"Stay strapped or get clapped." - George Washington, probably

@jvleasure

3 жыл бұрын

George Washington DEFINITELY

@120masterpiece

3 жыл бұрын

Not to nerd out but if you don't know where "clapped" came from, clap means to bring together, like clapping your hands, so you'd clap irons (handcuffs) onto someone's wrists.

@Real11BangBang

3 жыл бұрын

James Madison Source... 2nd amendment

@SealegsSam

2 жыл бұрын

I have a shirt that says that.

@CaesarGB

2 жыл бұрын

@@SealegsSam I’ve seen those shirts online. I need one!

As Darkwing Duck says, “let’s get dangerous!”

@akritoi3207

3 жыл бұрын

Hi dad

@bigmoniesponge

3 жыл бұрын

Oh hey, I just watched your Semlor video

@morpheusgreene2704

3 жыл бұрын

HI

@stroodlepup

3 жыл бұрын

Hey bro

@anthonyboatner7286

3 жыл бұрын

@@Jin-gu8sz they have done a crossover at the nutmeg tavern.

also, a gun is useless without the flint. hope you do a thing about how flintlock users used local flint.

@horuswarmastuer9099

3 жыл бұрын

great mention but not a full enough topic for its own bideo.mezhink

@P_RO_

3 жыл бұрын

@@horuswarmastuer9099 It could make a good video. Some areas had several types of 'flints' available and at the markets there were sometimes different grades of 'flints' available too. There's a special technique to knapping gun-flints versus making other stone tools and that too varies some based on the type of material used. And there's the re-edging of gun-flints in the field. Whole books have been written on the subject so I'm sure a good video could be made- especially with Townsends doing it!

@geraldhill7547

3 жыл бұрын

Flint knapping

@GravesRWFiA

3 жыл бұрын

the american flints were very good. the briitish army often commented on their quality.

@BogeyTheBear

3 жыл бұрын

You have to take good care of the steel frizzen. If the surface texture is not right or grease gets on the frizzen, the steel may not shed any sparks when the flint strikes it. A lot of underlying factors behind getting a flintlock to dependably fire. There's a reason Reverend Forsyth decided to dissolve mercury in nital and then smack it with a hammer in order to fill his game bag.

The going rule that I learned in blacksmithing is to always assume that every piece of metal in the shop is hot regardless of weather it is glowing or not...🧐

@paca_bill4863

3 жыл бұрын

Made that mistake one time back in the 70's during a blacksmithing course. It's amazing how long it took between the hand and brain to register :-O

@trythinking6676

3 жыл бұрын

Learned that working in a couple foundries, too.

@BogeyTheBear

3 жыл бұрын

If you drop a piece, let it drop.

@FirstOfTheMagi

2 жыл бұрын

Similar to electrical work, always assume that every wire is live

"today we are going to be doing something dangerous" Me- You had my curiosity, but now you have my attention

I’m mostly here for John giving a safety warning, and Doggo just shoving it’s delightful bonce in the nearest bucket for a good old sniff!

@KairuHakubi

3 жыл бұрын

everyone watching is like 'boy i sure hope that isn't a big ol' tub of beef-flavored lead'

@treennumbers

3 жыл бұрын

@@KairuHakubi Lead water famously tastes sweet, and, also, drove the Romans utterly mad. It's a labrador though, so I'm not sure there's going to ever be an observable difference.

@MikehMike01

3 жыл бұрын

@@treennumbers the Rome lead thing is a myth

@jaji8549

3 жыл бұрын

I thought that also about the water but I think that's a quenching bucket for the forge.

@KairuHakubi

3 жыл бұрын

@@jaji8549 *Dog runs off with roughly bone-shaped crescent wrench you just forged*

First it was a crossover with Kent Rawlins, next it will be Ian from forgotten weapons

@cougarhunter33

3 жыл бұрын

It's Ian's opportunity to showcase French weapons that didn't live up to the "never fired and only dropped once," trope.

@fenrirrising131

3 жыл бұрын

Britishmuzzleloaders or capandball would be a far better fit. Those channels have better quality content/people as well.

@Some_random98

3 жыл бұрын

A match made in heaven

@darthrex354

3 жыл бұрын

Mark from anvil would be a better choice, considering hes an actual gunsmith. He did a video rebuilding an entire flintlock striker assembly.

@particlemannn

3 жыл бұрын

Came here to say this! Also still casting my vote for a Binging With Babish crossover too.

Water in molten lead instantly flashes to steam causing a steam explosion which will spray molten lead. That's why you don't cast when it's rainy.

@moosemaimer

3 жыл бұрын

If your hand is just wet enough you can quickly dip it in molten lead... the Liedenfrost Effect creates a curtain of steam which prevents the lead from directly touching your skin and acts as an insulator. The lead has to be quite hot: too cool and the steam won't form and you'll get burned.

