Gave in to the nervous nannies

[ronaldrothb49]

Besides the violation of the general safety principle of treating every gun as loaded, I seem to recall reading somewhere that at Friendship and other large shoots with a number of people firing off at the same time, that a person may have thought their gun went off, and so blowing down the barrel might have actually been over a smoldering live round - yikes. All I know, that comment and some hang fires along the way impressed me enough to not want to blow down a barrel.

I have witnessed exactly what you described a couple of times over the years. The shooter had already taken the rifle from their shoulder and had started to turn to walk back to the loading bench when the rifle went off. Both times the shooter claimed he was sure his rifle had fired before he took it off his shoulder.

 

[waksupi]

This appears to be a problem east of the Mississippi, where more lawyers abide. If you come shoot in the west, expect to see people blowing down the bore. It IS a safety issue.

 

[N.Y. Yankee]

For the life of me, I fail to see how a freshly shot muzzleloader will blow the back of your head off if you blow down the barrel. Call me stupid but someone should explain that one to me. I don't know how many hundred times I have done it and I am still around. I think it's a good way to clear the nipple or flash hole. All guns are always loaded, if you just picked up a gun you have not had it in your hands. If I'm shooting a single shot muzzleloader that just went BOOM, I'd feel pretty darn safe that it's most definitely not loaded. We adults all take responsibility for our own actions so do as you see fit. I really don't understand why it's such a big deal.

 

[Johnny Tremain]

Blowing the smoke outta the touch hole was cool 20 years ago.
The black ring of soot around your mouth, not so.

I think it was the Dan Hagerty thing

 

[N.Y. Yankee]

I have witnessed exactly what you described a couple of times over the years. The shooter had already taken the rifle from their shoulder and had started to turn to walk back to the loading bench when the rifle went off. Both times the shooter claimed he was sure his rifle had fired before he took it off his shoulder.

I hope these people had their privileges revoked and were removed from the community as they should have been. They do not belong in public with firearms.

 

[sturmkatze]

My club too says no to blowing down the barrel. It might have to do with the guy that many years ago lost the back of his head doing so. It's very unnecessary and doesn't change a thing. Might be a 1:millions but 1is all it takes. If you want to clear the bore use a swab.

If you are THAT stupid as to not know that your gun has went off, you should not be shooting.

And, exactly where was this? When? I hear stories it was a guy loading for his wife and she had a misfire. I load my own guns. At best, a Darwin award story.

I blow down the barrel after every shot, just like I wipe off the frizzen and flint and pick the vent. I blow until smoke stops coming out. I've been doing it for over 40 years. Some aunt Mary is not going to tell me how to safely shoot. This is like most Americans today; all form and no substance.

 

[mushka]

I don't begrudge those that want to blow down their barrel, it's ok with me. Personally I was taught at a very young age that you don't point the pointy end of the gun at anything that you don't want to destroy. So I don't.

 

[Dusty_Traveler]

I do it, and will keep doing it. When I was a teenager, I got most of the skin blistered off my face (2nd degree) due to a vapor flash fire, and I'll be danged if I'm going to have it happen again at face level while I'm pouring powder in. After a shot I make a loose fist on top of the muzzle and lightly blow through it until I see zero smoke coming out the vent.

That being said,

If the only place I had to shoot was at a range that required the using of a blow tube, then I'd rig one up. Squeaky wheel usually gets the grease or grumbles in a situation like that.

And-- If I was around new or impressionable shooters, I would probably forgo this step.....At least until I could decide if they are going to be dumb enough to blow on a loaded gun or not.

 

[BadDaditood]

It’s a bad habit if you want to shoot a lot of places.
I broke myself of the habit…

 

[nhmoose]

Gee I know when my gun has gone off seems they want folks talk here they don't.

They may need training before being allowed on the range. I suggest they have 500 hours of class before entering the range. Will that help you folks afraid of them? {sarcasm/off}

 

[tenngun]

‘Even if you saw it yourself
You wouldn’t believe it
I wouldn’t trust a fellow like me
If I were you
Sure I wasn’t there
I’m sure I have an alibi
I hear it from a man
Who knows a fella
Who says it’s all true’
Use a hose if it make other people fantasize it’s safer
Just swab your bore tween shots
Cup your hand off to one side and blow
Don’t do any blowing at all
But I’ve been doing it close to fifty years.
No matter how hard you try you can’t shoot an empty ml
If one had the lung power of Gabriel you couldn’t fan an ember in a loaded gun alive to set off the charge.
You don’t want to do it, or you want something that won’t scare the snowflake do so and I will support you,
Just don’t pretend it’s safer then just blowing down the bore

 

[LRB]

With the right lube, blowing down the barrel isn't needed. A properly wet patch will wipe the bore, and the pressure will release out the vent or nipple.

