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Dangers of Touch Hole Picks

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Joined
Nov 11, 2011
Messages
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Location
Surry County, North Carolina
A word of caution to Flintlock shooters.
Your touch hole pick could possibly cause insurmountable injury without proper caution.
This is one mere example of the risks inherent with touch hole picks.
A man was at a public range just last week. Evidently he was on the line and had a misfire. Witnesses report that he seemed to wait a few moments and then reached into his pocket to use his touch hole pick.
That’s when it all happened.
While grabbing the sharp pick he pricked his finger and let out a blood-curdling scream of pain. Others on the firing line were not paying mind to the man and when he screamed out several shooters, already aiming and another preparing to fire were jolted by the very startling scream and several unintended shots rang out,.
The good news is that all the rounds went down range. Sort of.
The bad news is that one bullet struck the lamp post at the end of the 100 yard target line. That caused the light to short out and the electrical system evidently failed to shut down and there was a massive electrical burst that blew the transformer.
The range was equipped with an emergency alert system which sent an alarm to the nearby County Fire Department who responded immediately. What’s more, the explosion alerted nearby residents who notified LE of a possible bombing. County and City SWAT responded within minutes as general mayhem erupted at the range. Shooters, observers and guests ran in every direction looking for a safe place to hide. That’s when the Fire Department arrived and the SWAT team, accompanied by State and local police.
The area was surrounded and orders were made by megaphone for all persons to drop their weapons. Several very affluent members refused to drop their highly priced guns and, well you can imagine what happened.
One man approached the officers in a panic with a bloody finger. Paramedics responded immediately and wrapped his finger with bandages and rushed him off to the hospital.
All other parties at the range were placed under protective custody and not allowed to leave until all their guns were removed, identification checked and information taken.
By 8:00PM the scene was cleared and everyone was permitted to return home pending the investigation.
The man with the touch hole pick injury was treated and sent home a half hour after being treated at the hospital clinic.
Just a little example of the potential harm that can happen with an unsecured Touch Hole pick.
 
It’s the truth, too. Even if it didn’t happen.

I’m glad it turned out the way it did. I was prepared for reading of a touch-hole pick being blown out during a hangfire, with multiple penetrating injuries off to the shooter’s right. We can thank our lucky stars that the only casualty that poor Nancy’s finger!

Notchy Bob
 
A word of caution to Flintlock shooters.
Your touch hole pick could possibly cause insurmountable injury without proper caution.
This is one mere example of the risks inherent with touch hole picks.
A man was at a public range just last week. Evidently he was on the line and had a misfire. Witnesses report that he seemed to wait a few moments and then reached into his pocket to use his touch hole pick.
That’s when it all happened.
While grabbing the sharp pick he pricked his finger and let out a blood-curdling scream of pain. Others on the firing line were not paying mind to the man and when he screamed out several shooters, already aiming and another preparing to fire were jolted by the very startling scream and several unintended shots rang out,.
The good news is that all the rounds went down range. Sort of.
The bad news is that one bullet struck the lamp post at the end of the 100 yard target line. That caused the light to short out and the electrical system evidently failed to shut down and there was a massive electrical burst that blew the transformer.
The range was equipped with an emergency alert system which sent an alarm to the nearby County Fire Department who responded immediately. What’s more, the explosion alerted nearby residents who notified LE of a possible bombing. County and City SWAT responded within minutes as general mayhem erupted at the range. Shooters, observers and guests ran in every direction looking for a safe place to hide. That’s when the Fire Department arrived and the SWAT team, accompanied by State and local police.
The area was surrounded and orders were made by megaphone for all persons to drop their weapons. Several very affluent members refused to drop their highly priced guns and, well you can imagine what happened.
One man approached the officers in a panic with a bloody finger. Paramedics responded immediately and wrapped his finger with bandages and rushed him off to the hospital.
All other parties at the range were placed under protective custody and not allowed to leave until all their guns were removed, identification checked and information taken.
By 8:00PM the scene was cleared and everyone was permitted to return home pending the investigation.
The man with the touch hole pick injury was treated and sent home a half hour after being treated at the hospital clinic.
Just a little example of the potential harm that can happen with an unsecured Touch Hole pick.
Wow! Who knew accessories could be so dangerous! Good tip, thanks. Sounds like a cartoon or comedy movie plot except it's REAL!
 
Had the dude ever had a needle prick of ant kind before? I’ve known many 5 yr olds that didn’t react that way to their vaccinations. Mama's baby apparently thought a snake had bitten him.
it is hard for me to fathom a man reacting to a pin prick that way. unfortunately i don't need to imagine it. i see it more and as American "men" are neutered.
if i don't see my own blood about once a day, i am in bed sick! my wife looks at me staggering by and says "you're leaking again":D
 
Which means it can’t be sold in California.
Those people out there seem to be particularly vulnerable to all kinds of injuries from all kinds of objects and substances.
no lie there! i have a small bottle of O2 , you know, the back pack size, that has that califorinia warning label on it!
 
I laugh because nobody was hurt, but it seems like the range is fault for having any kind of electrical system down there (and putting it downrange in the first place) that couldn't handle a fault from getting hit with a bullet. AFCI / GFCI should have protected it if it was installed properly.

I hope they don't ban the guy for muzzleloading when it was other people's jumpy figures that really caused the problem.
 
A word of caution to Flintlock shooters.
Your touch hole pick could possibly cause insurmountable injury without proper caution.
This is one mere example of the risks inherent with touch hole picks.
A man was at a public range just last week. Evidently he was on the line and had a misfire. Witnesses report that he seemed to wait a few moments and then reached into his pocket to use his touch hole pick.
That’s when it all happened.
While grabbing the sharp pick he pricked his finger and let out a blood-curdling scream of pain. Others on the firing line were not paying mind to the man and when he screamed out several shooters, already aiming and another preparing to fire were jolted by the very startling scream and several unintended shots rang out,.
The good news is that all the rounds went down range. Sort of.
The bad news is that one bullet struck the lamp post at the end of the 100 yard target line. That caused the light to short out and the electrical system evidently failed to shut down and there was a massive electrical burst that blew the transformer.
The range was equipped with an emergency alert system which sent an alarm to the nearby County Fire Department who responded immediately. What’s more, the explosion alerted nearby residents who notified LE of a possible bombing. County and City SWAT responded within minutes as general mayhem erupted at the range. Shooters, observers and guests ran in every direction looking for a safe place to hide. That’s when the Fire Department arrived and the SWAT team, accompanied by State and local police.
The area was surrounded and orders were made by megaphone for all persons to drop their weapons. Several very affluent members refused to drop their highly priced guns and, well you can imagine what happened.
One man approached the officers in a panic with a bloody finger. Paramedics responded immediately and wrapped his finger with bandages and rushed him off to the hospital.
All other parties at the range were placed under protective custody and not allowed to leave until all their guns were removed, identification checked and information taken.
By 8:00PM the scene was cleared and everyone was permitted to return home pending the investigation.
The man with the touch hole pick injury was treated and sent home a half hour after being treated at the hospital clinic.
Just a little example of the potential harm that can happen with an unsecured Touch Hole pick.
My vent picks are straightened out large paper clips with a very slight bend on the end so I can scrape the breech plug face if needed.
Have not found anything else that works as well.
 
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