Speaking of "Short Starters"

[Winter Hawk]

My comments are more directed towards riflemen behind stockade walls or from some form of cover, be it rock, tree, hill, or any combination mentioned.

Roger that, but if it came to close quarters combat just dumping some powder down and dropping the ball on top of it, maybe some type of wad to keep the ball on the powder could save the day.  And if it got too close it was time for the tomahawk!

What I remember from my reading over the years, inside a stockade or fort the riflemen were on the wall while the rest of the people (women, kids, wounded) were reloading guns and handing them up.  Just don't ask me for a reference, I'm just pulling this out of the dim recesses of my memory. 

~Kees~

[Spotted Bull]

I believe that there are several references to doing the whole "loading on the run" thing in the Journals of Lewis and Clark, as the men raced to both evade and overtake bears...

[Ohio Joe]

The fouling in the barrel should also aid the ball staying on top the charge - and granted it would depend on the circumstances you would find yourself in whether or not you'd have time to ram something down on top the ball regardless if rifled or smooth bore. I mentioned leafs as my mind pictured Kenton in an eastern woods setting.

I too have read accounts about hunting buffalo from the back of a galloping horse such as been mentioned... In the end, one does what one needs to do to get your food, or save your life from a wild animal, or keep your hair on your head...

I also agree with Kees,

 

And if it got too close it was time for the tomahawk!

One last thing I want to mention after reading Uncle Russ' post, which got me to thinking,,, I don't know if it would even be possible for a "todays" muzzleloading barrel to blow with a bare ball load if the bare ball rolled forward in the bore...  After-all, the undersized ball is not really obstructing the gasses from the powder charge as those gasses build (but at the same time) they should also be "being blown" past that undersized ball. Now with the old barrels our ancestors used - the way those barrels were made may very well present a questionable out come.

[Ohio Joe]

I sure wouldn't try it. Just me, unless my life was at stake

Sent from my SM-G935V using Tapatalk

I would not recommend trying it either. 

[AxelP]

Isn't it the patch that actually engages the rifling? The obturation of the ball does help seal the bore that is true. But I think the idea is for the patch to fill  and engage the rifling.

I know when paper patching a lead bullet in bpcr, the paper patch protects the bore from getting leaded due to the soft lead used and it also engages the rifling. actually the rifling cuts the paper off the bullet which makes sure the paper does not alter the flight of the bullet as it exits the barrel.

K

[AxelP]

practice... I am reminded of the famous marine saying “If you find yourself in a fair fight, you didn't plan properly."