Gave in to the nervous nannies

[RonRC]

I have had some real world experiences with the 155's. If you can show me someone who is able to blow down the barrel of one after a shot I'll be really impressed. On second thought one should never underestimate the genius and ingenuity of the American G.I. Especially at the rank of E-4 and below if there is a perceived short cut that can be taken.....

There are some people (politicians) that blow enough hot air to fill at least a 75 mm Howitzer.
There are some O-1's that might take a similar approach.

 

[tenngun]

I do. Even if I have to bend the rules, I approach the firearm as if it was loaded, then do what I have do with caution.

Never did that.

Never did that.

I've done that many times with modern firearms - very carefully, and only in my basement with the concrete foundation as a wall. I stopped dry firing as soon as I had a laser cartridge and target. I dry fire my muzzle loaders only after working on them. I first put a gaged ramrod down the barrel to see if there is a ball in it. I then put my borescope down the barrel for confirmation. Then I dry fire.

Only if I can't blow it out with a CO2 unit or by removing a nipple, putting powder in, replacing the nipple and shooting it out. All with the firearm facing downrange.

That is correct. There are extraordinary circumstances when there is no other choice but to bend the rules. And it must be done very carefully. But under normal conditions, on a regular basis, I follow all the rules.

I may be overly cautious, but I wouldn't put my head over the bore of a muzzle loader even after firing. If someone chooses to do it, I won't criticize them. It's their choice. But I choose not to do it.

So you don’t treat a gun as loaded. When you know the gun is empty you charge and ram home ball.
When done you clean the gun, not in the way you would treat a loaded gun
And still in the end you point your gun at things you don’t want to shoot

 

[RonRC]

So you don’t treat a gun as loaded. When you know the gun is empty you charge and ram home ball.
When done you clean the gun, not in the way you would treat a loaded gun
And still in the end you point your gun at things you don’t want to shoot

You are correct in stating the obvious. The rules were written to reduce risk of injury or death. It is taken for granted that some rules will be violated in order to actually use the firearm. The rules were not drafted to stop people from shooting.

Of course, if I don't do the first action you mention, then I can't shoot the gun. If I don't do the second, the gun will be ruined. The choices here are to bend the rules or give up shooting.

When given a choice of actions without giving up shooting: I treat the gun as loaded.

I carry a fired muzzle loader from the firing line to the loading table as if it might be loaded. I set the gun pointed up at the loading table as if it were loaded. I carry the gun back to the firing line as if it were loaded.
I treat a gun like it is loaded while handling it while cleaning. Of course I am forced to violate the rules by actually cleaning the gun.

At the range, I follow the rules unless the build up of carbon makes it difficult to load. Then I violate the rules by cleaning gun. I either clean the gun or stop shooting.

 

[tenngun]

The same thing folks that blow down the barrel do.
Just after you have shot you do something that would be dangerous with a loaded gun. You drop a fresh charge down the bore and ram home a ball.
You may swab, you may just give it a bit before you charge again, but what ever you do you do something that would be unsafe with a loaded gun
A person who blows down the barrel does the same thing, a perfectly safe thing that looks dangerous but is not

 

[RonRC]

The same thing folks that blow down the barrel do.
Just after you have shot you do something that would be dangerous with a loaded gun. You drop a fresh charge down the bore and ram home a ball.
You may swab, you may just give it a bit before you charge again, but what ever you do you do something that would be unsafe with a loaded gun
A person who blows down the barrel does the same thing, a perfectly safe thing that looks dangerous but is not

Like I said, it doesn't trouble me at all about what you do. I don't know if there even is a risk of blowing in the barrel. I don't see it as much of an issue. I don't judge your approach one way or the other. I just choose to do it differently.

We all choose the level of risk we are willing to take. For me, it is important to minimize the risk as much as possible when shooting, so I use the rules the best I can.

My risk tolerance varies with the activity and what I get out of it. I've totaled 2 motorcycles - and then bought a 3rd. I accepted the high risk level for the rewards riding gives me (I can't ride anymore, darn it). My acceptable risk level for shooting is much lower that for riding motorcycles.

 

[Coinneach]

Did you know that in Europe, they DO use a ramrod and don't have the problems we do here. I believe ours stemmed from the early days of reenacting -- before safety was worked out. Just a thought.

Still, I will continue to blow down the barrel when shooting. Not reenacting mind you.

Did you know in Europe its not uncommon for reenactors to fire their Ramrods during events ?
Understandably they dont like reporting it though, ask anyone who's attended a Waterloo reenactment.

 

[sturmkatze]

My risk tolerance varies with the activity and what I get out of it. I've totaled 2 motorcycles - and then bought a 3rd. I accepted the high risk level for the rewards riding gives me (I can't ride anymore, darn it). My acceptable risk level for shooting is much lower that for riding motorcycles.

Motorcycle are dangerous and should be banned.

 

[Howard Pippin]

Do you treat every gun like it’s loaded? Yes

When was the last time you poured powder or rammed ball down a loaded gun? never

When was the last time you poured water down a loaded gun? never
Did you ever practice dry fire? Put a target on your wall and ‘shoot’ with a wood flint or leather cap. Did you want to shoot your wall? no

Ever pull a ball? yes

All these, except the last are done with guns you know…. Not guess, but know to be empty. yes

Safety rules make a lot of sense, but we all bend the rules when circumstances call for it. yes

A ml, single barreled, just fired is a club, you could kill some one with it, but not by anything that comes out of the barrel, and you would have a real tough time killing yourself yes

 

[SciAggie]

Says the man who has never shot BPCRS competitions

@French Colonial You are right my friend. I have shot many thousands of rounds of BPCR ammo at silhouettes and other targets. A blow tube improves accuracy.

 

[tenngun]

Motorcycle are dangerous and should be banned.

I work in a trauma unit, we call them donor cycles, as they are the field where organ donors grow.

 

[1BadDart]

I wanted a motorcycle for years, but I never bought one, to scared of idiots in cars.

 

[YellowthornofTexas]

I agree, it is probably pretty safe with a muzzle loader as long as you know what you're doing.

But, the 4 rules are:

1. Treat every firearm as if it were loaded.
2. Keep your finger off the trigger until ready to shoot.
3. Never point a firearm at anything you don't want to destroy.
4. Know your target and what lies beyond it.

Blowing down the muzzle violates #1 and #3.

I think the tube idea is a good compromise, but I wonder if it went off and that tube was in your mouth if things would not end up nearly as bad for you. Reminds me of that old Carol Burnett show skit about the Siamese elephants where one sneezed.

Lol! Back when comedy was FUNNY!