Still sick.

[clex_monkie89]

Yet back in class so I don't fail.

Today I have discovered;

• The origin of the phrase "shoot your wad."
• That most double-barrel shotguns have two triggers so that each barrel may be shot one at a time.
• That I have my Physical Evidence midterm on October 11th--a few hours before I hop a plane to WinCon.
• Why muskets are called muskets.
• If it isn't

Comments

[astrothsknot]

I know some of them, but not all of them. Care ato add a little more detail, esp on what kind of firearms were around in the 1300s - I thought pistols and rifles were invented around the 16thC. I thought only cannons were around before that.

[clex_monkie89]

I can totally type up my notes from class and post them (because guns are way cool). The earliest firearms were actually like somewhat smaller canons and required two people to use them (one to hold and aim and another to light the fuse).

[astrothsknot]

only if it's not too much bother. Your health and your education is more important

[clex_monkie89]

It's not too much of a bother. Repetition is good for the brain anyway, rereading them and typing them up will help me not to fail my midterm. :P

[certainthings]

And this really has nothing to do with anything but your post reminded me of it. There was some show many years ago some courtroom show, it may have been Matlock and there was someone being questioned and one of the things he said was along the lines of "Where is he going with that sawed-off shot gun." And okay, it so isn't funny just being typed like that but the delivery of it was so deadpan and almost sarcastic that uhm, apparently all these years later it still makes me giggle.

Huh uh.

So, where does "shoot your wad" come from?

[clex_monkie89]

Deadpan sarcasm FTW! I have no idea what you're talking about in regards to the show but I can hear the line in my head after you described it and it is very funny.

A wad is a small piece of leather used when loading a musket (a front--or muzzle--loading guns). The black powder is put in first and packed down. Next comes the leather--the wad--which is pushed in tight to make a better seal for the black powder so it may create a better explosion. After that comes the projectile--the bullet. Essentially when you shoot a musket you shoot your wad (and your projectile).

[tabaqui]

Awesome stuff. I wanna take whatever class *you* are taking.
:)

[clex_monkie89]

Your standard Physical Evidence class. My teacher rocks very hard though.

[clex_monkie89]

It's really amazing how incredibly different firearms were back then compared to what we have now, huh?

[lunardreamed]

So, why are muskets called muskets?

[lunardreamed]

And the differences between firearms.

[clex_monkie89]

The difference between what firearms? Muskets and modern firearms? Modern firearms are breech loading--they load at the back of the gun.

[lunardreamed]

Oh. You mentioned learning the diff between rifle and pistol, and semi and auto.

But I'll remember this one too.