@skeetsmcgrew3282

3 жыл бұрын

Theoretically that wouldn't matter if you are properly heating everything. But definitely requires more care than is necessary, just dont do it on a rainy day

@johnsegertsons2143

3 жыл бұрын

The damp or too much humidity cools of your molds and ruins your castings

@SteveAubrey1762

Ай бұрын

Sweat drops aswell!

Between this and the Little House books, I now 100% have false memories of sitting by the fire trying not to touch the shiny hot bullets as Pa gets ready for hunting

@wendynordstrom3487

3 жыл бұрын

One of my favorite memories!

@IMFLondon

3 жыл бұрын

Awww cute

@AjiNoPanda

3 жыл бұрын

I was JUST thinking of that scene, and how Pa carefully saves the lead shavings to melt for his next batch of bullets.

@miriambarnett2782

3 жыл бұрын

I was thinking the same thing!

One thing that should be mentioned here for safety reasons. Now that the little pot and ladle have been used to process lead, they should never be used for food again. A lot of people have used cast iron pots and such in the past for melting lead at home. That is why you should be leery buying used cast iron cookware at flea markets and yard sales. If you do buy such an item, you should test it for lead before use.

@VentrueMinis

3 жыл бұрын

Very smart! Never thought about the flea market consideration.

@MatthewHilbertsBaritone

3 жыл бұрын

Or clean and re-season.

@michaelfinnegan4301

3 жыл бұрын

@@MatthewHilbertsBaritone You won't get all of the lead out of cast iron. The lead will seep into the actual pores of the metal. Cast iron is not hard and dense like steel it is soft and porous.

@lendavoice60

3 жыл бұрын

Thank you I’ll pass this information along

@F0XD1E

3 жыл бұрын

@@michaelfinnegan4301 "Bah I'll scrub it with a brillo."

When you've had enough of people making nutmeg jokes

One of my ancestors worked in casting tower for lead shot, if I understand correctly they would pour molten lead down the inside of the hollow tower, and it would hit mesh causing the lead to scatter into fat raindrops (perfect musketball size) which fell into water and cooled. Mass production!

@McMollet

3 жыл бұрын

What you're referring to is a "shot tower". They were used to produce lead shot, not balls. Important distinction, as shot would never go in a musket, but instead a shotgun or blunderbuss (you need as close to exact sizing as possible in a musket/rifle for them to be accurate or not explode!) .

@Tibbs736

3 жыл бұрын

@@McMollet thanks for the clarification!

@Missourah1861

2 жыл бұрын

Still how shotgun shot is manufactured to this day

@brustdiesel

2 жыл бұрын

The Baltimore Shot Tower

Smoking the mold with candle soot makes for easier releases. I always thought the flintlock was backwards. Ready! Fire! Aim!

@henryspadt6160

3 жыл бұрын

The only issue I’ve had with the lead sticking to the mold was because of excess lead on the outside holding it shut like a clamp

@user-vo7vp1xm9q

3 жыл бұрын

Ready! Fire! Aim!

@cornholio1612

3 жыл бұрын

Recently got in to flintlocks...and you said it buddy! Between the lock time and the loss of sight picture it's been a trip.

@brustdiesel

2 жыл бұрын

That's how the Brits did it...the Colonials realized that rifling, sniping, and silk patching, made for much more accuracy

@samy7013

2 жыл бұрын

Ready! Fire! *Pray* !

I can't wait for the day Townsends mold and cast their own Liberty bell with a nutmeg on it. 🔔🌰

Apron gloves and eyes are an absolute must when casting. As someone who has had a few molten lead accidents I can't stress care and PPE enough

@drsch

3 жыл бұрын

Ear protection when testing the bullets would be good too.

Put a pea size piece of bees wax in your melting pot it fluxes the lead and makes skimming the slag off easier.

@tacituskilgore6752

3 жыл бұрын

Thats what i use for fluxing my lead alloy. A good 15 bhn for 9mm and magnum pistol rounds powder coated for me.50/50 lino and pure lead

@brustdiesel

2 жыл бұрын

Yep

7:38 Another safety consideration is to make sure the scrap lead you return to the pot is dry. Some makers will drop lead out of the mold into buckets of water to harden the lead with its sudden cooling effect. Just make sure there is no water in the lead bits going back in because the resulting steam will scatter molten lead everywhere.

@moosemaimer

3 жыл бұрын

Air will actually do the same thing. I once saw a foundry worker dump metal into a pot from a forklift, and the expanding air bubbles turned it into a volcano of white-hot molten steel. They had a rule that you weren't supposed to do that once the pot was half-full, so that's why.

@toddellner5283

3 жыл бұрын

One of the first lessons I got in foundry work was "Check your casting sand for cat poop." Molten metal hitting wet droppings would be a bad way to die.

