Blowing Down Barrel

[tecum-tha]

Did anyone run any scientific tests which show the effectiveness of blowing down the barrel in a traditional ML gun? Probably not.

The term cook off would mean:
the barrel became so hot from shooting that it would ignite the powder just dumped in the barrel. If a barrel really gets this hot (at reenactments where you only shoot powder your barrel can get super hot during a battle)one would burn his lips just touching the barrel then. Definetely not recommended.
Cook offs occur in automatic weapons, if the operator does not change the barrel in regular intervals. For example at an air cooled machine gun, you are supposed to change the barrel every 150 shots or so,when you shot it without interruptions. And you better use a heat proof glove to touch the thing!
If you don't change the barrel, the next cartridge could actually cook off because the powder would ignite because of the heat of the barrel chamber. This is an uncontrolled ignition of your cartridge and may lead to problems.

Deflagration can not occur with black powder, because it is a mass explosive.

Accidential ignition of the powder charge because of a residual glowing amber from the previous shot can be prevented with several other methods than blowing down the barrel. A moist patch will do the same for example.

Blowing down the barrel does 4 things imho:

1.It softens the fouling because you blow in moist air

2. It shows that your touch hole/ignition channel is not obstructed by fouling.

3. It helps to load a second shot without cleaning because of the softened fouling

4. It may blow enough oxygen in there, that the obscure residual glowing amber combusts fully and gets blown out.

The last point is a maybe or maybe not. I would like to see that tested in a clear tube, similar like they show the spin jag working the rifling with the patch better than a normal jag.

Personally, I do the blowing down the barrel on my private range for points 1-3 or I use a moist patch.
The 4th point for me is like the old wife's tail in archery, that the cock feather should point out or that a right-handed archer needs right-wing feathers and a left-handed archer needs left-wing feathers on his arrow.
These old wifes tales were proven to be wrong by intensive industry testing procedures.

And I think we should stop the blowing down the barrel discussion in this thread.

 

[Rifleman1776]

I agree with your four points on why many people do blow down the barrel. I was one of those for many years. But, the NMLRA rule (followed by many clubs also) is to protect those who may believe they fired their rifle but it really did not go off. In a noisy environment this is possible. I know, you will say you know when/if your gun goes off or not. They can't write a rule just for you. Safety is for everyone and rules cover everyone. On a controlled range with this rule, don't do it. If done at home, we may get to read your obituary.

 

[roundball]

And I think we should stop the blowing down the barrel discussion in this thread.

Seems a strange thing to say after you've posted 'your' personal opinions about blowing down a barrel.
:hmm:
At any rate, its been discussed for years and will continue to be discussed by others long after we're gone.

Here is a long thread on the subject that started in 2007 and is stickied permanently in place by the MLF Administration:
http://www.muzzleloadingforum.com/fusionbb/showtopic.php?tid/211292/

 

[hanshi]

I do it without shame unless my host forbids it.

 

[Snow on the Roof]

Actually it is Right wing left handed, left wing right handed. If you ever shot bare knuckled rather than off of the shelf you'd know this isn't an old wive's tale...and I blow down the barrel too. :wink:

Snow

 

[Loyalist Dave]

On a controlled range with this rule, don't do it. If done at home, we may get to read your obituary.

This is kinda silly (imho). On a controlled range, YES this can happen, that with numerous shooters and during the excitement of a timed-rapid-fire, you may not know your gun or rifle fired.

However, by yourself at home , for this to be dangerous, then you're deaf and blind, and the question is why are you shooting. Either the gun went BOOM (a flash in the pan, a cap busting, or a klatch, isn't nearly so loud) and a huge puff of smoke came from your gun. Not to mention recoil. For folks to suggest that a lone shooter cannot tell his gun went off, or that the boom and the smoke might occur and yet the gun or rifle was still loaded..., makes no logical sense.

I blow down the barrel as it helps to keep the touch hole open.

LD

 

[paulvallandigham]

I agree. Range rules have to protect the property owner from the inevitable lawsuits that would follow ay accidental shooting. Otherwise, we would very quickly have no place for most of us to be able to shoot.

Running a slightly dampened cleaning patch down the barrel to put out embers, and to force air out of the nipple so we know its clear for the next shot, as well as the flash channel between the nipple and the bore, gets the "Job" down a bit slower, but just as efficiently, and SAFER in THAT SETTING, compared to blowing down the barrel when you are alone.

Oh, on more than one occasion I have heard and felt a long "hssssss" sound of a large ember being extinguished in my barrel by my dampened cleaning patch. :shocked2:

Do one or anther for your own safety.

