The brand-new blunderbuss is ready for its first test firing to give champion trick shooter Tom Knapp the thrill of firing a really BIG shotgun! Red Jacket bought the kit, and Will got some much needed therapy hand-finishing the stock and assembling the gun.
Around the gun you can see the pre-measured shot loads, powder bag and ramrod.
Image Credit: DCL
Will takes care of loading the blunderbuss with black powder (as much as 200 grains per shot!), load and wadding, always being careful to use the right amount of ramrod pressure to seat the charge.
During the shoot, Will and Tom experimented with different loads and targets — half the fun of an afternoon with a classic scatter gun.
Image Credit: DCL
True to the 18th-century originals, this beauty is a genuine flintlock with a brand new flint that will create the spark to light the charge in the pan.
Image Credit: DCL
Trick shooter Tom Knapp gets ready to fire a load with the new blunderbuss. The gun's short stock allows for more hand control and a reduced shoulder tuck that makes the recoil a lot easier to handle.
Image Credit: DCL
Later in the shoot, the Red Jacket guys use an old-fashioned method of hearing protection. They did start out with full headsets, but as the day wore on they were a drag to wear with such a slow loader.
Image Credit: DCL
The camera catches Tom just after he's pulled the trigger but before the shot has reached the clays. Each full load spread out to at least the size of the board and typically took out over half of the "pigeons." Notice how Tom has expertly let the barrel rise after firing to avoid absorbing too much of the recoil.
Image Credit: DCL
A warmly clad Stephanie has fun with a little blunderbuss role-playing.
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Kris and Joe reveal the final target setup — genuine clay pigeons — that will be largely destroyed by a single blunderbuss blast. By this point, the boys had a good idea of the loads they could use and everyone voted for BIG ONES!
Image Credit: DCL
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