@colinburke8389

3 жыл бұрын

Like water and hot oil, only much much worse

@BogeyTheBear

3 жыл бұрын

I figure one workaround is to put the lead scrap in the ladle, then set the ladle on top the molten lead for a while. The scrap, though still solid, will heat up to the point where any moisture will evaporate away. Then you tilt the ladle to drop the scrap lead into the pot.

@soaringbumnm8374

3 жыл бұрын

Been there done that lol ! OUCH !!!

Also, civilian firearms were still largely custom made items. There was little, to no uniformity in caliber. Most weapons came with a bullet mold that made shot of the correct size for the bore of the weapon.

Ah yes, Lobsterback killing rounds

@WALTERBROADDUS

3 жыл бұрын

Just remember Mel Gibson's words, " aim small, Miss small. "

@AlRoderick

3 жыл бұрын

Coats ain't red enough fellows!

@CaesarGB

2 жыл бұрын

@@WALTERBROADDUS Regardless of historical accuracy/inaccuracy, a fantastic movie!

I love learning about historical weapons and ammunition

@morganbillings7498

3 жыл бұрын

not much historical at the moment lol because re loaders use this same technique all the time

@j.bowman8699

3 жыл бұрын

Interesting Living history too?

@connorburnes7697

3 жыл бұрын

Likewise. It’s interesting how much survives into the modern day too.

@Matt-xc6sp

3 жыл бұрын

Forgotten Weapons is like this guy, for just that

@CaesarGB

2 жыл бұрын

I desperately want an authentic flintlock. And maybe a kit to try building my own.

“Over 600 degrees Fahrenheit” Soooo a couple hundred degrees cooler than McDonald’s coffee?

Not bad shooting. Flintlocks are kinda tricky to shoot because of the long lock time between when you pull the trigger and the bullet actually leaves the barrel. You have to keep really still a lot longer than with a modern rifle.

@KairuHakubi

3 жыл бұрын

ha, just like old cameras.

@kovona

3 жыл бұрын

Poking the touch hole through with a needle or toothpick helps speed up lock time I find.

@BogeyTheBear

3 жыл бұрын

Trick is not to overload the pan. If priming powder gets into the vent hole, it acts as a fuse and adds milliseconds to the lock time. What you want is hot gases flashing through the vent for quick ignition, not a column of burning powder.

I knew you had to be a firearms enthusiast, you can't live that old lifestyle without firearms they were a necessity in 18th century America.

@notchagrandpa8875

3 жыл бұрын

@Cody Parin They are no longer required to feed yourself or your family was all I was saying as far as firearms still having a purpose of course they do, but I still harvest deer, squirrel, raccoon, coyote, rabbit, turkey, pheasant, quail, duck, and several other species of tasty critters with a wide variety of firearms but I don't have to hunt I could be like 90% of Americans and buy everything my family eats from Costco Sam's Club, or Whole Foods but I don't trust store bought meat stuffed with more pharmaceuticals than a cancer patient, you know it's a shame that people can't read a comment without taking words and phrases out of context and getting butt hurt, this country will survive I just question whether the constitution will or if Americans will read it one day and become offended by it too.

@MultiJaran

2 жыл бұрын

@Cody Parin Won't let them? What if they don't want to carry a gun?

I have a feeling these guys will be just fine in the coming dark winter.

@TheTimeshadows

3 жыл бұрын

Would love to meet them and gain some first-hand 18th c experience.

@LowdownBoy

3 жыл бұрын

I thought that was already over. I wrote a song about it and everything :>/

@CaesarGB

2 жыл бұрын

The Townsends and the Amish will teach the few people who live outside the mega cities how to survive in the wilds, while those in the cities live in their pods, eat the bugs, and don’t own a thing. Most freethinkers will be shot of course.

I am loving all of the new content.

@II__DAVE__II

3 жыл бұрын

Hi Babe!

@johanmikkael6903

3 жыл бұрын

The content is indeed marvellous good sir.

The musket balls would be dug out of the game animal, possibly re-used as is, but certainly re-melted and re-cast. Those balls shot into that target would also be dug out and re melted. Thanks for the video. Jon

@P_RO_

3 жыл бұрын

When you already don't have enough, you learn to waste nothing because you might die if you do.

I was literally talking about casting musket balls with my brother about an hour ago, this video couldn't have been uploaded at a better time.

@josephgioielli

3 жыл бұрын

Unless you need a historical set up, get a bottom pour lead melter. Well worth the extra money. Happy casting

@hellomcflyy

3 жыл бұрын

synchronicity

This video was right on target.

@BogeyTheBear

3 жыл бұрын

The casting was spot-on.