I have been present, but did not personally see 2 different "cook-offs" where shooters failed to clear their barrels before pouring the next load of powder down the barrel.
No one was physically hurt during either event, but they made "True Believers" out of a lot of bystanders in a hurry. :surrender: :hatsoff:

 

[mhb]

Then there is the real possibility of having your habits kill you...
Several years ago, at one of our local shoots, one of our (experienced) lady FL shooters, who certainly does know better but habitually blows down the barrel after each shot had a flash in the pan. Before anyone could say or do anything, she placed her head over the muzzle and blew down the bore. She realized immediately what she had done, and had to sit down for about a half hour. The rest of us took about as much time to stop swearing and get our heart rates back to normal.
We were all lucky - that time.
I personally do not blow down the bore, though I sometimes blow across the muzzle, which will produce a small puff of smoke at the nipple or touchhole, if it is clear. 'Smacking' the muzzle with the palm of the hand will sometimes do the same.
I am inclined to load from the flask, if shooting where it is permitted. We have to decide what risks are acceptable, and, when deciding for others as well, the safest way is no doubt best.
mhb - Mike

 

[skierman0]

Aaaaah, there's that old saw again; it's been a while! :surrender:

 

[Rifleman1776]

is is kinda silly (imho).

As intended.

 

[cmuchalek]

The experienced shooter from Florida should seriously consider hanging up the boom boom sticks if she does not know the difference between a flash in the pan or the flinter firing. This is a very dangerous situation. She could have just as easily turned towards the other shooters with the flinter as opposed to blowing down the barrel. Would not want to be on the firing line with anyone who can not distinguish between the flinter firing or a flash in the pan. I would be more than happy to stand with someone who blows down the barrel of his flinter after firing.
No disrespect intended. Either blow or use a moist patch. The choice is ours alone.

 

The long range BP cartridge shooters blow into the bore with a flexible tube, to soften fowling, through the chamber not from the muzzle. If a ML shooter felt the need to blow down the bore from the muzzle they might use the same flexible tube and keep their head away from the muzzle ???
Mark

 

[Mike Brooks]

Blowing down the barrel is to help soften fouling, not extinguish embers...something the old timers knew and we forgot.

 

[Bill Hall]

I personally think the safety aspects of blowing down the barrel should be disregarded, just as the safety aspects of swabbing should also be disregarded. I'm not saying they don't help, and add to the safety of loading, I'm saying neither one should be relied on to keep accidental ignition from happening. Neither practice can ensure there will never be a glowing ember in the bore, so I think it's way more important to practice safe muzzle direction when loading. If you assume that there is a chance of a spark in the barrel every time you drop in powder, the best practice, and safest, is too keep the muzzle ALWAYS pointed away from your face, head, and any body parts. If there ever is a mishap, it will probably blow the measure from your hand, or the ramrod up in the air, or cause some slight burns, or make the back of your pants feel heavy, but you will still have your head and your eyesight.

I do blow down the barrel, but only when I'm alone, and wouldn't ever think about it at a public range (if I ever get to a public range before I die). If I were to ever shoot with one of you guys, and you didn't like it, I would respect that. It's just not that important, there are ways around it. I mostly do it for the softening effects and to check the airflow through the nipple or touch hole. It's a good indicator of crud blockage. But I don't do it as a means to ensure there is absolutely no spark in the barrel. It goes back to one of those safety rules -Always point the muzzle in a safe direction. Bill

 

[mhb]

Umm. Apparent misunderstanding - I used 'FL' as the common abbreviation for 'flintlock', not the state.
I believe the incident I observed registered with the shooter as a significant emotional event - one she is not likely to repeat, and that the others present won't likely forget, either.
It appeared that the action was due to habit, and, possibly, nervousness - and none of us is immune to those, no matter how experienced.
We should all remember that poop occurs, with or without carelessness, and that the most popular ACTUAL last words in those unusual circumstances(and, presumably, last thoughts whether spoken or not), are 'Aw, sh-t' or some variant thereof.
It would be a shame to die (avoidably) because of an 'Aw, shucks, I've done that a (insert large number) times and nothin' happened' attitude.
"Go ahead, if you've a mind to. I'd sooner live in Hell with my back broke."
mhb - Mike

 

[nkbj]

Yeah, like next time yall hold that flint ignited, spark, shard and ember throwing infernal device up to your nose be sure and remember to think safety.
But seriously, aren't the greatest dangers in muzzleloading brought about by the distractions provided by range companions?

 

[smoothy]

On a range situation, public or personal, I clean between shots to get the best accuracy. In a hunting situation when reloading after a shot, I blow the down the barrel to speed up the loading process and extinguishing the embers. Is this a risk, I believe so. But not as much of a risk as driving to a public range.

 

[ebiggs1]

Boy folks sure make muzzle loader shooting a lot harder than it has to be. Sometime we should make a list of all the “rituals” people go through, thinking it is required to make their muzzle loader shoot. :hmm:

 

[TFoley]

The long range BP cartridge shooters blow into the bore with a flexible tube, to soften fowling, through the chamber not from the muzzle. Mark

Most of us here in our club do that.

But then we like to see the nice O's that you sometimes get.....

tac

 

[Rifleman1776]

I think we have blown down this barrel enough.