So recently I was ruminating on what to do next for projects. A little of this and that, or concentrate on something big? Life has a way of giving you the easy out sometimes. I went to visit family and friends and accepted several painting commissions! So now I'm up to my ears in 15mm Russian Napoleonics. Lots of Old Glory and some older MiniFigs. Now I just have to figure out what Cossack artillery looked like. ;-)
This weekend one of my reenactment groups got together for our "Spring Muster." As always we took the opportunity between drill and working on items to do some live firing. So I got out my .62 calibre Fusil de Chasse. Firing at cut-outs and others I was nine for 10 with the tenth still grazing the shoulder of the British Grenadier target. All were at 25 yards so point blank but we were firing at a 6" diameter aiming point. My only long range shot hit a mounted officer just above the knees at 100 yards. Pretty easy when no one is on the other side actively trying to kill you.
So I have a plan for painting, can recharge my "fun money" account with the revenue, and can continue to chip away at the hordes of things for myself awaiting paint. Till next time.
I have an idea that smoothbore muskets by the mid-19th Century might not have been as inaccurate as has often been alleged. Given time to reload and aim, reasonable chances of a hit were possible at respectable ranges.
ReplyDeleteIn what follows I'm going by an imperfect memory, but I recall reading of a siege during the 'Musket Wars' of New Zealand (Maori vs Maori, this during the 1830s or 40s). The attackers were well armed with muskets; the defenders had precisely one. This single musket - smoothbore, mark you - was in the hands of one Wiremu Kingi - later famous on the Maori side in the First Taranaki Land war (Maori vs Pakeha - European, 1860-1).
Apparently, Wiremu Kingi did a fair bit of execution among the besiegers, picking them off (especially leaders) at quite long ranges. Eventually the attackers were sufficiently sickened to call of the siege and go home.