A colonial metal mining and refining video would be amazing. It's an essential part of history people rarely think about let alone appreciate

Lovely that you’ve branched out to other things historical. Came for the nutmeg and definitely sticking around for everything else, Mr Townsends! 💪🏽👍🏽

@Bildgesmythe

3 жыл бұрын

They always have, check out all the great old shows.

I’ve cast plenty for my .50 Hawkins reproduction. I was taught to add a bit of beeswax to the molten lead to help remove impurities. Nice to see the rare left handed flintlock but surprised the ball wasn’t seated with a patch. That has to effect accuracy.

When are you going to do a muzzleloader series brother?

I wanna know who it was that actually hit the card, that was impressive at that distance...

@Kb-cz9ch

3 жыл бұрын

Me two!!!. I am starting to wander about how much of the inaccuratcy of muskets was down to the casting of the balls not fitting the barrel vs lack of rifling?

@TheHacknor

3 жыл бұрын

@@Kb-cz9ch Both, by the 1800s standardisation had reduced the chance of balls being the wrong size, if they were professionally made for a standard issue musket, but any home made ammunition is going to be dodgy unless you've got plently of experience making it. That being said even with decent ammunition without rifling the ball spins uncontrollably so hitting anything beyond a certain distance is mostly luck

@Kb-cz9ch

3 жыл бұрын

@@TheHacknor thanks.

@P_RO_

3 жыл бұрын

@@Kb-cz9ch If we go back far enough, we find the early guns shot stones, not cast balls, and there were people whose job was making those 'gun stones'. Getting the patching right is as important as the casting in rifles, less so in muskets, but it all matters to some degree. In the Townsends time period, military muskets using 'generic' properly sized balls patched properly could be counted on to hit a small dinner-plate at 40 yards with a semi-skilled soldier shooting it. These weren't made to what we think of as tight tolerances; it was considered more important that the largest ball would always fit the smallest fouled bore; patching solved the looser fit. Better training and more practice added maybe 10 more yards. The best of everything and you'd hit that plate most of the time at 60 yards. With the best of everything, a good musket could be quite accurate at 40 yards, nearly as good as the earlier rifles, but the lack of rifling caused accuracy to drop off exponentially as the range increased. Muskets made for public sales all came with their own fitted bullet molds, so these were more accurate but not greatly so. The early rifles added about 50% more range, which was significant but countered by their slow loading due to a tight fit needed for the balls, and their need to be cleaned every 4-5 shots. That's why militaries were slow to adopt rifles and battles were fought at closer ranges. By the early to mid 19th century manufacturing tolerances had improved but that didn't add any range as far as musket accuracy goes- the limit of accurate range even today with super-precise manufacturing is similar because the lack of rifling sets that limit more than anything else.

@15sherpinski

3 жыл бұрын

@@Kb-cz9ch another factor of the accuracy of muskets was military training at the time. It was believed that recoil would cause your shot to hit higher than you aimed so most nations trained their soldiers to aim slightly lower than they meant to hit. Many of these soldiers would then maintain the habit after their service and civilians would copy the soldiers making the rifles of the day seem even more inaccurate than they already were. Today we know that recoil doesn't begin until after the bullet has left the barrel which makes it a non-issue.

Be careful not to breathe the fumes from that lead ☠

@sandrabhicks

3 жыл бұрын

And be sure to do this outside!

@noahmercy-mann4323

3 жыл бұрын

No lead vapors unless one gets the lead over 1200 degrees...pretty impossible with a wood fire. I've cast thousands of pounds of lead (mostly indoors) and my blood lead levels are lower than the average city-dweller's.

@sandrabhicks

3 жыл бұрын

@@noahmercy-mann4323 are you willing to bet your health on it ? I'm not

@noahmercy-mann4323

3 жыл бұрын

@@sandrabhicks Please go back and read my comment: I have had my blood lead checked multiple times over the years, and folks who live in big cities and have nothing to do with firearms or bullets have higher levels than I do. I have cast bullets commercially and for personal use since 1996. I DO bet my health on it. Lead that gets in the body during casting is via ingestion, which is why I do not have food or drink anywhere near my bench, and I scrub thoroughly with a soap specifically designed to remove heavy metals from skin after every casting session. A little research will show you that "lead fumes" are a myth in the context of casting bullets.

Watching this reminds me of the scenes from the film The Patriot where Mel Gibson's character "Benjamin Martin" would make musket balls from his son's metal toy soldiers. Benjamin Martin: *"Aim Small, Miss Small"*

@DemonChild069

3 жыл бұрын

thought of this same scene in the movie

@JoeXTheXJuggalo1

3 жыл бұрын

@@DemonChild069 well they're one of those iconic scene(s) from the movie. After I finished watching this video I had to look up some of the scenes from the movie.

Funfact: frontier lead bars was also known as pigs

@Willy_Tepes

3 жыл бұрын

The tool for cutting a mold is called a "cherry".

