It actually comes from the old days of musket guns, where a wad (strips of cloth) was packed down in the barrel to create a seal between the gunpowder and the bullet, increasing the internal pressure when the gunpowder fired, and thus speeding the bullet.
A musket is a muzzle-loaded, smoothbore firearm, fired from the shoulder. Muskets were designed for use by infantry.
A soldier armed with a musket had the designation "musketman" or "musketeer".
A musket is a muzzle-loaded, smoothbore firearm, fired from the shoulder. Muskets were designed for use by infantry.
A soldier armed with a musket had the designation "musketman" or "musketeer".
"I ran out of ammo, General Washington, so I shot my wad."
(When soldiers ran out of bullets, they would resort to "shooting their wad".)
(When soldiers ran out of bullets, they would resort to "shooting their wad".)
by Tiny Pteranodon June 29, 2013