universally accepted set of rules that applies to all events, that seems the best course of action to me.

>>>> Cascabel

Each group/ crew/ event has its own way of doing things. the only thing that we will be able to accomplish in the near future is to agree to disagree about who has the best rules or the most experience doing this.

Lets begin a central database. Cascabel, can you start a sticky where we can warehouse this information? this will enable it to be available to incoming crews to review rather than just showing up on a doorstep not knowing the local expectations. Its not a fool proof plan, but its a start.

Are you asking for a thread on local differences in regulations by group/event rules, or postings about differences in local laws, ordinances, etc.? Both are important, however, I find that along with differences in laws, there are also differences in how the laws are INTERPRETED by those in charge.

Often, laws are poorly and vaguely written and sometimes mis-applied by law enforcement officers. We don't want to have people relying on incorrect info, and getting into trouble.

>>>>> Cascabel

Snapsacks were still being used up into the F&I period, so they would still be correct for GAoP. Whether they would be carried be sailors is another question. The one you are making sounds a bit big. Mine is about 20 inches long and 10 inches in diameter. Enough for a spare shirt, spare hose, bowl, spoon and a tin mug/boiler and 2 days rations, as was supposed to be for ECW soldiers. When worn, it sits from right shoulder to left hip, tight across the back. I've seen them made from hemp canvas or thin leather. They're not supposed to be holdalls, but marching packs for soldiers.

Hawkyns

I have sort of wondered why a sailor would be carrying such a thing, unless he was currently un-employed. I suspect that whatever belongings he owned would normally be stowed aboard the ship he was with, and not be constantly carried around when he was ashore. Except, of course, on some kind of overland march of some kind, like the 'Sack of Panama'.

>>>> Cascabel

Proper flint size is based on the WIDTH of the frizzen. Hand knapped flints are sized in eighths of an inch (5/8, 6/8, 7/8, 8/8, and so on.) Choose the size according to your frizzen's width. The length will be proportional to the width. The idea is to get full contact across the frizzen if possible. Any wider than the frizzen serves no purpose, and narrower than the frizzen is not going to give optimum sparking, and may wind up being too short to last very long.

>>>>> Cascabel

One of my main sword dealers is now carrying some fire arms too. All I know is that they come in a kit and someone up north is putting them together for them. I asked if he would be into trading some swords for a few and the first one I am into is the big boy.

I was hoping someone might be able to identify the kit and if it is decent. I do trust my dealer and he syas they fire great and that he has one himself that he often uses. I just thought I would ask. I have plenty of black powder firearms but this would be my first blunderbuss.

Any info would help. If it is as nice as I hope, I plan on getting several and customizing them. Adding some gems here or some engraving there. Just hoping its a good enough starting point.

Cheers,

It appears to be one of the India-made pieces as sold by Loyalist, Middlesex Village, et al.........

>>>>> Cascabel

An' the Lyrics, if ye was dumb 'nough ter click th' link, an' now gots that song fused inter yer 'ead......

Written by: Richard M. Sherman and Robert B. Sherman

It's a world of laughter

A world of tears

It's a world of hopes

And a world of fears

There's so much that we share

That it's time we're aware

It's a small world after all

There is just one moon

And one golden sun

And a smile means

Friendship to ev'ryone

Though the mountains divide

And the oceans are wide

It's a small world after all

It's a small world after all

It's a small world after all

It's a small world after all

It's a small, small world

Repeat 152 times.......

Pox upon ye. Patrick !!!! Ye installed that acursed song into me brain again......

However, I notice that India made guns are improving quite a bit over what they used to be.

That's good news. What do you know about the barrels. For example, the stampings on mine seem to indicate it was made in the 70s!

I have not closely examined the barrels of any of the India made guns other than a general external inspection with the gun assembled. Some of the earlier ones that I have looked at had the tang welded on to them, which also welded the breech plug in place. Hopefully the breech plugs were also screwed in, rather than just pressed in to the barrels. Being welded, the only good way to tell would be an X-ray of the breech area. It's stuff like this that makes me distrust the quality of guns made in Third World countries. Remember, unlike european countries, India has no "proof" laws regarding firearms. I could go on and on, but you asked about barrels.

