Soldiers draw ramrods at 40 Rounds Events.

[Silas]

At the overwhelming majority of events, ramrods remain firmly in place. They are used only during inspection. At 40 Rounds Events, ramrods are used during battles. This creates some obvious safety issues.

Most people think they know how to draw a rammer, turn it, ram cartridge and return rammer. Or at least can figure it out on the fly. Funny thing is, most people don't follow the safest and most efficient method of loading which is found in Hardee's Revised Tactics. (Hint : your right forearm should not be perpendicular with the ramrod, nor should you be turning your wrist when flipping the ramrod.)

Attached to this post is my booklet on Loading, Firing and Cleaning the rifle musket from Hardee's Revised Tactics. This booklet is a cross section from the various schools about everything you'd want to know about firing the weapon. Instruction starts at the school of the soldier and goes through the school of the company, instruction for skirmishers and school of the battalion. Firing methods include kneeling, lying and at the run. Foot diagrams include direct firings, oblique firings, and loading while standing. Because officers need instruction, too, firing commands go from the subaltern through the brigadier.

Weapons need some attention, too, so I included text from an 1862 ordnance manual about maintaining the weapon.

This booklet is all about weapon safety and weapon cleaning. Take a gander at it. Your friends, the enemy, across the field will be glad you did.

2ColHardeeRevisedLoadingFiringCleaning.pdf

[Tyler Underwood]

Re: Soldiers draw ramrods at 40 Rounds Events.

Thanks for posting this Silas.
I urge everyone to heed this advice. Inspections will be done and if your weapon does not pass, you do not take the field until it is clean and serviceable.
If you cannot demonstrate proper loading, well...i guess you had better get to practicing.

[Ambrose Bierce]

Re: Soldiers draw ramrods at 40 Rounds Events.

Time to get ready. Plenty of good resources out there and no excuses for not being prepared.

[Olafson]

Re: Soldiers draw ramrods at 40 Rounds Events.

At the overwhelming majority of events, ramrods remain firmly in place. They are used only during inspection. At 40 Rounds Events, ramrods are used during battles. This creates some obvious safety issues.

Most people think they know how to draw a rammer, turn it, ram cartridge and return rammer. Or at least can figure it out on the fly. Funny thing is, most people don't follow the safest and most efficient method of loading which is found in Hardee's Revised Tactics. (Hint : your right forearm should not be perpendicular with the ramrod, nor should you be turning your wrist when flipping the ramrod.)

Attached to this post is my booklet on Loading, Firing and Cleaning the rifle musket from Hardee's Revised Tactics. This booklet is a cross section from the various schools about everything you'd want to know about firing the weapon. Instruction starts at the school of the soldier and goes through the school of the company, instruction for skirmishers and school of the battalion. Firing methods include kneeling, lying and at the run. Foot diagrams include direct firings, oblique firings, and loading while standing. Because officers need instruction, too, firing commands go from the subaltern through the brigadier.

Weapons need some attention, too, so I included text from an 1862 ordnance manual about maintaining the weapon.

This booklet is all about weapon safety and weapon cleaning. Take a gander at it. Your friends, the enemy, across the field will be glad you did.

[ATTACH]52178[/ATTACH]

We have been drawing rammers and ramming cartridges in Napoleonic reenactment for years now, and we also do it in Civil War reenactment if the guns allow it (our unit has a lot of original rifles), we have never encountered any problem. We generally try to get the loading drill correct for everyone, and new members will not be allowed to shoot when in "battle". Usually we drill together with everyone and then new members get extra drill, including individual loading and firing drill. Before they are allowed to shoot in battle, they will have to attend at least 2-3 events, depending on how well they do during the individual loading and firing drill.

[thomas aagaard]

Re: Soldiers draw ramrods at 40 Rounds Events.

Great work as usual.

I have long argued that using ramrods is a matter of training.

For the two years I was the 1st sergeant in a group, I ordered the use of ramrods and often fixed bayonets when we drilled.. This have helped improve the weapon handling of our members.
With the bayonet fixed people are more aware of what they are doing. They stop treating their musket as a toy or prop and start to respect it as something that can cause harm if not respected.
(very few of our members have ever fired their muskets with live ammo)


A good number of my friend do viking age combat. They wear historical clothing and other things have similarities to reenactment, but the fighting is a sport with rules and you can win.

To fight competitive with blunt steel weapons in a safe manner they train two times a week.
To take part in the biggest event each summer, a new person have to have trained at least one time a week from September until July.. and most do their best to do it two times a week.

Imagine if acw reenactores spend 1½ hour each week doing drill with their 10-15 friends... under an instructor who knows his stuff.

[Pritchett Ball]

Re: Soldiers draw ramrods at 40 Rounds Events.

Not going to Wauhatchie, but THIS brings up a question directly from what the "manual" says...

"The instructor will then inspect in succession the piece of each recruit, in passing along the front of the rank. Each, as the instructor reaches him, will raise smartly his piece with his right hand, seize it with the left between the lower band and guide-sight, the lock to the front, the left hand at the height of the chin, the piece opposite to the left eye ; the instructor will take it with the right hand at the handle, and, after inspecting it, will return it to the recruit, who will receive it back with the right hand, and replace it in the position of ordered arms."

OK, WHERE does the soldier take back (hand placement) his musket/rifle with his right hand? It's not specified, that I can see.

[LibertyHallVols]

Re: Soldiers draw ramrods at 40 Rounds Events.

The point is to take the piece as it is handed to you and proceed directly to Order - ARMS without handling it in any other fashion (passing it from one hand to another, using your left to steady the piece, etc).

Give with the left.
Take with the right... Ideally, grasp the piece at the same location where your right hand rests at Order - ARMS.

[CompanyWag]

Re: Soldiers draw ramrods at 40 Rounds Events.

I've always taken it to mean to receive it back with the right hand at the same place where he earlier raised "smartly his piece with his right hand", thus being able to return it to ordered arms in one motion.

[Nibs]

Re: Soldiers draw ramrods at 40 Rounds Events.

Great work as usual.
...
A good number of my friend do viking age combat. They wear historical clothing and other things have similarities to reenactment, but the fighting is a sport with rules and you can win.

To fight competitive with blunt steel weapons in a safe manner they train two times a week.
To take part in the biggest event each summer, a new person have to have trained at least one time a week from September until July.. and most do their best to do it two times a week.

Imagine if acw reenactores spend 1½ hour each week doing drill with their 10-15 friends... under an instructor who knows his stuff.

As you know Thomas, I was a member of that group and we also had to qualify for each weapon before being allowed to use it at an event. Training was progressive, but if you weren't safe enough, you soon knew about it!

As someone new to ACW, but with a background in Napoleonic reenactment, I was quite taken aback by the idea that units/events don't use ramrods. If you are not safe to use one, you shouldn't be on the field, in my opinion.