Black powder weapon rules
By Colin Armstrong Maître des cannons "Company of Ordinance"
Click below on the appropriate headings
The following rules are for your guidance
A note from Colin Armstrong (Dwarf)
The following procedures will outline the loading process for all black powder weapons and the misfire and safety procedures to be followed. These guidelines will be enforced for all groups using black powder weapons. I am not intending to teach anyone how to “suck eggs” but to ensure all gunners work to the same standard and safety procedures. I am sure you can all understand the logic in this. I realise that many of you have been gunners for a long time and might follow these procedures but I have to write them down to ensure you read them as part of the risk assessment process. All gunners will have to sign to say they have read these procedures and that they understand them before they may take to the field.
The Organisers of the event have agreed these procedures and reserve the right to ask any gunner not adhering to them to leave the field. If you think you can write these in a better clearer way, or have a real problem, enter a debate with me now, by E-mail. There will be no debate at the event. If you can write a risk assessment that improves safety, I will be delighted to add it in and credit your contribution.
All guns will be inspected for fitness for purpose. Guns that are badly pitted, rusted and in a poor state of maintenance will not be allowed to be used. Guns that have not been cleaned and are fouled so as to prevent inspecting will not be allowed to be used. Please note it is an offence to sell or loan any gun that does not have a valid proof mark (exceptions being guns over a certain size bore need not be proofed). If your gun is not proofed then only you can use it. This also means that if the gun is a cannon no crew can be employed only the owner can work the gun (Police Guidance currently being sought on this issue).
Loose loading of powder is the preferred method of loading cannon.
Cartridge loading is also acceptable provided;
1. All cartridges are made of paper
2. The cartridge is punctured by a non ferrous vent key prior to priming
3. The gun is mopped and wormed after each shot
4. The cartridge is not wrapped with masking tape
Tin Foil cartridges are not to be used as they constitute a serious hazard. Plastic bag charges are also not to be used as they constitute a contamination hazard.
All cannon will be wadded. Wadding is to be either;
Anyone found to be pulling up grass “roots and all” for wadding will be asked to leave the site as this is a dangerous practice. There have been instances where stones were loaded and fired because of this.
All cannon are to be mopped between shots, breech loaders breeches are to be mopped between shots. To be effective mops need to be a compression fit! A loose mop is almost no use at all.
All cannon crew will wear stout gloves appropriate to their roles. Powder burns are not minor and not worth the risk.
If a cannon fails to fire then the following procedure is to be followed;
A gun that fails to fire after 3 attempts is to be stood down. No gun is to be wormed to remove a charge during the battle. No water must be poured down the barrel of a loaded gun under any circumstances. Any Gun stood down due to misfire or other safety hazard will signal this condition to the marshals and other captains (Guns, archers and foot) with a red flag.
If a cannon fails to fire then the following procedure is to be followed;
If after 3 attempts the gun fails to fire then if the gun captain feels it is safe to do so the following procedure is to be followed to de-breech the gun;
Any Gun stood down due to misfire or other safety hazard will signal this condition to the marshals and other captains (Guns, archers and foot) with a red flag.
No breech pot is to be wormed to remove a charge during the battle. No water must be poured into a loaded breech pot under any circumstances.
All cannon crews are required to provide the following items of equipment for the field;
These have become quite popular recently and so I cover these separately.
All pole guns will be fired in a horizontal position, as this is the safest way. Placing the butt of the pole on the ground for discharging is not a safe practice and can lead to burn and blast injuries to the face and eyes.
Pole guns may be placed on Pavaise or Grand Pavaise for firing, as this is wholly appropriate. It may be that due to space constraints pole gunners are restricted to static positions.
Pole guns may be loose loaded or cartridge loaded. Cartridge conditions are the same as for cannon;
1. The bore of the weapon is more than 1.5”
2. All cartridges are made of paper
3. The cartridge is punctured by a non-ferrous vent key prior to priming.
4. The gun is mopped and wormed after each shot.
5. The cartridge is not wrapped with masking tape.
Tin Foil cartridges are not to be used, as they constitute a serious hazard. Plastic bag charges are also not to be used, as they constitute a contamination hazard.
All pole guns must be wadded if a cartridge is not used.
Pole guns with a bore of more than 1” or 25mm must be mopped out between shots.
All gun crews are required to provide the following items of equipment for the field;
Misfire procedure
If a pole gun fails to fire then the following procedure is to be followed;
A gun that fails to fire after 3 attempts is to be stood down. No gun is to be wormed to remove a charge during the battle. No water must be poured down the barrel of a loaded gun under any circumstances. Pole guns that are left in an undischarged state must be taken from the field to a safe place, as stated by the marshals before the battle
Pole gunners and caliniators must wear stout gloves appropriate to their roles. Powder burns are not minor and not worth the risk, so wear gloves.
Handguns / Muskets /arquebus etc.
This category of weapon is probably the most prone to accidents as a single person is handling powder and match whilst trying to keep an eye on what is happening around them.
Loading from a powder flask with measure or from pre-measured pots is acceptable.
Loading from cartridges is acceptable providing:
Hand gunners must at all times wear gloves.
