Musket balls some facts

[Tafflaff (Rob)]

Musket ball
From Gunpedia


Musket balls, are the types of projectiles that are fired from muskets. Before they were loaded down the muzzle, they were usually wrapped in paper or cloth, to keep excess gas behind the barrel. They were ussually made of lead. Musket balls were made by pouring molten lead into a musket ball mould and trimming off surplus lead once it had cooled. At times stone musket balls were used. The lead musket balls expanded upon entering a body, often causing a large exit wound. If the musket ball was not wrapped in the linen patch, it could bounce from side to side inside the musket barrel and would leave the barrel in an unpredictable direction. This is one of the reasons why muskets were inaccurate. Musket balls where generally anywhere from .30-.75 calibre, but some exceeded these guidelines. The musket ball was loaded into the smooth bore by first pouring a powder charge down the barrel, wrapping a linen patch around the ball, starting it off with a short ramrod or 'starter' then using the longer ramrod (usually seated underneath the barrel) to push it all the way down the barrel. After tapping the ball a few times to check that it was seated firmly on top of the powder charge the ramrod was withdrawn. Musket balls could also be used in rifled muskets - guns that were originally smooth-bored but rifled at a later date - or in rifles. Musket balls are often confised with balls for muzzle-loading pistols, as some pistols were of a larger bore than some muskets.

 ;)Rob.

[DIGGA]

OR IF THEY DIDENT  FANCY  BLOWING BIG HOLES IN PEOPLE,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,  THEY  COULD  ALSO  BE USED  FOR A NICE  GAME  OF  MARBLES   

[bobkoi]

U CERTAINLY KNOW YOUR BALLS. 

[BottyBurp (Kris)]

Very interesting Rob, thanks for that 

If I could just add a little to that, I have several Musket Balls with holes in which I've been told were used to scoop dung up. This meant that if the Musket wound didn't kill you then the wound would get infected from the dung (Chemical Poisoining) & finish you off!

I also have 2 Muskett balls which are very rough & I've been told that this maybe from someone in the field chewing on it during surgery hence the term "Bite the Bullet" I don't know if there is any truth in these but it's what I've been told over the years & it does seem to make sense.

Burp