blowing down barrel

[Loyalist Dave]

The concern is that a person may have a hangfire and think their gun went off. The shooter puts the muzzle in his mouth and instant lobotomy. Hangfires are real, they do happen and I have experienced them.

This prohibition is found at formal ranges. It isn't beyond reality that with a number of people firing black powder at once, and at a match with a lot of excitement, somebody might not be able to see the difference between his or her gun going off and make a mistake. The other reason is for a Range Safety Officer, having to monitor the actions of several shooters at once, they cannot be expected to know each and every shooter's status while reloading, so keeping the muzzle away from one's face is better for the RSO and avoid a lot of unnecessary "cease fire" calls.

Hanshi wrote: I do blow into the barrel by cupping my hand around the muzzle and blowing into my hand.

This has been my practice for many years, and it does improve the reliability of my rifles, after many years of live firing experience. Since my hands are going to be over the muzzle when loading the rifle or gun, it's no less safe for me to cup the ring and little finger of my left hand over the muzzle and blow into my hand from the index finger to provide the air.

Oh and one does not put the actual muzzle into one's mouth, even when not using a cupped hand.

Vomir le Chien wrote: ADDHOC question: What if a new comer see you blowing down the barrel but didn't know all the other steps to do/things to look for??? And/or how to do it in a safe manner!!!! I/We/You, could be indirectly responsible for a very bad day,for both them and us.

Well even if the practice isn't used, the new comer has many steps that they may not know...
...don't pour directly into the barrel from the powder container...
....use a powder measure meant for that gun or rifle....
...use the proper amount of powder for that gun or rifle...
...Don't use 4Fg in large bore guns main charge...
...don't prime the pan before loading as the military reenactors do when shooting blanks....
...Don't use smokeless powder....
....ensure the bullet is seated on the powder...

...any of which, can result in a very bad day for the new comer shooter. I am not responsible for the understanding of anyone that I am not training, so "indirect responsibility" is a term with contradictory words in this case. Either I am responsible for teaching the person, or I am not. Since I have no direct control over any other person that I am not training, I cannot be responsible in any way. I have no way of knowing the level of attention given to me by a bystander. The same as if the next door neighbor kid who has seen me drive off to work every morning, and takes his parents' car, in an unsafe manner and wrecks, I have no way of knowing what he's learning from watching me, nor do I have a responsibility that what he sees he understands.

LD

 

[Grenadier1758]

One more word of advise to add to your list, Dave.

That crescent butt plate is positioned on the upper arm at the shoulder, not on the shoulder.

 

[coloradoclyde]

It isn't beyond reality that with a number of people firing black powder at once, and at a match with a lot of excitement, somebody might not be able to see the difference between his or her gun going off and make a mistake.

Actually I would contend that it is beyond reality...unless someone can provide an actual case where it has happened...
Maybe steel ramrods should be prohibited also to prevent the possibility of lightning strikes during reloading. :haha:

 

[coloradoclyde]

Good rules to follow, especially when any kids may be watching..........we don't want to be teaching that it's a good idea to stick a gun barrel in your mouth!

Ah yes, The children.....The same children that we give toy guns to and teach to play "Cowboys and Indians" and "Cops and Robbers"...Funny we don't give our kids toy screwdrivers and side cutters and tech them to play Electrician. :hmm:

The same children, at age 16 we let operate the most dangerous machine ever invented and at age 18 we make sign up for war....
Ohhhhhh! the children... :youcrazy:

 

[Vaino]

Sorry if I "stepped on someone's toes" w/ the remark about "Southern Hillbillies". Wasn't meant to be derogatory at all. Just describing a genre of movies.

Whether one chooses to "blow down the bbl" is one's choice, but on this issue, I take the side of the bbl.....how would you like somebody w/ "bad breath" blowing down your hole?

Perhaps it's my fastidious habits, but I really don't want to get that "intimate" w/ my gun bbl's muzzle......Fred

 

[Black Jack]

You can give a snarky reply to demonstrate lack of seriousness toward gun safety if you like. Does not diminish the importance of proper gun handling.

 

[Rifleman1776]

southern hillbilly

:hmm: Now say sumptin about yankees.

Yes, hangfires can happen and I have seen it. Bottom line, if you are at an event that prohibits doing so, don't do it or don't go. In the woods where your brains are blowed out it won't matter, the critters will eat them. :shocked2:

 

[hawkeye2]

Loyalist Dave, excellent post!

:hatsoff: :hatsoff:

 

[Vaino]

Damn Yankees!....Fred

 

[coloradoclyde]

You can give a snarky reply to demonstrate lack of seriousness toward gun safety if you like. Does not diminish the importance of proper gun handling.