@scrubsrc4084

3 жыл бұрын

Any open poured ingot of metal fresh from smelting still is called a pig

@toddellner5283

3 жыл бұрын

@@scrubsrc4084 Hence "pig iron" ingots

its amazing how much you flinch during the trigger pull. Really shows how much people at the time would have had to practice before being even remotely handy with a rifle.

@BogeyTheBear

3 жыл бұрын

Kinda hard not to flinch when the pan is igniting right in front of your eyes. Notice that we had left-handed shooters with right-handed rifles and vice versa.

I live near Ft. Roberdeau in central Pennsylvania which was built to protect the lead mines used for bullets in Washington's army. There was also a saltpeter mine not far to the south that was used for gunpowder.

The Jaeger,Kentucky, the Drilling rifles and double rifles built and used in Americas set the starting point for the Art of The Rifle as we know and appreciate/ cherish the poems in wood and steel today. Then the Hawken offered the good chance of being successfull in the field and survive. Also the expression" buck'n ball" is from that time, and the marksmen,scouts and Snipers, Tim Murphy one of the very early good ones. But in the mix a little Italian air rifle named Girandoni also have a huge part of the history.

@Theonederboy

3 жыл бұрын

@My Dixie Wrecked yes among other user including the Austrians in the 18th century

@ScottKenny1978

3 жыл бұрын

@My Dixie Wrecked the Girandoni? .45 cal roundball.

@ScottKenny1978

3 жыл бұрын

@My Dixie Wrecked yes, I want one! The .45cal is basically a .45acp. seen some pretty nice ones made by Sam Yang, look like an over-under shotgun with the pressure cylinder under the barrel. Though I have read that the .45cal PCP air rifles are kinda the wrong ones to get. Not as much speed as the 9mm/.357cal so they're not as flat shooting, and not as heavy a bullet as the .50cal.

@ScottKenny1978

3 жыл бұрын

@My Dixie Wrecked the Girandoni was roundball so it was about 9mm bullet weight (call it 145gr) and 750fps. It worked. What made the "windbusche" so feared militarily was the total lack of powder smoke. Jaegers could hide and fire most of their magazine without being spotted, whereas a man with a flintlock would reveal his position with the first shot.

@ScottKenny1978

3 жыл бұрын

@My Dixie Wrecked I will probably get a 9mm and a 4500psi air tank, then make friends with the firefighters to get it filled. I figure a couple pans of lasagna would probably cover it! 😆

Hang on, you’re not Ian McCollum...

@IamOutOfNames

3 жыл бұрын

"Hi guys, thanks for tuning in on another video on ForgottenWeapons. I'm Ian McCollum and I'm here today at Jas. Townsend & Son taking a look at early american musket and it's ball mould..."

Safety dog does a water check

You need Hickok45 - he’d be hitting those cards dead center every time

Oh, I used to carve soapstone molds. They’ll handle silver, and works find detail very easily.

Shooting a black powder gun is really weird when you are used to shoot modern ones. There is a big delay between pulling the trigger and the shot going off. 9:54 You can see how the guys flinch before the shot even goes off. No critique. Presumably it would look the same if I were shooting. It's just funny. 😄

@skeetsmcgrew3282

3 жыл бұрын

That delay feels like a full minute even though its just a fraction of a second. Its extremely off-putting and really tests your aiming and trigger discipline

@BogeyTheBear

3 жыл бұрын

This is called lock time, and even a 19th Century percussion muzzleloader will feel like it's hangfiring to a modern day shooter with experience in cartridge ammunition.

@ScottKenny1978

3 жыл бұрын

And a matchlock is worse than a flintlock.

@BogeyTheBear

3 жыл бұрын

Looking closer at that shot, I can understand the flinch given that we have a left-handed shooter using a right-handed longarm with the lock flashing in front of the face!

@GanjaMasterBlaster

2 жыл бұрын

In the 1600s the matchlock muskets and arquebuses were more because the delay depended on how hard or fast you pulled the trigger Because the mechanism was more simple than a flintlock There were snapchances and snaplocks and miquelets and doglocks but those mechanisms were more expensive and just as complicated as a Wheellock

As a long time BP shooter, including Flintlock Longrifle, I'm not surprised you had some issues IF you were loading the way you showed. There was no patch to seal the gas behind the ball, which is an essential for shooting a rifled gun, which it obviously was. The patch also imparts the spin to the ball, which it will not do if not patched. I also saw a Bess in there, and just hitting the wood piece with a Bess and a naked ball would be good, especially with these compromised bullets from that style of mold. If you want to do shooting stuff, you need to get with the guys from the National Muzzleloading Rifle Association. NMLRA is the group to talk to, really, for anything Black Powder shooting related.

