Gary Van Kauwenbergh, 101
12-21-2014, 08:31 AM
A translated copy of the Austrian manual for the Model 1854 Lorenz is now available online at http://acwsa.org/Documents/LorenzManualTranslation.pdf (http://acwsa.org/Documents/LorenzManualTranslation.pdf) . Hundreds of thousands of these muskets were imported by both the Union and Confederacy, but documentation on them in English is scarce, and I’ve never seen a copy of this manual translated. Some highlights are:
• The table on page 45 is useful to all musket shooters, not just Lorenz owners. It lists common problems, the probable cause(s), and what needs to be done to fix them.
• All measurements have been converted, but the original measurements appear alongside of them in case you want to do your own conversion.
• The original page numbers have retained to ease referencing back to the original document, which is available from S & S Firearms (www.ssfirearms.com (http://www.ssfirearms.com/)).
Other Interesting items:
1. The M1854 was designed to use a paper-patched Wilkinson bullet.
2. The rifled musket used Josef Lorenz’s version of progressive rifling from the rear sight to the breech. Do a find on the word ‘Fall’ for more detail.
3. The cleaning kit is described in detail. In an era before disposable patches, pipe cleaners, Q-tips, petroleum lubricants and bore lights, they used a set of reusable cloths, feathers, olive oil and tallow, and a mirrored disc.
4. While the preferred method of unloading a rifled musket was to fire it, the concept of ‘Guard ammunition’ is covered for use in areas where discharging the gun could create a problem.
Merry Christmas!
• The table on page 45 is useful to all musket shooters, not just Lorenz owners. It lists common problems, the probable cause(s), and what needs to be done to fix them.
• All measurements have been converted, but the original measurements appear alongside of them in case you want to do your own conversion.
• The original page numbers have retained to ease referencing back to the original document, which is available from S & S Firearms (www.ssfirearms.com (http://www.ssfirearms.com/)).
Other Interesting items:
1. The M1854 was designed to use a paper-patched Wilkinson bullet.
2. The rifled musket used Josef Lorenz’s version of progressive rifling from the rear sight to the breech. Do a find on the word ‘Fall’ for more detail.
3. The cleaning kit is described in detail. In an era before disposable patches, pipe cleaners, Q-tips, petroleum lubricants and bore lights, they used a set of reusable cloths, feathers, olive oil and tallow, and a mirrored disc.
4. While the preferred method of unloading a rifled musket was to fire it, the concept of ‘Guard ammunition’ is covered for use in areas where discharging the gun could create a problem.
Merry Christmas!