Black eye

[user 53860]

I attended a civil war reenactment last week in Iowa. I was paying attention to one of the main characters for the "other side" and couldn't believe what I saw.
During the skirmish he dropped the load capped it and fired, the cap just popped. So he thumped the gun on the ground and looked down the barrel then recapped and it fired. Why did he look,? WTH are you looking for a black eye? Happened All within 3 seconds.
Thankfully no embers. I've seen 5 sec hang fires before. It could have been an end to the educational part of this and a permanent eye patch.

Gotta think

 

[waarp8nt]

I wouldn't want to be around when he recieves the Darwin Award for removing removing hunself from society.

Edit = addition to original post; I have seen first hand what black powder burns look like on a person's face. An idiot cousin would not leave his dad's black powder alone until he removed an eyebrow, most of his bangs and had little black spots burned into his skin. Long story, but he was damn lucky not to be hurt worse or lose an eye.

Live round; I typically hold my misfires pointed down range for a 10 count, then lower to a low ready position with the muzzle pointed toward the ground in a safe direction. Before picking the vent or recapping the nipple as required. Would likely do the same thing if in a reenactment.

 

[deermanok]

Some people don't have a lick of sense.

 

[Celt5494]

I attended a civil war reenactment last week in Iowa. I was paying attention to one of the main characters for the "other side" and couldn't believe what I saw.
During the skirmish he dropped the load capped it and fired, the cap just popped. So he thumped the gun on the ground and looked down the barrel then recapped and it fired. Why did he look,? WTH are you looking for a black eye? Happened All within 3 seconds.
Thankfully no embers. I've seen 5 sec hang fires before. It could have been an end to the educational part of this and a permanent eye patch.

Gotta think

In the words of a very wise man, Mr. F. Gump: "Stupid is as stupid does"

 

[Urban Coyote]

Early 1980's, during a match a flintlock shooter experienced a misfire with his Thompson Center Hawken and immediately looks down the barrel, a fully loaded gun. Everyone who witnessed this jumped him immediately. This same fellow, at a later shoot, after being warned not to grab his ramrod at the top and push the load down in one felled swoop broke it running it through his hand.

I know from years of working with engineers and from feedback here they can be a little sensitive so forgive me when I tell you the chap I write of above was.......an engineer, sorry fellows.

 

[The Crisco Kid]

And probably had one or more college degrees! I know, I've worked with a few of them that were all book knowledge and no common sense.

 

[user 48679]

And probably had one or more college degrees! I know, I've worked with a few of them that were all book knowledge and no common sense.

Tain't no sense in arguing with stupid

 

[dave951]

Just because they're a reenactor doesn't mean they know diddly about muzzleloading. Most of them only know what they've been told or read somewhere or saw on Utoob. Some don't even think these are "real" guns.

 

[Rifleman1776]

And they walk among us.

 

[tenngun]

And they walk among us.

Worse, they drive, deep fry turkeys, and vote

 

[Johnny Tremain]

The Last Picture of Gandpa

 

[Bebop Cowboy]

Just because they're a reenactor doesn't mean they know diddly about muzzleloading. Most of them only know what they've been told or read somewhere or saw on Utoob. Some don't even think these are "real" guns.

I agree with Dave951. I once attended a Civil war enactment called Battle of Sugar Mill. They were looking for recruits. Told us you didn't have to know anything about muzzleloaders - we will teach you. Obviously this is the same case and the kid probably never handled a real gun before. Always 2 sides to a story. Not always obvious.
Be safe out there***

 

[SwanShot]

Just what do they expect to see?

 

[Horse]

Just what do they expect to see?

Stars

 

[user 48702]

The Last Picture of Gandpa
View attachment 171563

She's probably just waiting for him to say "Hello Toots".

 

[tenngun]

The Last Picture of Gandpa
View attachment 171563

Hunting with the Cheneys or Baldwins?

 

[oldwood]

Some folks have only a sketchy idea of gun safety, I was taught gun safety by an expert. My Dear old Dad. In 1925 , he was 19 years old. Three of his brothers , and some family friends , were conducting late December buck season deer drives. An ice storm had coated the woods with a slick coating ,and Dad was a teenager lacking good sense , he climbed up an icy slanting oak tree to get a better view , since he was taking his turn as a watcher . His rifle was a .30 Remington pump , with the standard Rem, pump, front of trigger guard, button safety. The safety was on pointing to the right in the safe "on" position. The mistake he made , was Dad hung the rifle on a stub of a broken limb up through the trigger guard , muzzle pointing away from him , to free his gun hand to get a better grip on the icy tree. Then , he began to slip out of the tree , the gun swiveled on the limb stub , camming the safety to the "fire" position , and the weight of the rifle fired the gun, The 150 gr. Rem. Core Loked slug passed through Dad.s abdomen , removing the top of the femur . (Good thing the bullet didn't damage the other important organs near there , I wouldn't later , have been created). At the state hospital in Philipsburg , Pa. , a WW-1 era battle field gun shot wound surgeon came up from Baltimore , Md. , on a train , and did repair work on the femur. Though Dad's . leg was an inch shorter , and corrected with a thick soled shoe , he lived 'til he was 92. We never missed a day's hunting because of his limping infirmary.. He taught me gun safety , and he learned it , the hard way. He was a tough old hide , and a good dad. I miss him so............oldwood

 

[Icemanxxxv]

Is that Dick Cheny's mom?

 

[Calum]

Goes against every reenactor unit's safety regs that I've seen. Hopefully one of his officers saw, and addressed the issue. But yeah, he's lucky...

Mike

 

[mushka]

I learned early on that all guns are always loaded, and to never point one at anything you didn't want to destroy. WWII vet knowledge. It's always worked for me.