Flash Guards?

[Jas. Hook]

Mr. Hawkyns -

I've not heard of the expression "ringing the barrel" could you explain the technique.

Thank you

Jas. Hook

[Hawkyns]

Certainly. The rammer or scouring stick is dropped down the barrel, metal end first. The idea is to hear the ring as it hits the steel of the breech plug and see the bounce of the rod. If there is a soft lead ball, or uncleaned fouling, you get a thud instead of a ring and little or no bounce. Tells you that something is in the bore that should not be there.

Regimentally, we do it in formation. The command is given "Spring rammers'. Troops draw their rammers, insert the end to the barrel and drop their weapons to the trail. As the inspecting officer walks by, each soldier drops their rammer so the the officer can hear the ring.

As well as determining that there is nothing in the bore, it is further incentive to clean the piece after each firing. Sadly, I've inspected too many weapons that never get cleaned from one reenactment to the next.

Hawkyns

Master Gunner

[Commodore Swab]

Yes "ringing the barrel" is part of our inspection, I made a rod for this purpose with an old drill bit on the other end simply so that if it doesn't sound right I can reverse it and twist to see if Im coming up with any residue or find out what might be in the breech. Another bit of a safety inspection is actually measuring the bore roughly to see just where the breech is, it can be very informtive on some guns when you find the breech is sometimes as far as 1/2 an inch foreward of the vent hole.

"Original flash guards" that I have found are refered to as "pan protectors," no I haven't had time to scan any pictures yet.

The reason for so many flint shards more recently I would wager is the source of the weapons and not inferior flint. Many of the Indian built muskets have overy hard frizzen springs and shatter flints in making a spark. The only time I have been "hit" by pieces was in firing my own weapon which has a built in flash guard.

Most definatly a flash guard will send the sparks up and away, where they come down is another story make sure there is no open powder . . .

Snaphaunce Musket, note how many of the sparks are still travelling up

[Jas. Hook]

Thankee for the explanation Mister Hawkyns and Commodore Swab.

Jas. Hook

[Cascabel]

The reason for so many flint shards more recently I would wager is the source of the weapons and not inferior flint. Many of the Indian built muskets have overy hard frizzen springs and shatter flints in making a spark. The only time I have been "hit" by pieces was in firing my own weapon which has a built in flash guard.

Indeed !!! Overly stiff springs are an ongoing problem with India made guns.....

[Commodore Swab]

Back to the topic of whether or not flash guards are to be required, I have a small group of about about 8 having 15 weapons. These include a Swivel Blunderbuss, 3 shoulder fired blunderbusses, 2 military muskets, and an extra long snaphaunce musket. Everybody also has their back up piece as well. The muskets all have flash guards and nothing else does. I do not intend on installing flash guards on the blunderbusses or side arms therefore if they are required the only weapons that may be used would be the muskets.