I saw this story through a link on The Conservative Scalawag, and it is one that must be passed on: "The superintendent of a rural school district in Montana says he was showing students his black powder muzzleloader gun when he accidentally fired the weapon into a classroom wall during a history lesson.
Dwain Haggard, who used to be a Civil War re-enactor, was showing the gun to five students in Reed Point High School's American history class Friday when it fired." (Click here to read the rest of the story.)
There are only four easy-to-remember rules for basic firearm safety, (See Rules To Live By on the lower left sidebar.) and they apply to all firearms, from antiques, to the most modern. The teacher should have been familiar with the operation of a musket if he was a Civil War re-enactor. For those of you who are not familiar with muzzleloading firearms, below are excerpts from a Civil War era manual which explains how to check your musket to discover if the bore is empty or loaded. Every time your muzzleloader comes out of its case you should check it, just as you would check a modern firearm for an empty chamber.
"Inspection-ARMS.
One time and two motions.
227. (First motion.) Seize the piece with the left hand below and near the upper band, carry it with both hands opposite the middle of the body, the butt between the feet, the rammer to the rear, the barrel vertical, the muzzle about three inches from the body; carry the left hand reversed to the sabre bayonet, draw it from the scabbard and fix it on the barrel; grasp the piece with the left hand below and near the upper band, seize the rammer with the thumb and fore-finger of the right hand bent, the other fingers closed.
228. (Second motion.) Draw the rammer as has been explained in loading, and let it glide to the bottom of the bore, replace the piece with the left hand opposite the right shoulder, and retake the position of ordered arms....
[ From Loading: 5. Draw- RAMMER.
One time and three motions.
160. (First motion.) Half draw the rammer by extending, the right arm; steady it in this position with the left thumb; grasp the rammer near the muzzle with the right hand, the little finger uppermost, the nails to the front, the thumb extended along the rammer..
161. (Second motion.) Clear the rammer from the pipes by again extending the arm; the rammer in the prolongation of the pipes.
162 (Third motion.) Turn the rammer, the little end of the rammer passing near the left shoulder; place the head of the rammer on the ball, the back of the hand to the front.]
Spring-RAMMERS.
234. Put the rammer in the barrel as has been explained above, and immediately retake the position of ordered arms.
235. The instructor, for the purpose stated, can take the rammer by the small end, and spring it in the barrel, or cause each recruit to make it ring in the barrel.
236. Each recruit, after the instructor passes him, will return rammer and resume the position of ordered arms." *
*Hardee's Rifle and Light Infantry Tactics (1855)
I frequently encounter old iron in my ramblings in the countryside; most of it is less interesting than this rusty McCormick Deering tractor.
The history behind old machinery in fencerows is usually a mystery, and much of it was used up and worn out before it was parked to oxidize away. I do enjoy walking around finds like this one, and imagining the history of the farm it worked on.
Around on the backside, you can see that the top cover is off of the differential, so we can surmise that the rear end went out on the old girl. And what's that over on the left?...
The old tractor had a bad seal on this axle. It's a pretty good bet that the grease in the rear end ran low, and bearings went out. The tractor was probably outdated when that happened, so it wasn't worth fixing or trading in on another tractor. If you want a real challenge, send me an e-mail and I will check with the landowner for you to see it it might be for sale.
