Safety is of the utmost importance to the Western Independent Grays’ Staff and, with that in mind, weapons inspections will be an integral part of our safety program.  We want to insure that everyone has a safe and enjoyable experience at our events, and our musket inspections go a long way toward that goal. During the first battalion assembly, usually on the Saturday morning of an event, we will hold our weapons inspections.  In order to keep a fair, unbiased, and impartial inspection, the company commanders will inspect the company to their right.  The furthermost right company will inspect the furthermost left company.  If there are only two companies, the company commanders will trade companies. The inspecting officers will be accompanied by the 1st sergeant of the company being inspected.  Any soldier whose weapon does not conform to our safety standards will have his name recorded by accompanying First Sergeant.  The First Sergeant will be the one who gives the inspecting officer the soldier’s name – not the soldier himself.  This way, no company wags can get by with creating a name or using someone else’s.

The inspecting officer will personally examine every musket in the company for cleanliness, fouled bores and a properly functioning firing mechanism.  Bores should be clean enough that the rammer should make a metallic “pinging” sound when dropped to the bottom of the barrel and should be easily extracted by the inspecting officer.  The lock plate should be clean and the firing mechanism must also have a functioning half-cock, full-cock, and should operate smoothly. 

Immediately after completion of the inspection and conclusion of the assembly, the company 1st sergeants will be responsible for submitting the list of non-conforming weapons and their owners to the battalion Sergeant Major.  Thirty minutes later, the soldiers with non-conforming muskets will assemble with the battalion Sergeant Major for another thorough inspection of their pieces. 

During the thirty minutes between the end of the assembly and the Sergeant Major’s inspection, the men should either be working to correct the  non-conformity – be it mechanical or cleanliness.  Until the weapons are brought up to standards and inspected by the battalion Sergeant Major, their owners will NOT be allowed to participate in any battalion formations or activities.  Anyone who cannot or will not comply will be turned over to the battalion adjutant.

There will be no exceptions to this policy and it will be effective immediately at all Western Independent Grays’ events.  I expect all enlisted men to have a clean and fully functional musket upon arriving at our events.  This is critical to insure your safety and that of the men around you.

You are welcome to direct any comments or questions to me directly at ken.cornett@yahoo.com.

Sergeant Major

Western Independent Grays