A study on firearms tools

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.

JamesKelly · 8th November 2013, 09:09 PM

Just touch your Räumnadel with a magnet.
Iron or steel will be attracted, bronze or copper not.

On my tool the U-shape opening seems too large for a nipple wrench, at least for the nipple now in the rifle. Drum means drum, that thing screwed into the barrel into which the nipple goes. About that term Grandpa would have been clear. Just do not know what he was thinking about this tool.

And that "buck and ball" mould that started this thread is more complex than I have seen American tools to be. From what I have seen, I think it quite unlikely for an old American mould to have folding handles.

1st November 2013, 04:13 PM	#2
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	#6
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

1st November 2013, 12:17 PM	#1
adrian Member Join Date: Mar 2012 Posts: 130	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	#3
adrian Member Join Date: Mar 2012 Posts: 130	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	#5
Marcus den toom Member Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: Netherlands Posts: 534	@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	#7
Marcus den toom Member Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: Netherlands Posts: 534	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.

8th November 2013, 09:09 PM	#8
JamesKelly Member Join Date: Aug 2013 Location: Michigan, U.S.A. Posts: 108	Just touch your Räumnadel with a magnet. Iron or steel will be attracted, bronze or copper not. On my tool the U-shape opening seems too large for a nipple wrench, at least for the nipple now in the rifle. Drum means drum, that thing screwed into the barrel into which the nipple goes. About that term Grandpa would have been clear. Just do not know what he was thinking about this tool. And that "buck and ball" mould that started this thread is more complex than I have seen American tools to be. From what I have seen, I think it quite unlikely for an old American mould to have folding handles.