Probably the most popular interpretive talk here at Fort Clatsop is the musket demonstration. There is nothing like smoke and noise to attract people. Larry Cooper is a very experienced black powder guy, and he was doing this demonstration today. If you have ever heard the expression flash in the pan, this is what happened to Larry twice today. A flash in the pan occurs when the powder in the pan ignites but the charge in the barrel doesn't. This is fine when you are giving a demonstration, but what about when a rather large bear is approaching you with intentions of having a small snack in the afternoon? Larry says that when the US government was testing these weapons many years ago they found that the misfire rate was about 10%.
John - the data I was referring to was from the early 1800s when the army was testing the new technology - percussion caps - which significantly outperformed the flintlock, as you would imagine.
My friend Professor Morrey has just improved his misfire rate from around 40% not firing to about 1% not firing.
This was done purely by changing the powder he put in the pan to the finest and most expensive he could buy. It cost about £30 per lb. Roughly $60.
