Turnip slingers

[major bill]

He is a quote about eh 69 caliber flint locks converted to percussion.

"Our muskets are 69 calibre 'turnip slingers,' we call them, altered from flint lock to percussion. (They) use paper cartridges (pronounced cat'ridge) shoot a round ball and three buck shot. When discharged (they)nearly knock a man down, mine is not as bad as some. If we could hit a barn at 100 yards it would happen so. It requires no skill. The original flint locks would be better as we could pull the trigger and dodge before the explosion would take place.'

My question is, did men really dodge after pulling the trigger and before the explosion would take place? It would seem like this would effect the accuracy, well what ever accuracy a smooth bore flint lock had.

 

[Jobe Holiday]

It would seem as if the author was using a bit of "Literary License!"
J.

 

[mofederal]

I have read stories of men doing this in the Rev. War, closing their eyes, trying to miss the explosion. Later on, I don't know. Are there any such descriptions from the Mexican War? Somewhere I read an account of .69's, the men calling them pumpkin slingers.

 

[Jobe Holiday]

Back in the 1950's I lived in a rural area and all 12 gauge shotgun shells with deer slugs were called "Punkin' Balls". Today, most of these colloquialisms are more of an affectation than anything else, such as muzzle loaders being called "Smoke Poles", "Bang Sticks", etc.
J.

 

[Craig L Barry]

And some less complimentary names than that...

 

[Story]

He is a quote about eh 69 caliber flint locks converted to percussion.
.

Source?

 

[Booner]

He is a quote about eh 69 caliber flint locks converted to percussion...... The original flint locks would be better as we could pull the trigger and dodge before the explosion would take place.'.........
My question is, did men really dodge after pulling the trigger and before the explosion would take place? It would seem like this would effect the accuracy, well what ever accuracy a smooth bore flint lock had.

I'm assuming your question is referring to a flintlock?

Yes, there can be a noticable time lag between the charge in the pan going off and the charge in the barrel going off. In a well tuned flintlock both charges going off can be instantaneous. What can slow the locktime is the sharpness of the flint, hardness of the frizzen, how much charge was in the pan and how well the lock was maintained, how dirty the lock is from previous firings, among other factors.
They don't call them flinch-locks for nothing. Imagine standing shoulder to shoulder with everyone shooting a flintlock. The bits of burnt powder flying out of the pan and red hot bits of flint and metal from the frizzen flying around with some landing on the side of your face and neck. It would be natural to pull the trigger and duck.

 

[yulzari]

I can't comment upon US practice but in the days of flintlocks in the British Army it was a punishable offence to suffer burns to the left side of the face upon firing. The drill was to lower the head to the stock to aim.

Some of the 'rude and licentious' learned that lifting the head up to receive a minor burn to the left of the face from your neighbour's firelock would get you off duty for a couple of days. Hence it was made an offence of self-injury. Bear in mind that your neighbours touch hole was about 18 inches from your head so it behoved you to keep your face over the stock looking down the barrel.

I can't say that my musket on a 120 grain loading with ball causes me any difficulty with recoil but then I am probably about half as heavy again as the weight of a skinny 1860s soldier. Used properly and not under stress of battle they will hit a man's head at 50 yards pretty well every time, the body most times at 100 yards and somewhere at 140 yards often. Flinching away from the pan ignition will lift the ball way over the enemy's head.

It is all about training and discipline which were sadly lacking on both sides. Under stress the trained soldier will revert to his training practice. The untrained one will panic and act irrationally, firing wildly, high and fumbling the loading task.