The barrels on these guns are generally quite thin walled, which is not necessarily a bad thing, as long as they are made of good quality steel. The old originals are all quite thin walled at the muzzle, and these are copied from them. The thickness is adequate at the breech, where the maximum pressure is.

>>>> Cascabel

Maser Cascabel..that be the one from Pedersoli ye be talkin' bouts?

:]GS

It is indeed, suh !!! The Pedersoli is the only commonly available Queen Anne style pistol at this time.

There are a couple of others, but they are not usually seen. One is available from Blackley in England, and another from 'The Rifle Shoppe' here in the U.S. Both are only available as parts sets, and both are quite pricey.

>>>>> Cascabel

aye! have ye any experience with middlesexvillagetrading's British Dragoon

quite pleasin' to me eye it is!

That one is as good as any that they sell. A lot of people have had very satisfactory experiences with products from Middlesex Village. These guns are made in India, and Middlesex Village is better at standing behind what they sell than a lot of other sellers of India made pieces. Quality can vary considerably from one individual example to the next, although Middlesex seems to do a better job of screening out the bad pieces. However, I notice that India made guns are improving quite a bit over what they used to be.

It all boils down to what you are willing to spend, and what styling you prefer. When it comes to guns, I tend to be rather biased on the side of high quality and reliability, but that leaves you with very few choices unless you get into hand made pieces, which can be expensive.

>>>>> Cascabel

Maser Cascabel..that be the one from Pedersoli ye be talkin' bouts?

:]GS

It is indeed, suh !!! The Pedersoli is the only commonly available Queen Anne style pistol at this time.

There are a couple of others, but they are not usually seen. One is available from Blackley in England, and another from 'The Rifle Shoppe' here in the U.S. Both are only available as parts sets, and both are quite pricey.

>>>>> Cascabel

I've heard lots of good things about the Pedersoli Queen Anne, I even tried to buy one once (the vendor did not respond to email or answer the phone or return phone calls so I changed my mind)... The one piece of modest criticism I have heard with the Pedersoli Queen Anne is that people unfamiliar with working with brass were accidentally breaking the trigger guard. Apparently it needs to be annealed (softenned) before it can be bent into proper fit, and some beginners were having trouble with this and snapping the trigger guard unintentially.

Another good pistol that is better for earlier stuff, but not too out of place in a late period re-enactment is the English Lock Horse Pistol, I think Loyalist carries those as well, as does Middlesex Village trading Company.

Actually, the problem with people breaking the trigger guard on the Queen Anne kit is improper procedure. For future reference, you do NOT need to anneal and bend it in any fashion. The proper procedure for installation is to seat the REAR end of it in place FIRST. Then, all that is needed is to hold the pistol in the normal position, (as if firing it), and put your index finger around the front of the guard, and pull back on it, as if pulling the trigger. The guard will "spring" a bit, and the front will then snap neatly into place in it's inlet.

About the only other things that need to be dealt with with the Queen Anne kits is that the rear most point of the lock inlet needs to be cut to a sharper point, (due to limitations of the stock making machine), and the bottom end of the trigger needs to be shortened by about 1/8 of an inch, as it drags against the inside of the guard bow even after removing the mold line on the inside of the bow. Most of the ones I have worked on benefit from deepening the flash pan a bit, to get it below the touch hole. This is easily done with a rat-tail file. Other than those things, the kit almost falls together on it's own.

>>>> Cascabel

Hello me hearties

im looking for a tower pistol stock, anyone know where on the net i can find one,

just the stock not the hardware.

D.man

These appear fairly often on eBay. Usually sold as parts. The sellers usually dis-assemble them and list the pieces separately to get around the ebay rules about weapons. Just put "flintlock" into the search window, and you very often find them. You usually have to wade through lots of listings for the cheap non firing replicas, unfortunately.

>>>>> Cascabel

Hehehe thanks Patrick

anyways i did save parts on it still i have the barrel and the lock still. but im just gonna get a new one instead do you know where i can pick up another pistol i was thinking of another Queen Anne from Dixie works or a light british dragoon from Middlesex Village trading co. I was also thinking of a Blunderbuss but i dont think i have the money for that one yet. at the moment i have two pistols my 69.cal Carville from Palmetto and my 50Cal Queen Anne. what do ye recommend Patrick or Cascabel

For over all consistant quality and reliability right out of the box, you can't beat the Queen Anne.