Hand lighting of handguns is acceptable when appropriate to the gun being used i.e. hackbut, but not in serpentine equipped guns (the public do notice).
Wadding must be used in handguns
Wadding for handguns may be;
If a handgun fails to fire then the following procedure is to be followed;
A gun that fails to fire after 3 attempts is to be stood down. No gun is to be wormed to remove a charge during the battle. No water must be poured down the barrel of a loaded
gun under any circumstances. Handguns that are left in an undischarged state must be taken from the field to a safe place, as stated by the marshals before the battle
Safety Equipment
All hand gunners are required to provide the following items of equipment for the field;
Now some food for thought…
Safety considerations
This should be something that every gunner or gunners assistant should think about every time they use a weapon. Guns are dangerous things to use especially when loose powder and lit match are present. Therefore, a few basic things should always be considered.
Keep lit match away from yourself when carrying powder, but also keep it away from the clothing of the gunner next to you.
Keep an eye on the wind so you know what direction sparks will be travelling, yours and someone else's (I had a hat set on fire by a gunner next to me as the wind carried his sparks onto me).
Always wear stout gloves to protect your hands – they are vulnerable to any number of injuries, and you won’t enjoy the rest of the season if you have burns, cuts and blisters on them.
If possible, treat your clothing with a spray-on fire retardant (not authentic but useful) and ensure you only wear natural fibres – these burn/melt much less readily than nylon or plastic based fibres.
Is your firing position safe? Do you have clearance for the discharge of gasses or is some one too close? Are you too close to another gun or likely to get covered in its discharge or sparks? Is there a fire near by that might send sparks your way? Do you have water on you or know where the nearest water is? Do you have a firm footing or is the ground too steep or slippery for you to be stable during recoil? Can you see clearly all around you or could someone step in front of you with no warning?
Only carry lit match when you need to.
Wherever possible use pre-measured charges as in an accident, it’s just a single charge to ignite rather than a whole flask. Also consider this; if you are carrying pre-made charges in fireproof containers inside a linen cartridge bag, and the bag catches fire, all that will happen is that the bag will fall apart and the still intact charges will simply fall to the ground.
If In doubt play safe, it’s not worth your life!!
First
aid considerations
The most obvious injuries will be burns from powder flash, lacerations from exploding powder flasks or weapons, severe puncture wounds from shrapnel or rammers / worms, and limbs removed by force. All of these wounds are serious and get worse without the proper first aid treatment. There is little you can do differently from that which you were taught when you did your first aid course but there are particular considerations around black powder that most courses won’t include.
Burns
Burns can be minor and simply require flushing with cool water to remove the heat from the wound or they can be major. Any burn that results in the skin being broken must be considered a major injury. A major burn has a number of additional problems for the first aider; firstly there may be bleeding from the wound, and secondly and in some ways more importantly there will be particles of black powder in the wound. An open burn from a black powder weapon must be flushed to remove the heat as with any burn, but all traces of powder must be removed from the wound or blood poisoning is likely to occur. It is unlikely that a first aider will be able to do much in the field but they should make the ambulance crew or paramedics aware of the issue. Also sulphur dioxide, the main gas given off by the burning of black powder forms sulphuric acid on contact with water and this needs to be kept in mind – dilution with plenty of clean water is the best treatment.
Lacerations
These again may be minor and treated as all open wounds, or major. Lacerations must be cleaned and then covered with a dressing to prevent dirt and powder getting in. If after being flushed with clean water there is still excessive bleeding, pressure bandages, not a tourniquet, should be used where required to stem the flow of blood. Once again there may be particles of powder to be removed so make the paramedics / ambulance crew aware of the problem of powder in the wounds.
Puncture wounds
These wounds are severe in all their forms beyond a simple splinter that can be removed completely without excessive pain. If there is severe discomfort, the puncturing object is fragmented or dirty (with mud, powder etc), there is bleeding from the wound site or the wound penetrates beyond the skin, seek medical attention. Where the wound has the puncturing object in it, leave it in place, pack dressings around the object (outside the patients body) to stem the flow of blood. Inform the paramedics / ambulance crew of the issues of powder in the wound. If there is a fall in the patient’s level of consciousness (dizziness, drowsiness or fainting from concussion, shock or blood loss) keep them warm, and give nothing to eat or drink. Try to keep talking to the patient as keeping them awake until the ambulance crew arrive can save their lives.
Loss of a limb
This kind of wound is probably worse for the first aider than for the injured person as often the injured person has no feeling of pain for an hour after the injury. Elevate the wound as much as possible, use pressure bandages, and if you have a plastic bag, place it over the stump and secure it with an elastic band. Have another person look for the missing bits, and if found, try to keep them clean and cold. This injury may also include serious burns and is likely to be contaminated with powder particles. Make the paramedics / ambulance crew aware of the problem of powder in the wounds. Make sure you get a debrief and treated for shock afterwards, as you are also likely to be in distress.
Hopefully it will not be necessary to use any of your first aid skills over the weekend, but accidents do happen and it’s best to be prepared. Before the battle starts, check out who the first aider’s are in each gun crew near you.
By Colin Armstrong Maître des cannons "Company of Ordinance"
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