The Quest for a British Infantry Rifle, Part Two

Dear Readers

It has been many more months of waiting than I would have expected.

If all goes well, my Baker Rifle will be done and shipped in the next week or so.

I did not let the intervening time to pass in vain. First, I had to get all of the kit necessary to fire the Baker. Patches, round ball, flints, cleaning tools, etc. – all of these things were easy, ordered directly from Track of the Wolf. Second, I wanted 95th Rifles inspired leatherwork to carry all of this stuff.

I finished my research on the Rifles style leatherwork, but before I started making it I picked up a Pedersoli AN IX Dragoon pistol in .69 caliber. I found a picture of an artilleryman’s shoulder holster and decided to make my own version. I also added a Rifles style ball pouch and kit pouch to the shoulder holster harness in order to make it more self-contained. I picked up a repro Victorian Rifles belt (virtually the same as the Napoleonic version) and made two more pouches for it. I was going to use an enlisted man’s cartridge box for extra storage, but decided to make an officers’ cartouche bag instead (this is the style of bag that Sean Bean wears in the “Sharpe’s” series). It took about 2 ½ hours to hand sew the bag.

I finally received the bayonet, and made a hanger for it, but still need to get it sharpened. I think I am going to have a hatchet edge put on it instead of a knife edge. I figure I will be killing more blackberry vines than Bonapartists.

Artilleryman's shoulder holster & pistol

Cartouche bag, bayonet belt et al.

 ~Regards,

Col. de Valois