>>>> Cascabel

wow so thats what kind of pistol it is, Cascabel when you say that most were not reliable right out of the box, what problems did they have and is there anyway i can restore this one like having a longer stock made. i bought this pistol for only $80.00 it seems to work fine the half cock works and seems to fire fine. but if i can get a longer stock on it that would be great.

D.man

A new stock is quite within the realm of possibility, but bear in mind that decent gunsmithing is expensive. When you say, "it seems to fire fine", are you meaning it actually sparks well and ignites the powder, or that it simply releases the cock when you pull the trigger ?

The locks on these usually have springs that are not in balance, by that I mean that the frizzen spring is way too stiff for the mainspring strength. The frizzens usually need to be properly hardened to get a reliable spark, Other heat treat issues sometimes need to be dealt with in the lock internals. Lock geometry is very often incorrect for reliable sparking.

I have seen an incredible number of problems on these guns, none of which is likely to be a safety issue, but all related to functionality. They vary considerably in quality from one individual example to the next. All that I have dealt with could be "put right", but some required more work than others. It's mostly a matter of what you are willing to pay for. Our own Stynky Tudor has one that I did a considerable amount of work on, including some re-styling to improve the over all appearance.

>>>> Cascabel

Hello mates can anyone help me out here i got this pistol but it does have

any real markings on it. it looks like a english dragoon but im not sure, it doesnt have the makers name on it

not even what the caliber it is, can anyone help me out thankie

Its a modification of one of the Japanese-made "Tower" pistols that started in to production in the 1960's. This one has a shortened stock, and a different ramrod than the original steel one. It has also had what appears to be a brass musket type nose cap installed. They were about .69 caliber, but some were closer to .68. Quality control was pretty loose on them. Most were not reliable right out of the box. I have worked on a great many of these over the years to get them operational.

>>>> Cascabel

Ahoy there Cascasbel! Sometime back you came up with an image of a blunderbuss with a cavalry type carbine ring on the side. I tried the search function but came up empy. Any chance you could find that again and post a link? Thanx!

Found it! it was in Twill. If there is a better image of it or another one and some info I'd like to know more about it. Thanks!

Bo

I got the images from 'Weapons of the American Revolution' by George C. Neumann ( Plate M.113 ). It says it is in the Lewis H. Gordon, Jr. collection. No info on the whereabouts of the collection. The book is copyright 1967, so the piece may be in another collection by now. Seems to me that I remember seeing at least one other with a similar sling attachment, but I don't recall where.

>>>> Cascabel

Kinda funny how no one tries ter steal my tankard......

And Look.... it still has some Key West stuck to it around th' bottom edge......

Yer tempting fate, Shipmate !!! Don't fergit, Stynky reads this thread too.......

>>>> Cascabel

I have some really mixed emotions about this....

Speaking as a just another citizen...

Personally, I don't really care about the treasure. As far as I'm concerned it is of little value, so they can have it. I just want them to get to it using archaeologically sound methods which allow for retrieval of the important artifacts. Then I want them to care for said artifacts, display them, and publish reports on their findings. Is that asking too much?

One must also consider that the "treasure" is also archaelogically important. There are historical reasons for it being there in the first place !!

It could be looted items from native people, war related booty, personal wealth, church treasures, etc. The gold and silver bars because of dates and assay markings are historically significant, and of course coins carry dates and other markings of value. Many monetarily valuable objects have stories to tell of trade routes, political upheavals, conquests, alliances, wars, and so forth. I really hate to see the treasure not studied for its historical significance in addition to the monetary worth.

>>>>> Cascabel

Arrrrrr.... BLAHSPHEMERY, SEZ I !!!!! An insult to drunken sailors everywhere....

>>>> Cascabel

Blasphemy..... AND an ABOMINATION !!! To all sorts of sea dogs.... We won't stand for it !!! TO ARMS, TO ARMS !!!!

>>>> Cascabel