Rifle Making in the Great Smoky Mountains (continued)

Shooting the Rifle

The charge of powder for these rifles deserves a word of mention. The formula one reads in the stories of old-time hunters was to put the round bullet in the palm of the hand and to pour out enough powder just to cover it. This was an extremely crude approximation and no good rifleman would ever rely upon such a primitive procedure. Ordinarily, the charge was arrived at by a method of trial and error.

One method was to spread a cloth sheet or several papers on the ground and then to mount the rifle in a horizontal position some 6 inches above the paper and parallel to it. Various charges of powder were tried until a charge was found which would leave only a few grains of unburned powder. Provided the bullet was always seated with the same pressure, this charge ordinarily was accurate within reasonable limits.

Another method was to set up a target the standard distance for the mountain rifles (60 steps or yards), and fire a series of test shots, varying carefully the amount of powder with each shot, until an amount was arrived at which would give the maximum accuracy. Then a powder charger was made, usually from a tip of a deer horn, with a slight lip on it, which, when leveled full, would hold the requisite amount of powder.

For very accurate shooting, however, the mountain men of the more modern times often took cartridge shells with bottle necks, especially those of approximately .32 calibre, since, by means of the constricted neck, they could get a somewhat more accurate measure of powder than could be had through the use of the wide-mouthed deer horn measure just described.

Usually rather fine powder, FFg, was preferred by the mountain men when it could be had for the smaller calibre rifles. For bear guns, FF was ordinarily used.

The sights on the mountain rifles were not adjustable and inasmuch as the rifles were ordinarily sighted for 60 yards, it was necessary to make some allowance in elevation for shots over and under this distance. In the target matches, which were very serious occasions, specially designed targets were used if the range was materially more or distinctively less than 60 yards. If the range was greater than 60 yards, obviously with a standard charge of powder the ball would drop somewhat at the point of impact. On the other hand, for distances materially under 60 yards, the ball would strike higher. In order to compensate for this the targets were made in the following manner: The distance was measured. If the range was over 60 yards, a diamond was cut in the paper about five-eighths of an inch on a side with the axis vertical. Beneath the diamond at the proper distance, a "V" shaped piece was cut, the point of the "V" being uppermost and in a true line with two points of the diamond above. The paper thus prepared was tacked over a piece of white, freshly planed board which had a blackened area corresponding approximately to the area covered by the diamond and the "V" shaped cut. If a board was moistened with saliva and some powder rubbed in it, a very satisfactory dull black smear could be made which showed up conspicuously against the white of the paper. In firing, the objective was to place the ball at the apex of the "V" shaped cut, and the rifle was sighted at the bottom of the diamond, the distance between the sighting point (the diamond) and the perspective hitting point (the "V") being determined from experience.

If, for example, at a range of 80 yards the ball dropped an inch below the striking point at 60 yards, then the aim point or diamond on the target would be an inch higher than the "V" shaped point where it was hoped the bullet would strike. For distances under 60 yards the target was reversed, the "V" being above the sighting diamond.

The rifle was loaded in the following manner: The barrel being clean, first a charge of powder was carefully taken from the powder horn and poured into the charger. It is to be noted parenthetically that horn is a peculiarly good substance in which to store powder. It does not sweat as does metal, nor swell as does damp wood. It is waterproof and therefore the horns of cattle were much sought for this purpose. Inasmuch as the powder horns should curve around the body and not away from it, it was necessary to select the proper (left) horn of the animal to get this curvature. The stopper of the powder horn was always of leather; wood or metal would obviously be unsuitable.

After the charge of powder was removed from the powder horn, the stopper was carefully replaced and then the charge was poured into the vertically held barrel of the rifle. The rifle was then tipped so that the tube side was down and given a few vigorous taps with the hand to force the powder into the tube and nipple. It should be remarked that during this operation the hammer is raised in order that there may be no impediment to the free passage of the powder up into the nipple. Then the hammer is lowered. Next the ball is introduced. First a piece of cloth or patch of the right thickness is placed across the muzzle of the gun. Sometimes this cloth is lightly greased with unsalted tallow. Often it is moistened with saliva immediately before using. The bullet and the cloth are pressed into the bore of the rifle. Then the free ends of the cloth are gathered up in one hand and severed carefully with a knife. This leaves the ball in the barrel enclosed in a perfectly fitting cloth patch which enters and follows the grooves or rifles. The ball is pushed down the barrel onto the powder with the ramrod, being sure that the barrel is vertical meanwhile so that the powder lies horizontally in the bottom until the ball is pressed firmly but not vigorously against the charge of powder.

One reads in some books that the bullet is seated by repeated heavy blows until the ramrod springs up from the ball some 4 or 5 inches. No intelligent rifleman would ever do this. If the ball is deformed by undue pressure of the ramrod it will not shoot true, of course. After the ball is in place the lock or hammer is raised and a cap inserted on a nipple, being first certain that a grain or two of powder can be seen at the tip of the nipple. It should be remembered here that the hole in the nipple should be only large enough to permit a grain of powder to come to the top. If the hole is larger, several things may happen. First, some of the powder may be lost during the loading operation. Second, when the cap explodes the enlarged hole of the nipple permits considerable back pressure of the powder and some of the force of the explosion is lost. And in the third place, if the hole in the nipple is too large and the spring actuating the hammer is weak, the hammer may be violently forced backwards with an explosion of burning powder from the nipple. On the other hand, if the hole in the nipple is too small, powder does not come to the tip of the nipple, and the piece misfires.

While it has been stated above that the majority of rifles made by the Great Smoky Mountains rifle makers and by rifle makers in general were sighted at 60 yards, these rifles were formidable up to 200 yards. The muzzle velocity of these rifles with ordinary charges of powder is said to have been from 1,000 to 1,200 feet a second. In expert hands, up to 100 yards they were remarkably accurate. And even today some of the mountain men, old in years, somewhat dimmed in sight, can make targets at 60 yards which would be creditable on any rifle range.

Notes

¹ The term "American" is objectionable as being too comprehensive. It obviously applies equally well to that vast stretch of continent between Canada and Tierra del Fuego. Possibly Colonial rifle or Frontier rifle would be preferable to an American rifle.

² There is a well-established tradition that a powder mill was in existence prior to 1834 at the mouth of Couches' Creek on the Oconalufty River, a location well within the present area of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The owner of this powder mill was named Couch, and he sold and battered his products to his neighbors, some of whom certainly were within the bounds of the park.

³ The barrels of the rifles made in the Great Smoky Mountains were of pure iron—no steel barrels were ever manufactured. Indeed, the primitive tools of the rifle maker were incapable of shaping steel.

⁴ Most of the rifle barrels made by the gunsmiths of the Great Smoky Mountains had seven rifles or grooves; some had five. With one exception, barrels with six rifles were never encountered.

Last Modified: Sat, Oct 20 2001 10:00:00 am PDT popular/13/ps13-5.htm