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cl0ckw0rkf0xI got to do research for my WIP today :D Normally research annoys me, because it's such a bother having to actually know what you're talking about when you're writing. :P
But this was fun research. I was over at my old neighbor's house across from my dad's place - this is the one that made me a tomboy, teaching me all kinds of boyscout type stuff when I was little. And I know he knows guns, so I figured I'd pick his brain about flintlocks, and he says, "Would you like to fire one?"
Would I? Rhetorical question. So he pulls out his 16 guage flintlock pirate pistol and a can of black powder and we turned his garage into a firing range. Only using a reduced load, so it wouldn't go through the wall, and the kick was only a bit less than half of what a full charge would be, but I fire a chunk of wood and a lead ball into the back wall. Smelled the burnt powder, singed my armhairs. Got to load it, so I have a much clearer idea of how to load it and how long it takes and the sort of difficulties you can have, the pause between squeezing the trigger, the flash from the pan, then about two seconds before the gun actually fires, and the flash when it fires just envelops your hand. I don't think Maddie could have rammed the ball down herself, she wouldn't be strong enough - I'm glad I wrote it that Etienne loaded it for her.
It was awesome fun and a rush.
But this was fun research. I was over at my old neighbor's house across from my dad's place - this is the one that made me a tomboy, teaching me all kinds of boyscout type stuff when I was little. And I know he knows guns, so I figured I'd pick his brain about flintlocks, and he says, "Would you like to fire one?"
Would I? Rhetorical question. So he pulls out his 16 guage flintlock pirate pistol and a can of black powder and we turned his garage into a firing range. Only using a reduced load, so it wouldn't go through the wall, and the kick was only a bit less than half of what a full charge would be, but I fire a chunk of wood and a lead ball into the back wall. Smelled the burnt powder, singed my armhairs. Got to load it, so I have a much clearer idea of how to load it and how long it takes and the sort of difficulties you can have, the pause between squeezing the trigger, the flash from the pan, then about two seconds before the gun actually fires, and the flash when it fires just envelops your hand. I don't think Maddie could have rammed the ball down herself, she wouldn't be strong enough - I'm glad I wrote it that Etienne loaded it for her.
It was awesome fun and a rush.
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Date: 2009-06-14 05:53 am (UTC)