A study on firearms tools

fernando · 30th October 2013, 04:47 PM

Nice 'rustic' mould you got there.

adrian · 1st November 2013, 12:17 PM

A "buck & ball" bullet mould. It would have been for a musket of a caliber to suit that ball. The user could fire either a musket ball, at large game, or buckshot at smaller game, or both at an enemy - individually or buck & ball in the one load. So quite versatile & quite handy with its foldaway handles.

JamesKelly · 1st November 2013, 04:13 PM

Looks like this mould makes different size "buck" shot. What caliber is that large ball?

To add to this thread, here is what Grandfather said was a gun tool. He had a good handle on family events of the 18th century, but I am not so sure of this. Dad looked in his tool box one time, found this & asked Grandfather what it was? "Oh, its a tool to remove the drum from a rifle". Dad quickly traded him a nice Sears & Roebuck screwdriver. The rifle in question would have been my great-great grandfather's rifle, made in Western Pennsylvania, USA, some time before 1850. My Grandfather hunted & won turkey shoots with this rifle, never having fired a breech loader until age 18 (1900 A.D.)

Clearly a screwdriver, I personally cannot figure out how that U-bottomed side extension could unscrew a drum, or really do anything. Wood handle 102mm (4 inches) across, steel blade 108mm (4-1/4 inch) total length. U-shaped extension fits an 8.4mm (0.33" mm) diameter round, too small to fit the drum of the rifle in question. So I really do not know for sure what it is, beyond what Grandfather said.

Ideas?

adrian · 2nd November 2013, 04:34 AM

It perhaps fits the breech plug of a small caliber rifle, it is the right shape etc. This might have been what was meant by "drum".

kahnjar1 · 3rd November 2013, 01:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JamesKelly

Looks like this mould makes different size "buck" shot. What caliber is that large ball?

To add to this thread, here is what Grandfather said was a gun tool. He had a good handle on family events of the 18th century, but I am not so sure of this. Dad looked in his tool box one time, found this & asked Grandfather what it was? "Oh, its a tool to remove the drum from a rifle". Dad quickly traded him a nice Sears & Roebuck screwdriver. The rifle in question would have been my great-great grandfather's rifle, made in Western Pennsylvania, USA, some time before 1850. My Grandfather hunted & won turkey shoots with this rifle, never having fired a breech loader until age 18 (1900 A.D.)

Clearly a screwdriver, I personally cannot figure out how that U-bottomed side extension could unscrew a drum, or really do anything. Wood handle 102mm (4 inches) across, steel blade 108mm (4-1/4 inch) total length. U-shaped extension fits an 8.4mm (0.33" mm) diameter round, too small to fit the drum of the rifle in question. So I really do not know for sure what it is, beyond what Grandfather said.

Ideas?

You don't say how wide the middle of the U bit is, but it could well be a nipple wrench, for unscrewing percussion nipples.
Stu

Marcus den toom · 3rd November 2013, 08:01 AM

@JamesKelly, the bal is 14mm wide.

Khanjar1 has a very plausible answer here, since the tool does not look like it was designed to take the mechanical stress that a breechplug would cause.

Andi · 3rd November 2013, 12:52 PM

Here is a really simple and unimpressive tool from Fokke Museum in Bremen, Germany, described as a clearing needle (Räumnadel). It is not dated and I guess it is from 17th or 18th century. The shaft between the handle and the needle assumes that the tool was inserted in hilt or a sheath (probably in connection with a bandolier?). I am not really sure of the material of the neelde whether it is iron or bronze because on the needle are brownish residues like rost but it also has a greenish patina like copper alloys, I preferrably assume it is made from iron.

Marcus den toom · 3rd November 2013, 03:30 PM

A very nice tool indeed, to open up the ventholes from a flintlock or even a wheellock. Because blackpowder leaves some residue it may clog the vent (the hole in the barrel). I heared the name vent pick a few times but i am not sure if it is correct.
The metal is most likely hardened iron.

1st November 2013, 04:13 PM	#3
JamesKelly Member Join Date: Aug 2013 Location: Michigan, U.S.A. Posts: 108	Looks like this mould makes different size "buck" shot. What caliber is that large ball? To add to this thread, here is what Grandfather said was a gun tool. He had a good handle on family events of the 18th century, but I am not so sure of this. Dad looked in his tool box one time, found this & asked Grandfather what it was? "Oh, its a tool to remove the drum from a rifle". Dad quickly traded him a nice Sears & Roebuck screwdriver. The rifle in question would have been my great-great grandfather's rifle, made in Western Pennsylvania, USA, some time before 1850. My Grandfather hunted & won turkey shoots with this rifle, never having fired a breech loader until age 18 (1900 A.D.) Clearly a screwdriver, I personally cannot figure out how that U-bottomed side extension could unscrew a drum, or really do anything. Wood handle 102mm (4 inches) across, steel blade 108mm (4-1/4 inch) total length. U-shaped extension fits an 8.4mm (0.33" mm) diameter round, too small to fit the drum of the rifle in question. So I really do not know for sure what it is, beyond what Grandfather said. Ideas? Attached Images

3rd November 2013, 12:52 PM	#7
Andi Member Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: Halstenbek, Germany Posts: 203	Here is a really simple and unimpressive tool from Fokke Museum in Bremen, Germany, described as a clearing needle (Räumnadel). It is not dated and I guess it is from 17th or 18th century. The shaft between the handle and the needle assumes that the tool was inserted in hilt or a sheath (probably in connection with a bandolier?). I am not really sure of the material of the neelde whether it is iron or bronze because on the needle are brownish residues like rost but it also has a greenish patina like copper alloys, I preferrably assume it is made from iron. Attached Images

30th October 2013, 04:47 PM	#1
fernando (deceased) Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Portugal Posts: 9,694	Nice 'rustic' mould you got there.

1st November 2013, 12:17 PM	#2
adrian Member Join Date: Mar 2012 Posts: 132	A "buck & ball" bullet mould. It would have been for a musket of a caliber to suit that ball. The user could fire either a musket ball, at large game, or buckshot at smaller game, or both at an enemy - individually or buck & ball in the one load. So quite versatile & quite handy with its foldaway handles.

2nd November 2013, 04:34 AM	#4
adrian Member Join Date: Mar 2012 Posts: 132	It perhaps fits the breech plug of a small caliber rifle, it is the right shape etc. This might have been what was meant by "drum".

3rd November 2013, 08:01 AM	#6
Marcus den toom Member Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: Netherlands Posts: 535	@JamesKelly, the bal is 14mm wide. Khanjar1 has a very plausible answer here, since the tool does not look like it was designed to take the mechanical stress that a breechplug would cause.

3rd November 2013, 03:30 PM	#8
Marcus den toom Member Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: Netherlands Posts: 535	A very nice tool indeed, to open up the ventholes from a flintlock or even a wheellock. Because blackpowder leaves some residue it may clog the vent (the hole in the barrel). I heared the name vent pick a few times but i am not sure if it is correct. The metal is most likely hardened iron.