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Jenour’s Brittle Shot Charges (1830)

Category: Experimental sporting ammunition
Difficulty: Simple in theory, fussy in practice
Shelf life: Questionable in damp weather
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Prep Time 1 hour
Cook Time 2 hours
Drying / Hardening Time 1 day
Total Time 1 day 3 hours
Servings: 12 charges
Course: Victorian Experiments
Cuisine: British
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 2 cups Bread flour Ordinary household flour, chosen for brittleness when dried.
  • 1 cup Water Added sparingly to form a very stiff paste.
  • 1 pound Lead shot Size to suit the gun; mixed carefully to avoid deforming pellets.
  • 1 tbsp Lard or grease Optional; improves handling and reduces adhesion.
  • 1 tsp Gum-water Optional finishing treatment to improve fit and slide.
  • 2 tbsp Bran or flour For dusting after drying; assists with snug barrel fit.
  • 1 pinch Common sense Historically absent; strongly recommended today.

Equipment

  • 1 Bore-sized metal tube or mould Used to form the charge; period examples could be improvised from scrap or old barrel sections.
  • 1 Hearth, oven, or warming hob Gentle, uneven heat preferred; scorching discouraged but not unheard of.
  • 1 Mixing bowl Any sturdy vessel suitable for stiff dough and questionable decisions.
  • 1 Wooden spatula or mixing stick Should not batter or deform the shot while mixing.
  • 1 Flat work surface Table, bench, or kitchen floor, depending on ambition and tolerance.
  • 1 Dry storage container Moisture is the enemy; success not guaranteed in British weather.
  • 1 Patience Required for drying time and explaining the process to onlookers.

Method
 

  1. Consult J. Jenour’s 1830 description and admire the confidence with which flour enters the discussion of shotgun safety.
  2. Prepare a stiff paste from flour and water, described by Jenour as suitable for binding shot but unsuitable for polite dining.
  3. Incorporate lead shot into the paste until evenly distributed, taking care, in Jenour’s words, not to batter the pellets or one’s expectations.
  4. Form the mixture into bore-sized cylinders using a simple tube, a process that blurs the line between ammunition manufacture and experimental baking.
  5. Dry the formed charges slowly with gentle heat until hard and brittle throughout, resisting the temptation to hurry or improve upon nineteenth-century patience.
  6. Optionally apply a light surface treatment of gum-water and dusting flour, intended to improve fit and handling rather than flavor.
  7. Reflect on the fact that the entire construction is designed to fail instantly and completely, which Jenour considered its greatest virtue.
  8. Store in a dry place and in the historical record, where it belongs.

Notes

Dietary Warning:
Absolutely not vegetarian.
Allergen Information:
Contains flour, history, and poor decisions.
Nutrition Disclaimer:
This entry is presented as a historical curiosity. No nutritional value should be inferred, calculated, or tested.
Consumption Advisory:
Not edible, digestible, or advisable in any century.