"...watching Father load his muzzle loader gun. All the men had guns like these. They were a fixed piece; everything stemmed down the barrel from the muzzle. First a small wad of cotton wool, then the gunpowder about two teaspoonfuls' worth - and finally the lead pellets. You always had to remember you'd loaded; couldn't leave it too long without firing - a day at most.

To fire, a little copper cap ( a bit like a thimble) containing a small amount of gunpowder was fitted to a hollowed out groove above the trigger. When the trigger was pulled a hammer hit the cap. The flash ignited the gunpowder within the barrel. It was some flash sometimes!

When I grew up I had a cartridge gun..."

Johnnie MacInnes