@matts.8342

2 жыл бұрын

Was one of the rifles they were shooting made for left handers? It looked to me like the lock was on the opposite side on one of the rifles. If so, and if it's a period piece, I would think it would be an extremely rare example!

John, That is first time I have seen a left-handed flintlock.

Hi from Syracuse NY thank you brother for sharing this adventure with me

1:11 John: a gun is useless without gun powder and.... Me (a firearms enthusiast) but has been bingewatching Townsend: and nutmeg

Oh, this is perfect. My son had 'Colonial Day' at school, and he played the part of a gunsmith.

3 parts charcoal, 2 parts sodium nitrate, 1 part sulpher = equals boom

@BogeyTheBear

3 жыл бұрын

The nitrate should be more than the charcoal. Nitrate is the oxidizer, charcoal is the fuel, so you want to make it burn 'lean'-- if we are to borrow an automotive term on the reaction.

@johnsegertsons2143

3 жыл бұрын

Potassium nitrate or Salt peter ,not sodium nitrate. 75% salt peter 15% charcoal 10% sulfur = Boom

@DoctorRobertNeville

3 жыл бұрын

@@johnsegertsons2143 Boom! It will still make BOOM! I've made it and it will make a boom! Granted it will make a smelly still stinking.

@johnsegertsons2143

3 жыл бұрын

@@DoctorRobertNeville good for you! Want a prize or something ? You still didn't make Black powder

Wouldn't recommend pewter as the alloy is too hard (especially for rifles). For muzzleloaders you generally want pure lead

@hakonandreasolaussen1949

3 жыл бұрын

I can see something being too hard with a rifle in terms of not engaging the rifling and whatnot, but what's the issue if it's a smoothbore musket?

@cammobunker

3 жыл бұрын

Most muzzleloading rifles use a patched round ball, in which the patch engages the rifling and the ball simply floats along on it. Lead free pewter is not an acceptable substitute for lead for two reasons: As you noted, it's a harder metal, and round balls made from it will ricochet a great deal more, making it less safe, and it is lighter, which will mess up the ballistics and you will be less accurate. That said, NEVER, EVER attempt to use this lead-free pewter as a lead substitute for the later revolvers, rifles that use minie style balls, or the type of bullets that engrave rifling at loading without patches. They won't work and you will in all likelihood get them jammed in the gun or increase pressures to unacceptable levels, or both. It's not going to work, and could be unsafe. Just use real lead, cast in a well ventilated area, wear proper protective gear, and you'll be fine.

@skeetsmcgrew3282

3 жыл бұрын

I think he should have just discussed ventilation and general fume safety rather than even recommend pewter. You can do some pretty seemingly dangerous stuff with just a gentle breeze outdoors. Indoors is another story, but in this situation you are really in no danger

@HLBear

3 жыл бұрын

They weren't recommending using pewter to make the balls, but letting people know it would be non-toxic for melting and molding in general. It's good you've all let people know it makes bad bullets, though. Thanks!

@johnsegertsons2143

3 жыл бұрын

@@cammobunker The only thing I'd add is wash your hand well after handling lead.

Thank you! This was a great video to help us understand bullet making from the early pioneers. We've been studying "Little House in the Big Woods" and Pa makes bullets. Now, we understand the process!

@scottanos9981

Ай бұрын

Also makes sense how natives were able to adopt firearm technology relatively quickly but not necessarily gunpowder production. Lower temperatures needed to melt lead around the fire!

I love the variety on this channel, theres so much to discover and so much to learn. Thank you for sharing 👍

It was wonderful to see Jon pull the trigger on his "Flintbuster" and just like Jon, I'm a "Southpaw" who's always using the "Hand of the Devil" and when the Frontier Cabin was finally completed and furnished, I saw a Left-handed Flintlock "Rich Man's Rifle" hanging over the Mantle of the Fireplace! Now a Rich Man's Rifle has a Stock made of Curly Maple and all sorts of fancy Brass or German Silver garnishments such as a front Endcap, Front Sight, Thimbles and tip for the Ramrod, Trigger-guard and Buttplate plus a fancy Patch Box. My Left-handed Flintlock Rifle, on the other hand (pun intended) is a Tennessee "Poor Man's Rifle" whose Stock is just plain ol' Cherry-wood without any brass or German Silver furniture, just plain old Hand-wrought Ironwork and there isn't even a front Endcap or Patch Box; just a 3/4-inch round Grease Hole in the side of the Buttstock for holding Tallow to grease the patches with... and I am so poor that I don't have "Store Bought Patches" and just carry 1-inch wide strips of Pillow Ticking in my Possibles Bag for rubbing against the Tallow in the Buttstock before I seat a ball against it, start it down the Barrel and then cut the Ticking with my Patch-knife!

