Blowing down the barrel

[French Colonial]

How do hundreds of shooters at Friendship manage to compete without blowing down the barrel?

Most of the shooters swab between shots, which I refuse to do, it's too dangerous

 

[tenngun]

There is nothing "safe" about looking like you are going to commit suicide on the range.

Just what is unsafe about it?
Oh yeah nothing except looks.
Would you run a cleaning stick down a suppository gun, knowing it was loaded. Yet to load a shot load you run a wad down a loaded gun…. How safe is that.
But NMLRA doesn’t blink an eye at that.

 

[tenngun]

I don't care if you do it I just think it looks stupid. You could wear a clown suit while you are at it! lol

Boone was dressed as a frontiesman I don’t think he looked like a clown, nor did Audobon say anything about him looking clownish while doing it.

 

[tenngun]

I suppose one reason not to do so is to avoid being ejected from the shooting event.

2020 NMLRA Rule Book

090–BLOWING DOWN THE BARREL There will be NO blowing down the barrel during NMLRA matches in any manner that requires the head to be in front of the muzzle. A flexible blow tube may be used at the shooter’s option, provided that the shooter’s head is not placed in front of the muzzle.

And I don’t shoot at Karen sanctioned events
They also have a rule against rear sights on trade guns, or four inch tomahawk blade in competition
Because it’s well known there was a strict policy in the past rejecting over four inch’s and no one ever put a rear sight on their trade guns

 

[Khufu]

Just what is unsafe about it?
Oh yeah nothing except looks.
Would you run a cleaning stick down a suppository gun, knowing it was loaded. Yet to load a shot load you run a wad down a loaded gun…. How safe is that.
But NMLRA doesn’t blink an eye at that.

not to mention pulling a stuck ball! not only loaded, but barrel obstructed as well, and you screw in a ball puller, and yank with all your might to get the ball out. how much of your body is exposed at that point.

 

[tenngun]

Ok as a relatively new muzzleloading shooter, I admit that I was appalled the first time I saw this practice. I don't care what you do, but it goes against any kind of gun safety I was ever taught. I honestly can't see one reason that it would be useful, but to each their own. I didn't mean to come across as being obtuse. Pointing guns at your head is never good practice but whatever floats your boat.

I’ve been shooting flinters for near fourth five years. I learned to blow down the barrel about 1976. I’ve burned a bit of powder in a few guns, actually lived off my hunt for a bit. Never had a hang fire, never had a Cook off. I know my vent is clear before my powder is charged.

 

[tenngun]

Tubing makes a lot of sense and is safe..

How is it safer than direct blowing?
I tell you what. Load your gun, shoot it, then cock your gun and pull the trigger again, repeat ten time, a thousand, till dinner is served at the restaurant at the end of the universe, and write me when your empty gun shoots

 

[dylan84]

If your vent is plugged you better be able to blow pretty hard! OK I am done! Blow away!

 

[Omahkapi'si]

Does anyone suck the smoke out? Just taking this a different direction.

 

[Quicksilver]

I never knew that blowing smoke was so important.

 

[FishDFly]

And I don’t shoot at Karen sanctioned events
They also have a rule against rear sights on trade guns, or four inch tomahawk blade in competition
Because it’s well known there was a strict policy in the past rejecting over four inch’s and no one ever put a rear sight on their trade guns

Some folks complain about speed limit signs, No Smoking Signs, No Parking Signs, Handicap Parking Only Signs,, sigh.

 

[SciAggie]

Nice job getting to ten pages.

To put in my $0.02 worth - I blow down the barrel when hunting. I swab between shots at the gun range.

Now I want to go see how the chat about weighing swaged round balls is coming along...

 

[Comfortably_Numb]

I remember when blowing was legal at F-ship, common practice. It seems they changed to no blow in the 90's.
Ever drop a bore light down a barrel to inspect the bore? Did you blow your fool head off?

 

[French Colonial]

Don't blow down the barrel
Don't use a wood ramrod
Don't use 3 or 4F in your large bore gun
Don't bend the barrel of your smooth-bore
Don't store your BP in your garage

Pilgrims

 

[deerstalkert]

Does anyone suck the smoke out? Just taking this a different direction.

cough cough!! knew i was doing something wrong! need more coffee!
was a fairly common practice incountry.

 

[tenngun]

Some folks complain about speed limit signs, No Smoking Signs, No Parking Signs, Handicap Parking Only Signs,, sigh.

All those serve a purpose. But what purpose is served by stopping someone else from blowing down their bore.
You might die from someone speeding, you might need tge handicapped spot, and dangers of second hand smoke has at least some real life backing.
But as a person can’t die from blowing down a just fired gun how does stopping it serve a purpose

 

[Greg_E]

And with one post, I reeled in a bunch of you!

We are at 10 pages, might even go to 11 with this post or the next. The challenge was thrown back a ways and I picked it up, even told you I was playing the troll card. Yet some people respond with strong words like I just cursed their mothers and kicked their dogs.

 

[tenngun]

And with one post, I reeled in a bunch of you!

We are at 10 pages, might even go to 11 with this post or the next. The challenge was thrown back a ways and I picked it up, even told you I was playing the troll card. Yet some people respond with strong words like I just cursed their mothers and kicked their dogs.

Well duh
Gimpy old men
Bored
Hunting season over
Rendezvous season yet to come
Here, let me throw some gas on them there embers
Whoo ie
We’re all just blowing smoke

 

[FishDFly]

Nice job getting to ten pages.

To put in my $0.02 worth - I blow down the barrel when hunting. I swab between shots at the gun range.

Now I want to go see how the chat about weighing swaged round balls is coming along...

Very nicely, as in many years in the past, and without as much profanity.

 

[Greg_E]

Got a link? I can troll that one as well!