How do you shoot a pioneer rifle?

Answer 1

Pioneer firearms were black powder guns. For every shot fired the shooter had to pour a measured amount of gun powder down the barrel. They then had to place a greased piece of cloth called a patch with a lead ball into the barrel. The ball and patch were pushed down the barrel until they came to rest on top of the powder. Some guns used a flintlock system. This was a piece of flint on an arm that when the trigger was pulled it would rotate downward into a pan that help a small amount of powder and a piece of steel. The flint striking the steel caused a spark which ignited the powder in the pan which ignited the powder in the barrel through a small hole at the bottom of the barrel. More modern firearms of that time used a cap instead of the flintlock. A percussion cap sat on a nipple and when it was struck by the hammer it caused a spark igniting the powder in the barrel. The modern blackpowder rifles of today operate using a persussion cap but have come a long way in regards to safety and accuracy.