Inspection arms!

[ltcolshea]

Hello all
Over the last few decades of CW reenacting, I have seen many inconsistancies. The most grievious is that of inspecting participants weapons prior to going into battle. I agree that all weapons should be safe when going out on the field to point and discharge them at one another. That being said I was wondering why so many inspecting officers and NCOs feel the need to beat the ever loving crap out out if some poor shleps 6 to $700 dollar investment? If you ask most gunsmiths they will tell you that the trigger should be able to support its own weight by the trigger at half cock. The same can be said for the hammer. Why do guys feel the need to hit the hammer and pull on the trigger until the dagone thing breaks. I know what you are thinking. If it breaks then it was a bad part. These things can happen with new weapons. You guys can call and ask the fine gunsmiths at lodgewood for recomended safe inspection practices. Thoughts.

[28thNY]

My procedure, when inspecting arms is to check half cock (pull trigger), pull back to and check full cock, then release (gently) back to half cock and check again (pull trigger). I then check the imprint in the underside of the hammer for an obvious "moon" imprint (see: the whole cap splitting thing)... I have seen some people who slam the **** out of the hammer and have broken tumblers in the process. Their really is no need for that sort of activity if the inspection is done properly. Just my opinions though.

[Remise]

You are, unfortunately, reminding me of the time we were doing a garrison weekend at Fort McHenry, and the NPS "black powder expert (sic)" not only tested the safety by pointing one guy's musket at someone else and pulling the trigger (!), she was also looking down the barrels of muskets. Of course, this was at the same location where, two years in a row, I heard the head ranger give a speech which mentioned "that great French patriot," Baron von Steuben.

Now, before we go off, ah, half-cocked, for the most part, I have the very highest regard for the NPS rangers I have interacted with, both at Fort McHenry, and at other places, including Gettysburg, Gaines Mill, Cold Harbor, etc., etc. I just thought I would share this little anecdote, as that pushes me about 180 seconds closer to the end of the week.

B.C. Milligan
Procrastinators' Mess

[flattop32355]

There's no need to pound the **** out of the hammer during inspection, any more than the need to pound the **** out of the butt on the ground to seat powder while loading. There's also no need to ring the ramrod like a bell off the breech; a nice "ping" is sufficient.
Pulling the trigger at half cock and applying pressure to the hammer at both full and half cock are adequate ways of testing. No need to overdo. But I have found problems with some firearms by doing the above that needed correcting before that weapon could take the field. That doesn't require excessive force.

[ltcolshea]

Thanks for the comments. I think that people need to get the word out on this. Again, in speaking with gunsmiths the weapon should support its own weight on the trigger and hammer. I know some guys wont like turning the musket barrel down, but as along as it is in a safe direction. We need to be consistant.