flintlock muskets..some questions about

[Tarracus]

Hi to all!
As some of you already know I'm currently working on a 18th century subject and since I've no experience at all in this era some questions have appeared to me while looking for visual references on the net:

The first of these is, what was this bag used for?

It seems to me a powder bag, but as far as I know (wich is next to nothing) both powder and ball were inside the paper cartridge, and watching this clip:

(quite cool by the way)
Looks like the powder spreaded on the pan was the one from the cartridge..So it would be correct to add it to this bust?


and the 2nd question is what was this other little tool used for?


It seems to be linked to the cartridge bag.. It would be nice to add it hanging out from the bag on my figure, but my question is again it would be right?

Any help would be greatly appreciated...

Cheers!

Gerard

 

[1969]

No idea on the small bag as to what it is used for in the first image, (flint bag possibly) ???
The circled item is a tool for general repair maintenance of the weapon, looks like two of the prongs are spaded screwdrivers and the long pin could be used to turn the flint securing screw on the cock, also might be used for clearing the priming hole in the flash pan, it looks like it may attach to the cartridge pouch via the cord.

Steve

 

[Tarracus]

Thanks Steve.. Now I've got it..the 2nd tool was simply called "musket tool" ...You really have a good vision, it was consisted in 2 screwdrivers and pin

http://www.trackofthewolf.com/Categories/PartDetail.aspx/120/1/TOOL-BESS

Going to add it then, unless a further negative advise givenlet's, assume this guy is smoking during a break after a routine cleaning of his gun, and he just forgot to put the tool back again inside the pouch..

 

[Tarracus]

Now.. the first thing seems not to be a bag, but leather cover perhaps for protecting the flint??

 

[Steve]

I believe that is a cover for the lock. Gary Dombrowski will know when he sees this.

 

[ChaosCossack]

Don't know if you are still working on this...

I believe the piece on the string is a muzzle cap. It would be slipped over the end of the muzzle and tied down with the string during marching in bad weather. To protect the entire lock system (swan neck, frizzen, pan and trigger) from moisture, it would be wrapped in an oiled cloth or chamois, as shown in the picture with the musket tool.
All the odds and ends such as the musket tool, spare flints and leather grip pads, barrel worm (a screw-like attachment that threaded on the end of the ramrod to remove musketballs caught in the barrel) and cleaning/polishing pads would be stored under the wooden cartridge tray in the cartridge pouch.
If you want, I can scan and post some diagrams and info regarding the "Brown Bess" India Land Pattern Musket.

Hope this helps

Colin

 

[Tony Barton]

The little leather bag attached to the rear of the sling is a frizzen cover, which slides over the frizzen or striking steel pan cover part of the lock. It stops the flint scratching the frizzen , and prevents accidental sparking.It's not a muzzle cover : I don't think it would reach ! Those are normally in the form of a little wooden bung with cloth round them.
The musket tool is mostly used for changing the flint, something you have to do fairly often , but it's also designed to remove the lock by unscrewing it.

There are three types of British " Brown Bess ", who should not be confused, and which are slightly different from each other.
The Long Land used from c.1730 up to 1765, 46" barrel
The Short Land, typical of the American War , 42" barrel
The India Pattern, 39" barrel, the mass produced musket of the Napoleonic Wars.
There was also a New Land Pattern , but it never seems to have been issued, apart from the 39" Light Infantry version to the Regiments like the 43rd, 51st etc , which had the luxury of a backsight.

 

[ChaosCossack]

Seems I stand corrected...
I had never seen a reference to a seperate frizzen cover, only a full lock cover or wrap. The muzzle covers I'd seen in reference or examples of ranged from a bung to a leather 'cup' with a thong to secure it... I mistook the example in the pic for the leather cup type... my bad

As far as it being a frizzen cover... I learned something today

Cheers

Colin

 

[tock24]

Seems the questions regarding the frizzen cover and musket tool have been answered...... but he would have acquired a vent prick and brush. As a Napoleonic reenactor i used this regularly -

A long cord [leather or string] was passed through a button hole - on one end was a large pin thingy used to clean out the vent hole. On the other end was a stiff brush for removing caked on powder that had gathered in the pan.

BR

Ian