How do ranged weapons work in re-enactment?

L

Luciano

New member
I viewed a few clips on re-enactment of the Civil War/American Revolution. Smoke/flame would actually emit from the firearm's muzzle. How exactly does this work? Do they simply use the flintlock system without a bullet? Also, where do they find these weapons?
 
They are loaded from paper cartridges that look very similar to the authentic ones minus the bullet so its only a charge of black powder. Reenactment regiments also take extra saftey precautions by not allowing ram rods to be withdrawn so that way even if someone accidentally tried to load a live cartridge there would be no way to ram it home. some also make it manditory to aim musket volleys over the opposing regiments head.

And as to where you can buy them they can be easilly bought at certain reenactments with blackpowder dealer tents or at cabelas and there are even some websites such as military heritage.com that allows online ordering. I will warn you though quality varies, and in my opinion its always better to buy from a dealer then from online. I'f your really interested theres a link below to a youtube channel that offers alot of great flintlock and blackpowder reviews and alot of information on the best companies. so go through his review and contact him if you have any questions.


http://www.youtube.com/user/murpheysmuskets#g/a
 
companies will build replica models for collectors and reenactors. As for the firing, they usually put blanks in so that the gun fires, but no bullet comes out. They might use paper or foil as a "bullet" that disintegrates when the gun is fired.
 
The only diff. between a weapon used at a reenactment & 1 used to kill during the period being recreated is that bullets aren't loaded into a replica weapon. Otherwise, black powder &, occasionally, paper are loaded into the weapon, in a manner consistent with the way a particular weapon was loaded, for real, back in the day.

You can get a replica from any number of online sources that deal in them.
You can, also, get them at gun shows from time to time, but generally gun shows deal in actual, rather than replicated, weapons.
 
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