musket cleaning

[tigrou.666]

hi all

i'm searching information about the cleaning of musket during the civil war . Do they have some cleaning kit or do they use only the ramrod with water.
But the cleaning with an enfield is easy , but it's more difficult with the springfield 1861 without tool .

thank you very much

ludovic

[fahnenschmied]

Re: musket cleaning

There was no "cleaning kit" as we know it from modern times, but there were "appendages", such as the cone wrench/screwdriver combination, and the worm or wiper. Cleaning was normally done with tow, or the refuse left from making linen. The worm was much the same as your old French Tire-balle, it threads onto the end of the rammer, and yes, cleaning a U.S. musket without one is difficult. Most of the suppliers where you can get a musket will sell you one.

[Curt Schmidt]

Re: musket cleaning

Hallo!

Mon ami!

(This is where the SEARCH feature comes in... it can pull up previous discussions and answers.)

The previous "tradition" was a carryover from the era of the longrifle and "jaeger" rifle where the gun tools and patches were carried under the "butt trap" or "patchbox."
For military rifles, one of the earliest of such arrangements were the Pattern 1800 Baker rifles and the U.S. M1803 rifle- the M1903's "butt box" being for "the wiper, flint, and rag..."

In addition the U.S. M1841 and M1855 rifles were issued with a spare cone stored in a hole drilled into its implement box.
With the advent of the M1855 Rifle-musket, interchangeable tools were permitted to a degree not previously known. Two of the older traditional tools, the wiper and the ball screw, were simplified, and the screwdriver/cone wrench was made more versatile by adding a third screwdriver blade. Another new tool was the "tumbler and wire punch" changed in 1861 to the "tumbler and band spring punch" along with a "universal wiper" and a tompion. Soldiers taking their guns apart seems to have been cautiously frowned upon, so initially the "punch" tool was issued ot NCO's only, but with the 1861 Ordnance Manual that policy was amended for officers, non-commissioned officers and soldiers to be instructed and practiced on the manner of mounting and dismounting (strictly defining what should and should not be mounted/dismounted- all of which seems to have been accepted slowly...)

So, basically, in the U.S. system, each soldier should have a screwdriver/ cone wrench combo tool and a wiper, each squad of ten a band-spring and tumbler punch, and a spring vise (carried by the NCO).

And the "implement pouch" for the "Springfield" was intended for the "implements" which did not stop men for carrying them elsewhere... ;-)

From Rules for the Management and Cleaning of the Rifle Musket, Model 1861, for the Use of Soldiers (applies to the Springfield Models 1855, 1861, and 1863, and more generally to the Enfield Models 1853 and 1858), under "Rules for Cleaning":

It is not essential for the musket to be dismounted {disassembled} every time that it is cleaned; for, after firing it in fine weather, or when there has been no chance for the wet to get between the barrel and the stock, it can be perfectly cleaned in the following manner.

Put a piece of rag or soft leather on the top of the cone, and let the hammer down upon it; pour a gill of water into the muzzle carefully, so that it does not run down the outside; put a plug of wood into the muzzle, and shake the gun up and down, changing the water repeatedly until it comes out clear. When clear, withdraw the leather, and stand the musket on the muzzle for a few moments; then wipe out the barrel (as given in the second rule for cleaning {see below}), and also wipe the exterior of the lock and the outside of the barrel around the cone and cone-seat first with a damp rag, and then with a dry one, and lastly with a rag that has been slightly oiled. In this way, all the dirt due to the firing may be removed without taking out a screw.

2nd. Screw the wiper on to the end of the ramrod, and put a piece of dry cloth, or tow, round it, sufficient to keep it from chafing the grooves of the barrel; wipe the barrel quite dry, changing or drying the cloth two or three times.

3d. Put no oil into the vent, as it will clog the passage, and cause the first primer to miss fire; but, with a slightly oiled rag on the wiper, rub the bore of the barrel,... and immediately insert the tompion into the muzzle."

Curt
Who will be in France Saturday Mess

[robert-m]

Re: musket cleaning

hi all

i'm searching information about the cleaning of musket during the civil war . Do they have some cleaning kit or do they use only the ramrod with water.
But the cleaning with an enfield is easy , but it's more difficult with the springfield 1861 without tool .

thank you very much

ludovic

Hello dear,
The cleaning of an Enfield is by most done improperly. I my self have done it," Put a patch in the eyelet of the ram rod and get to cleaning." That was before I did some research on the very topic at hand. The Enfield was issued with a privates tool as well as some Sergeant tools. The original issued ram rods were a single peace of metal, those of today are a two peace from most manufacturers. The eyelet on the ram rod of an Enfield is not to receive a swab or cleaning patch. I for the cleaning tool that was issued with the Firearms. The tool of the private was shaped like a Y consisted of a cone tool at on end of it, up the shaft is a little oil well that has a leather washer on it, a flat head screw driver/ram rod puller and on the other side of the Y a threaded end that receives a worm. The Sergent's tool was in a T format the only difference really is that the Sgt tool has a main spring vice on it. But as most people hear this and they think it's a load of crap. Since the time I have perched my tool for the Enfield, I have had no problems with cleaning or a stuck ram rod in the tube, from putting a patch on the end in the eyelet. Hope this helps in some way.