Snarky wasn't my objective...Think "satirical" :haha:

We do not disagree about the importance of safety.

 

[Scota4570]

My club requires swabbing between shots. If yours does not, you are lucky. They would probably kick a guy out of the club who put his mouth on a gun barrel, I won't test it.

IF you think you need to soften the fouling there is a better way. Put a loop type patch holder, on one end of your loading rod. Swab with a damp patch, then flip the rod to load. It takes no time at all. The damp patch can be used many times before ti gets really nasty.

 

[CG6018]

From the smell of it, I think the horse is dead, and further kicking will not make it any deader.

 

[Rick Boylan]

:dead: :dead: :dead: :dead: :dead: :dead: op: :stir:

 

[bubba.50]

:dead: :dead: :dead: :dead: :dead: :dead: op: :stir:

Hit him again! I seen his nose twitch .

 

[Snakebite]

From the smell of it, I think the horse is dead, and further kicking will not make it any deader.

AMEN to that Brother :snore:

 

[Loyalist Dave]

Sure, how many examples do you need? I figure I have at least 80 (two battles per year x 20 years)


No seriously...I have yet to attend a reenactment where at least one person fires a double load because they didn't realize they had a flash in the pan.

Now true, we don't blow down our barrels during battle reenactments and there's no real recoil with blanks, and IF you're shooting a musket live on a range, the recoil is pretty pronounced, but with a .40 or smaller, not so much. So it does happen regularly when firing blanks; it is therefore not farfetched it is a concern with a large group all firing black powder at the range. If I'm the only person shooting the BP at the range, regardless of the number of smokeless shooters, I can tell if my rifle went bang or not.


LD

 

[nhmoose]

:dead: :dead: :dead: :dead: :dead: :dead: op: :stir:

Yep check the stickies

 

[Pete G]

Sure, how many examples do you need? I figure I have at least 80 (two battles per year x 20 years)


No seriously...I have yet to attend a reenactment where at least one person fires a double load because they didn't realize they had a flash in the pan.

Now true, we don't blow down our barrels during battle reenactments and there's no real recoil with blanks, and IF you're shooting a musket live on a range, the recoil is pretty pronounced, but with a .40 or smaller, not so much. So it does happen regularly when firing blanks; it is therefore not farfetched it is a concern with a large group all firing black powder at the range. If I'm the only person shooting the BP at the range, regardless of the number of smokeless shooters, I can tell if my rifle went bang or not.


LD

There are multiple examples of battlefield pickups where there were numerous loads one atop another.
In a timed event full of noise and smoke it is apparently quite easy to go through the motions of loading and firing without realizing that the load did not fire. An individual firing at his own pace at a range probably not so much.

 

[coloradoclyde]

Sure, how many examples do you need? I figure I have at least 80 (two battles per year x 20 years)


No seriously...I have yet to attend a reenactment where at least one person fires a double load because they didn't realize they had a flash in the pan.

Now true, we don't blow down our barrels during battle reenactments and there's no real recoil with blanks, and IF you're shooting a musket live on a range, the recoil is pretty pronounced, but with a .40 or smaller, not so much. So it does happen regularly when firing blanks; it is therefore not farfetched it is a concern with a large group all firing black powder at the range. If I'm the only person shooting the BP at the range, regardless of the number of smokeless shooters, I can tell if my rifle went bang or not.


LD

Grown men, running around playing "make believe" treating their guns like toys :shocked2: ......given the circumstances...blowing down the barrel would be like playing Russian roulette.

There is a certain irony worrying about blowing your head off by blowing down the barrel on a battlefield when everyone is trying to kill each other.

Initially you referenced a "match" were I assume more serious attention is given to one's firearm.

Anything that does not have your full and undivided attention has the potential to be dangerous.

 

[tenngun]

I've done it these 40 some years. In a gun loaded with a prb or a tight wad I dont think a human could blow air past it. We know they did it in the old days and in fact thought it was a violation of safty not to do it. There is always some one who knew someone who saw it some place some years ago. Sexy details like his wife, kid, adiunce, or his best friends second cousin was there to watch the JFK imitation make the story more interesting. It will make sure the vent or touch hole is open, so will swabing and listing for the whistle of air. When your in someones playpen and they have a rule about it, you follow the rules or go home. When you get shivers down your spine doing it then dont do it :slap: Im not much afraid of not knowing if my gun went off or not...nor do I ever do a battle field impreshion wher I might be confused. In the end you are the one whos responsible for being safe, silly rules arnt going to make you safer.