Loading block

[Julius]

Dose anyone know if the loading blocks worn by guys at rony voos are PC? I have seen them for years and have never found documentation for them or gotten pointed in the right direction. If there is documentation for these things some one please show me.

[skillman]

Julius

Make sure you want to go down this trail. Last discussion I saw on this topic turned into a circus. I say smoke em if ya got em and ta hell with what they think.

Steve

[sean]

'Tis a tough nut to crack. I know of no direct period information linking the use of bullet boards to anyone in the western fur trade pre-1840 or even pre-150 for that matter. Does that mean they did not exist? Not necessarily. I do recall seeing a picture of a late percussion rifle and the associated "buffalo hunter's kit" that contained a bullet board. If my brain hasn't turned to mush it was from the 1850's or early 1860's. If you are interested in using one for increased reloading speed, I suggest you see some of the period descriptions of buffalo running... No board, no patch, just a bare ball spit down the bore. Here's an example from Kurz' journal:

www.manuellisaparty.com/articles/running_buffalo.htm

I've seen similar descriptions of Delaware using rifles to run bison. In general, I think most of these guys practiced the KISS principle. After all, when you live off the back of a horse, extraneous stuff just goes by the wayside.

Sean

[Rod]

My take on it is that for the most part the bullet board should go hand in hand with the day horn, aka 'priming horn'. I tend to think---and I'll stress that this is just my opinion----that both were the tools of the hunter out for an afternoon, whether a farmer out for the day, or the gentleman hunter. Load up the bullet block, drop it in your pocket along with the day horn, grab up your rifle, and head out.

That bullet boards did exist is indisputable, although most seem to date from the mid 1800s or so. Likewise, we have all those small horns often identified as priming horns, which I think may have been day horns, or cap horns, rather than used for priming.

Rod

[Cody]

I saw some on an auction a while back but didnt have a date with them

[Cap't Bridger]

I totally agree with Ron. That is something I've oft felt...that the small horns and bullet blocks were the tools of a fella on an afternoon squirrel hunt,,,for example.

Capt Bridger

[Chuck Burrows]

I too pretty much agree with Rod and the good Capt, but there were apparently some other types of shooters who used it - the following pic is of the documented buffalo hunting rig with a bullet board that Sean mentioned - it is circa late 1850's:





Always loved this rig.........the rifle was also apparently set up for using a false muzzle originally. The belt pouch is the one I've based one of my patterns off of for years.

[sean]

Yup, thats the one I was talking about. Note that the rifle is a whopping .46 cal. I would sure like to see more shots of that rig including the knife and ax.

Sean

[tcalbert]

If im remembering correctly, isnt Chas. Goodnight's rig accompanied by a loading block as well?
TCA

[Rod]

It often seems like a fair amount of those rifles were of a somewhat smaller caliber that what we'd expect. The rifle of Charles Morgan, who was the post hunter for Ft. Union in the early 1850s, is also around .46, as I recall. That rifle resides in the Museum of the Fur Trade.

I suspect, though, that both Nosworthy and Morgan knew a bit about bullet placement---don't really need a very big hole, if the hole is in the right spot.

Rod

[sean]

Sept 28, 2010 9:58:10 GMT -7 Rod said:

I suspect, though, that both Nosworthy and Morgan knew a bit about bullet placement---don't really need a very big hole, if the hole is in the right spot.

Rod

I suspect it also wasn't such a big deal if they wounded one here and there and lost it.

Sean

[Rod]

True enough--none of those pesky game laws to worry about.

A couple of years ago, during our Engagé's Christmas weekend at Ft. Union, a buddy and I were watching the deer running about in the river bottom during the night---full moon, lots of snow, it was almost like daylight out. We both agreed that would sure be the time to hunt deer, if we were actually living at the fort back then. I'm afraid the NPS and ND G&F would sort of frown on that now days.

Rod

[sean]

Rod,

Ruxton talked of shooting turkeys down along the Rio Grande off the roost in the dark from underneath the tree. I suspect the NMGF wardens would be all over him for that nowadays.

Sean

[jeffp]

I agree with Rod & Chuck on this subject; they did indeed exist,
but i believe they were more of a "day hunt" item. They were more
prevalent during the mid 1800s, say late 1840-50s period.

The Lane County historical society has one in it's collection that
ive seen; it's made out of leather id is around 50 cal, if I recall correctly.
I believe it dates from the mid to late 1850 to early 1860 period and
came across the Oregon trail.

In the Powder horn & bags section I posted a photo of two of my
personal bags I made; attached to my rifle bag is a loading block.
Normally I don't use one, however I was portraying an 1850s
Oregon trail immigrant, and felt that was acceptable for that
period.

Here's my 1851 "Willamette Valley Immigrant" kit,
although the loading block is hiding behind the bag
(sorry, I know this goes slightly beyond the fur trade era period)

Attachments:

[doug7]

Does the loading block in the picture have patched or un-patched balls in it? Any one know?