Re: Reference Books and Maps.......
Posted: Thu Oct 30, 2014 3:17 pm
Like the old saying, "Any ship can be a minesweeper................once." 
Ha!
-ArchFluffy
Milsurp After Hours
A gun collector and shooter board since March 9, 2003 that prides itself on the international mix of its members and moderators.
https://milsurpafterhours.com/bb/
Reference Books and Maps.......
Page 2 of 2
Re: Reference Books and Maps.......
Posted: Sat Nov 01, 2014 9:32 am
Re: Reference Books and Maps.......
Posted: Mon Nov 10, 2014 4:45 am
Recently there has been a special offer at The Naval & Military Press where all books on the sheet were only £4.99 so I bought a few. This one is a facsimile reprint of an instruction manual from 1859 that I thought would be interesting.
It contains detailed instructions on "Directions for preserving and cleaning the Enfield Rifle Muskets (Pattern 1853)" and "Instructions for the use of Colt's Revolvers" among other things.
It also includes this Memorandum......."Rifles are at all times, when unloaded, to be used with cock down on the nipple, and sentries may be permitted to carry their arms when loaded in the same manner, in order to secure the cap in it's placce; but to abvoid accidents, they are to be carried on all other occasions at half cock after being loaded."
A note in the "Introductions to Musketry" stipulates that;
"The instructor will take care not to correct a man at the moment he is firing, which would produce no other effect than to distract his attention from the object he is aiming at; but will observe attentively the position of each man, and correct him after he has fired"
It also includes this Memorandum......."Rifles are at all times, when unloaded, to be used with cock down on the nipple, and sentries may be permitted to carry their arms when loaded in the same manner, in order to secure the cap in it's placce; but to abvoid accidents, they are to be carried on all other occasions at half cock after being loaded."
A note in the "Introductions to Musketry" stipulates that;
"The instructor will take care not to correct a man at the moment he is firing, which would produce no other effect than to distract his attention from the object he is aiming at; but will observe attentively the position of each man, and correct him after he has fired"
- White ensign.gif (2.37 KiB) Viewed 6381 times
Re: Reference Books and Maps.......
Posted: Mon Nov 10, 2014 6:29 pm
"The instructor will take care not to correct a man at the moment he is firing,
which would produce no other effect than to distract his attention from the object he is aiming at;
but will observe attentively the position of each man, and correct him after he has fired"
It is obvious that my Drill Sergeants in basic training did not read this book.....
I think they knew that combat is very loud and wanted us to get used to distractions.......
or they just liked yelling at us, not sure which.....
which would produce no other effect than to distract his attention from the object he is aiming at;
but will observe attentively the position of each man, and correct him after he has fired"
It is obvious that my Drill Sergeants in basic training did not read this book.....
I think they knew that combat is very loud and wanted us to get used to distractions.......
or they just liked yelling at us, not sure which.....
Re: Reference Books and Maps.......
Posted: Tue Nov 11, 2014 3:44 am
I suspect the latter Vern
I think you have to remember that these rifles were percussion cap Enfields and the time between shots allowed you to have a brew and a chat with your mate on the next firing point
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pattern_1853_Enfield
I think you have to remember that these rifles were percussion cap Enfields and the time between shots allowed you to have a brew and a chat with your mate on the next firing point
- Pattern1853Rifle.jpg (20.51 KiB) Viewed 6373 times