Binge Watching

[butlersrangers]

'Antenna TV' is crappy in Florida, basic cable is no better, and our 'Firestick' is very inconsistent.

I've taken to watching the "Sharpe's Rifles" BBC series from the 1990s on my laptop. The episodes are on YouTube, with Spanish captions, when English is spoken, and with English captions, when Spanish is spoken ... (How educational).

Damn me! ... those 'chosen men' of the 95th rifles can shake off a bullet wound or saber slash in mere minutes ... and leap back into action.

If the innumerable foolish inbred British officers and sadistic Army 'hanger-ons', got out of the way, Richard Sharpe and his company of reprobates would destroy Bonaparte's Army in five episodes!

Boy, do I need a Baker rifle!

[waterman]

I've read a couple of reports on modern tests of Baker rifles. Not all that much of an improvement over a smoothbore with properly fitted round balls.

[butlersrangers]

The original musket balls, that I have examined, were notoriously undersized and rather poorly cast.

Close fitting balls, that I have fired in reproduction Brown Bess and Charleville muskets, gave surprising 50 yard accuracy.
At 100 yards and beyond, target strikes became quite 'open' and random.

Period musket cartridges did not utilize the precise & close-fitting ball, that we routinely expect, nowadays.
Ease of loading and economy were important in 18th and 19th century military muskets.

When carefully loaded with a good fitting ball and patch combination and a 'flask measured' charge of quality black powder,
.62 to .65 caliber Jaeger and Baker rifles scored hits at 100 & 200 yards and beyond.

The cost was a slower loading speed. But, the practical 30 inch barrel length of these military rifles, likely assisted in loading convenience.

My great-grandfather's .62 caliber percussion rifle has a 'reused' Baker barrel.
It was assembled in Great Britain in the 1840s, likely as a batch of government 'gift' rifles, for presentation to influential Indian leaders.
My ancestor traded guns with an Indian friend, and this served my family as a utility rifle, while pioneering in the Ontario wilderness.

I have refrained from shooting it, due to the welded construction of the barrel, not wanting to risk destruction of an heirloom.
It was given to me, at age 10 years, by my great-aunt Margaret on Manitoulin Island, Ontario.
(It became my first restoration/preservation project. It started my interest in researching and studying antique firearms).
My great-uncle Charles shot a black bear with this rifle in the 1880s, near Barry, Ontario.
Margaret 'offed' a neighbor's dog, that was threatening her on the farm, using the rifle loaded with a projectile of dried peas!
(I think, her intent was just to send him 'packin' for home .... she must have 'over-loaded')?

All guns have a story, i'm glad this one was not lost!

[MooseNugget]

Thanks for posting BR! I enjoyed reading about your family's antique .62 baker barreled rifle!

Don't know if you've seen this video but it's about "How to get your own Baker rifle":

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fv4fS-XyBhw

Here's another link I watched years ago is about an IMA Brown Bess restoration test firing:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Xu4QQnUJRI

[butlersrangers]

Thanks Moose nugget, neat videos!

The attached photo of my family heirloom .62 caliber rifle shows the 'grain' pattern of iron strap wound and welded around a mandrel, to create the barrel tube.
This old barrel construction explains my hesitation over ever firing this irreplaceable (to me) rifle.