Close up of .75 calibre Brown Bess musket lock (firing sequence)

    In this series of 12 photos, taken about 1/30 of a second apart, you can see the short duration of the "Flash in the Pan" as the priming powder is burnt followed by the considerable vibration of the recoil as the main charge fires. The gun is a .75 calibre smoothbore flintlock musket known as a "Brown Bess", firing a 540 grain lead ball and it can generate a considerable 'kick' on firing. See also the view of the gun being fired.

0.00 sec

0.03 sec (the blurred motion of the hammer & flint striking the frizzen is very noticeable)

0.06 sec (note the sparks from the frizzen starting the ignition of the priming powder)

0.09 sec (the priming powder is properly alight)

0.12 sec (the "Flash in the Pan")

0.15 sec (no visible recoil at this time)

0.18 sec (recoil vibration just beginning)

0.21 sec (recoil well under way, notice that the strap eye is almost horizontal)

0.24 sec (most of the priming powder has burned off)

0.27 sec (main recoil now lifting the gun)

0.30 sec

0.33 sec (the ball is now at rest, having passed through the target and struck the backstop)

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December 2008