As a colonial relic hunter through metal detecting, these balls, both fired and dropped, wind up under our coils. Most impressive is the 3/4" balls that were fired from the British Land Pattern Muskets (Brown Bess). Over an ounce of lead. And we even find balls cast from pewter occasionally.

I have my great grandfather’s journal he kept from 1855-1865. He mentioned on March 15,1857 outside Pea Ridge, Arkansas. “Father and I went deer hunting today. Father taught me how to cast boolits (bullets). Father uses bee’s wax after scraping the dross off the top. Father says the bee’s wax helps purify the lead. What a great time we had.” I know this journal entry is a little later than what is portrayed on this channel. Point is provides a little input to what was happening on the Western Frontier.

Brave, brave, brave Sir Robin.

It is important to remember that when you're out hunting trees that you don't exceed your bag limit. Also if you're going to hunt trees make sure you use every part of the trees and waste none of it, thereby honoring the tree you shot.

@cecilyerker

3 жыл бұрын

God bless you and this comment

@brustdiesel

2 жыл бұрын

Exactly...the circle of life...lol

Great video, thank you so much!

I absolutely love flintlock rifles or any kind of flintlock action firearm for that matter. There is just something so cool about pulling the trigger 'click' then that small delay that's the powder catching 'boom'

I have my great-grandfather's cast iron ball mold. It's about the size of your smaller tong-style mold there, and from the mid-1800s. This is so neat to see! Thank you.

Your channel is the best historical archives for future generations! Thank you so much for your style and presentation. Much love to your production team aswell!

Good day Mr.Townsend

Wish I had one of those nice old style molds.

@bclark28100

3 жыл бұрын

eBay is your friend... Just search "musket mold" and make sure you get the right caliber.

@Frankthetank-et7wo

3 жыл бұрын

@@bclark28100 i havent seen to many of that style. Lots of the modern Lymans and Lee molds, which are fine enough to get the job done. That full steel construction is what i'd like to find. I'll have to poke around some more.

@u.s.militia7682

3 жыл бұрын

You can literally buy them online. Even the original antique ones. They’re not that expensive. 🇺🇸

@yakamarezlife

3 жыл бұрын

@@u.s.militia7682 i saw your comment on shotgun ammo they used shot towers for that ammo i think the old one in Baltimore is still there

@u.s.militia7682

3 жыл бұрын

tony gilbert right on. I just thought it’d be nice if everyone saw how it was done. We have a few shot towers here in Virginia and the surrounding area of Kentucky and Tennessee and North Carolina. I’ve got a couple friends who use a steel plate and a bucket full of water to make theirs. Just thought it would be a nice video.

Townsend, you remind me a lot of my college history teacher Mr. Ruttishauser. He had the same passion for history and always went the extra mile to be as in depth as possible in his history lessons, very rarely are there teachers/people so passionate about a subject they teach. So thanks for kinda being like another history teacher that teaches me something new every video and for being so passionate about history.👍

I’ve been watching this channel almost three years, and I’m convinced these videos are put out not only to educate people on our past, but also to prepare us for our not so distant future ;)

@Legiondude

3 жыл бұрын

Casting spritzer rounds sounds neat No idea if it'd be practical, but sounds neat on the face of it

@Legiondude

3 жыл бұрын

Spitzer*

Great video! Easily one of the best channels on KZread with outstanding production value!

Now this is more like the stuff I like to see from you guys. Great job, very informative and shooting the weapons was extra.

Great video Jon, I always look forward to watching the new videos!

Great video guys, as always, love the content!

Townsends: You need serious safety equipment Yellow Lab: Hm this water smells sweet, time to drink. Does this explain why yellow labs are so lovably dumb?

@squatchhammer7215

3 жыл бұрын

Most likely it's the quenching bucket for any of the iron working.

That looks like a ton of fun. I really love your content, its honestly the best stuff on KZread.

The camera shots of you guys firing the flintlock are the best I've seen. Felt like I was right there. I could see the mechanism in action. First time I've seen that - that close. Thanks. 👍👍👍👍👍

Great video guys. I really like that you show how to use your products and that they are not just for "decoration".

@BogeyTheBear

3 жыл бұрын

I have one of their powder horns. Certainly looks more distinctive than a cylindrical brass powder flask.

Great work like always!

I remember making lead soldiers as a kid. In retrospect, preteens melting and casting lead on the kitchen table was horrifying

@P_RO_

3 жыл бұрын

Much of what we did in our halcyon days was fraught with dangers, yet few came to serious harm from it; those who did suffer were simply seen as stupid or careless, and deserving of their fate. Compare to today where everyone expects someone else to do their thinking. I'd gladly go back to those times if I could take our advances in the medical field back with me- how about you?

