Where can I purcahse the Lochaber axe

[CollinMacD]

I'd be surprised if that were an issue anywhere. Muzzle-loaders are not considered firearms under federal law, and I'm not aware of any state that considers them such. But obviously, there are a lot of different local laws to check when you're traveling. Perhaps a non-firing replica would be a safer bet if you did want to use one?

I am so happy living in Virginia as the gun laws are rather simple and easy to apply for ownership, just make sure your paperwork is in order. Several states have serious laws on blackpowder, muzzle loading weapons, to a point they must be registered as any other firearms and in many states the caliber size determines if the musket/rifle is legal. Many states purposely use a small caliber, and most musket/rifle muzzleloaders are .45 Cal or larger, so some states bann .40 or below and .50 and above, yet the Civil War Era three band Enfield and Springfield are .588 and .59 respectively, thus this musket would be banned from firing. There is a size that allows you to look at each state law with regard to blackpowder ownership.

[MacRob46]

Three and one half years ago a retired teacher in NJ was charged with illegal possession of a firearm, a flintlock pistol, when he and his adopted son were driving through an area where drug sales were going on. The boy was driving and had drug paraphernalia in his possession. The retired teacher had picked up the gun from a pawn shop and, I believe stored in the car's glove compartment. At the time NJ law did not distinguish between the antique muzzle loader and a modern firearm. After the incident there was a move to bring NJ's laws into line with Federal law in these particular cases. Whether that happened or not, I do not know. I believe the charge against the teacher was ultimately dropped.

Just be aware and check local laws when traveling.

[FossilHunter]

I am so happy living in Virginia as the gun laws are rather simple and easy to apply for ownership, just make sure your paperwork is in order. Several states have serious laws on blackpowder, muzzle loading weapons, to a point they must be registered as any other firearms and in many states the caliber size determines if the musket/rifle is legal. Many states purposely use a small caliber, and most musket/rifle muzzleloaders are .45 Cal or larger, so some states bann .40 or below and .50 and above, yet the Civil War Era three band Enfield and Springfield are .588 and .59 respectively, thus this musket would be banned from firing. There is a size that allows you to look at each state law with regard to blackpowder ownership.

Off topic but do you know what type of rifles/muskets were most commonly used by Jacobite forces in 1745?

[MacRob46]

The Jacobites used whatever they could obtain, of course. I do not know of a study that addresses that question but the results of my personal research indicates they had access to French and Spanish surplus muskets. After the Rebellion of 1719 Spanish muskets were more in evidence. After Prestonpans they became possessors of a number of British muskets, Long Land Pattern, i.e. Brown Besses. The problem they had more than firearms was powder and lead. That was always in short supply. There were many other types of firearms in use, and a lot of them were pulled out from hidden storage where they were placed after the failed Rebellion of 1719. One type of firearm not readily available were the Scottish National Long Guns which were never made in great numbers. They were also very expensive. There were gun makers in Scotland turning out long-barreled fowlers and I suspect they could be found in the ranks of the Jacobites as well.

[Allan Thomson]

Wasn't there some sort of statistic that more musket and bayonets were recovered from Jacobite forces post 45 than basket hilted broadswords?

Of course with a quartermaster more concerned with picking a poor battlefield than logistics it doesn't suprise that they didn't have enough powder and ball for them....

[MacRob46]

Wasn't there some sort of statistic that more musket and bayonets were recovered from Jacobite forces post 45 than basket hilted broadswords?

Of course with a quartermaster more concerned with picking a poor battlefield than logistics it doesn't suprise that they didn't have enough powder and ball for them....

I don't remember that particular statistic but I do believe that it would be true. Something on the order of 190 swords were retrieved from the battlefield and there just about had to be more muskets picked up.

Supplying anything to the Jacobite force was a problem. They had to rely on French ships to re-supply a lot of what they needed and those supplies did not always make it to shore with the British navy hanging around. Food was another issue, of course and there was little of that. It is remarkable they did all that they did with what little they had in the way of supply.

[ShaunMaxwell]

Wasn't there some sort of statistic that more musket and bayonets were recovered from Jacobite forces post 45 than basket hilted broadswords?

Of course with a quartermaster more concerned with picking a poor battlefield than logistics it doesn't suprise that they didn't have enough powder and ball for them....

See article here:

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.ind...044.html%3famp

SM

[Bruce Scott]

See article here:

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.ind...044.html%3famp

SM

Pittock's The Myth of the Jacobite Clans is a very interesting read.

https://edinburghuniversitypress.com...ite-clans.html

[MacRob46]

See article here:

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.ind...044.html%3famp

SM

Thanks Shaun...that certainly supports the other comments.

I do want to correct myself. I said I had not seen the statistic regarding the number of muskets in comparison to broadswords picked up after Culloden. Well, I went back to Fight For A Throne by Christoper Duffy and found it - 3,230 muskets versus 190 swords. The figure varies from what Pittock says. It appears one of them transposed some numbers and I suspect it was Duffy. Duffy addresses the reason, in his opinion, for the figure by pointing out that Highlanders usually fired one shot then discarded their long arms during the Highland Charge, but that they kept their swords, which were lighter and more easily carried away, not to mention treasured - and very expensive. So, I did see it, just forgot it.

I have ordered Murray Pittock's book. Looks like an interesting read and I want to see how he supports his opinions about the training and equipment of the Jacobite army. Fascinating subject.