@toddellner5283

3 жыл бұрын

@@P_RO_ We saw certain sorts of developmental disabilities plummet when we started getting rid of lead in paint and gasoline just for starters. Treating things that are demonstrable toxic public health hazards as the dangers they are instead of blaming the victim in order to maximize profits and deny responsibility is a good thing.

@P_RO_

3 жыл бұрын

@@toddellner5283 The main advancement in reduction of lead in human bodies was going to unleaded car fuels. There was never any large lead intake or hazard from paint save for children allowed to chew on it- they are quite susceptible to the effects of lead at tender ages. Some hazards are avoidable and easily handled well by the individual (like paint or lead casting), while others do need to be addressed on a wide-scale basis at corporate or higher levels (like gasoline). Many things are hazardous in life; there are as as many today as ever, only in different forms such as food additives, the chemicals fed to meats raised for marketing, and toxic or otherwise dangerous plastics which weren't around in the older times. Nothing but medicine is better, only different.

@brustdiesel

2 жыл бұрын

Aw ferchrissakes, you're gonna die from something; have some fun while you're at it...

@toddellner5283

2 жыл бұрын

@@brustdiesel Yeah, but nobody wants to do the thing with the ostrich feathers, waffle iron, trapeze, and girl with certain anatomical peculiarities. Not even if I leave out the trained walrus and liver-scented lubricant.

Excellent! Loving the content.

I really REALLY hope your channel goes for a LONG time ...I love it

So interesting! Thank you. I appreciate everything you do!!

This never was in my recommended so I almost missed it. Very glad someone mentioned it in today's live!

This was very fascinating. Thank you for the amazing quality of your content

Love these more in depth how too videos. I'd say it was a success!

Mr. Townsend, I had no idea that you are so talented/skilled! Terrific and very informative and interesting video. Thanks for bringing us along! ~Sharon

My father was a master mariner here in Far Northern Australia (among other things, including being a professional crocodile hunter for many years, in the Northern Territory and Far North Queensland, before it was outlawed). He had a massive collection of moulds, for all sorts of things, from bullets to lead fishing sinkers. Once every couple months, we would spend an afternoon melting lead and casting bullets and lead fishing sinkers (it was a very different time, even though it wasn't so long ago.. I can't imagine many modern parents letting their 8yr old pour molten lead for them. A sad loss). I have lots of fond memories of things like that.

My favorite history Channel and my favorite hobby. Couldn't click fast enough.

Casting the ammunition then firing the muskets sounds like a good stag night event.

@BogeyTheBear

3 жыл бұрын

Never mix lead with alcohol. Figuratively, of course.

@muhammadnursyahmi9440

3 жыл бұрын

@@BogeyTheBear well, guns and alcohol will never mix well together.

Definitely enjoying your content sir I found your channel while looking up recipes and had to subscribe. :)

That was some good shooting, and interesting history! Well done!

That sure takes me back to my beginning with Muzzleloading Rifles, I purchased a book and it was something like a Muzzleloader’s Bible ?? I loaned it out once and they forgot to return it. The Author wrote about Finding The Optimum Load for your rifle. He knew what he was talking about and it really worked for me a my family. He also encouraged the use of cross-sticks to obtain the steadiest rest and marksmanship shooting the move the grain and knowledge to off hand shooting. Sure did enjoy your video and ball casting. Fred.🙏🏻🙏🏻👍👍👏🏻👏🏻👋👋

Great video! As usual.

Can't wait for more cabin videos

I have absolutely no problem melting lead and casting ball in my backyard fire pit. An old lead ladle from a junk store, molds and a concave rock to catch the spillover is all you need.

This stuff is so cool, keep up the good work!

When I was a kid in the early 1960's you could buy kits that would let you cast your own toy soldiers from lead. Fun times for an 8 year old.

Pretty neat! Thanks for the video!

Ahah, nothing like casting ball over the fire with a traditional bag mold. Just another day in my 18th century life before a hunt. Excellent content as usual!

Thank you for this ... I am thinking the way things are going , we may need these skills again

Lead weights for fishing can also be made quite easily with molten lead. All you need is to make a cone shape out of a large leaf, with a tiny stick or skewer in the middle all the way through to make the hole for your fishing line, then just pour molten lead into the leaf mold up to the desired size. Then pull out the stick or skewer, take the weight out of the mold and you're set to fish! You'll need to replace the leaf for every weight made though, so be prepared with enough leaves beforehand. We used banana leaf since it was very easy to get.

You are very cool Mr Townsend! I love the reality check these bring me. My forge is so much larger, and I have both a hand crank and an electric air pump... I use the hand crank when out on a demo. And casting that way, man. I have a 10kg propain furnace, several #6 crucibles, and yeah... I want to eventually try my hand at this. 🍻

Forgot what video I was watching (in the background) and when the first shot rang out it broke the tranquility of the old music and scared me hahahha