Just more unnecessary bunk!

Bunk to you, necessary to me. If I need a second shot right now, I am not going to take time to swab. I will blow down the bore to clear the vent, soften the fouling, and extinguish any possible ember, then reload. You are free to do as you wish.

 

[LRB]

Blowing the smoke outta the touch hole was cool 20 years ago.
The black ring of soot around your mouth, not so.

I think it was the Dan Hagerty thing

No, it is a safety thing.

 

[hanshi]

I'm another one who often blows down the bores of muzzleloaders. I cup my hand into a tube and blow from that. And I'm slow with reloading and I do mean slow. Not that I try to be slow just that there is no other way I can do most things. It takes me upward of 5 minutes to load up for the next shot when I'm in a hurry, much longer when I'm not. So in my glacial time frame an ember doesn't stand a chance.

 

[Billy Boy]

As the title says finally got tired of arguing with the nervous nannies at our gun club.

I started muzzleloading in the 70's and everyone that I shot with (at this same club) blew down the barrel and used spit patches and I have been doing it and (back when I could see) winning matches.

For those that do not know, the moisture in your breath keeps the fouling soft and a spit patch wipes the bore on the way down and even with a tight ball and patch combination (think short starter) you can still shoot all day long. If you question this, find a BPCRS shooter and ask him why he uses a blow tube (although bore pigs have some proponents), and if he's not using one or the other his scores suck.

After forty years the only damage the empty gun has ever done to me was sometimes I noticed that my lips were black on the way home (wondered why the waitress looked at me strange).

Anyway her is my solution
View attachment 154755

7/16 OD vinyl tubing with some white duct tape wrapped around it. So far, I have used it on a .45, .50 and a 54 and the duct tape has enough wraps that it has sealed on all three of them.

Personally I regard it as an unnecessary evil and will not use it unless at the bench and the nannies are singing their song, (you know the one "You'll put your eye out" .

Hate to let them win but I am pretty sure Simon Kenton had vinyl tubing so there you go.

I blew down mine at -26 F and had to wear it till spring, just saying, i do enjoy the tradition during the summer months..

 

[Johnny Tremain]

it is a safety thing

The proper safety thing would to be to put your pole down for 3 minutes so embers are not hot.
Blowing on a fire does not make it go out, it excites the embers to flame

 

[tenngun]

The proper safety thing would to be to put your pole down for 3 minutes so embers are not hot.
Blowing on a fire does not make it go out, it excites the embers to flame

I’ve heard this before. And on the face it makes a lot of sense.
However strike a light on to a piece of char cloth.
Now quickly cut out an area just bigger then the sparks glow.
Puff on it and it will burn hot, but for only a moment. It quickly uses up all the fuel.
In a bore what could be left from a shot?
Not much, a bit of patch, wad or cartridge? It would have to be very small. Very very small.
A blast of air would quickly make bright the glow, but just as quickly burn up any fuel.
We’re not talking about a bagged cartridge piece in a cannon, only a bit of thread or fiber that somehow didn’t get blown out.

 

[vintovka]

I was heavy into ML Shotguns and participated in many ML trap shoots. We would have as many as a dozen shooters at a time. It was pretty much required to blow down barrels each time and every participant could be instantly recognized by the black (kiss of death) ring on their lips and mouths. While really not safe their were NO ad's during all that rather "rapid fire" shooting. Consider the odds of a dozen shooters each shooting at least 25 shots each in the hour or so match. Will say the direct effect of BP residue on shooters digestive system resulted in many sleeping alone on couch that night.

 

[user 53891]

As the title says finally got tired of arguing with the nervous nannies at our gun club.

I started muzzleloading in the 70's and everyone that I shot with (at this same club) blew down the barrel and used spit patches and I have been doing it and (back when I could see) winning matches.

For those that do not know, the moisture in your breath keeps the fouling soft and a spit patch wipes the bore on the way down and even with a tight ball and patch combination (think short starter) you can still shoot all day long. If you question this, find a BPCRS shooter and ask him why he uses a blow tube (although bore pigs have some proponents), and if he's not using one or the other his scores suck.

After forty years the only damage the empty gun has ever done to me was sometimes I noticed that my lips were black on the way home (wondered why the waitress looked at me strange).

Anyway her is my solution
View attachment 154755

7/16 OD vinyl tubing with some white duct tape wrapped around it. So far, I have used it on a .45, .50 and a 54 and the duct tape has enough wraps that it has sealed on all three of them.

Personally I regard it as an unnecessary evil and will not use it unless at the bench and the nannies are singing their song, (you know the one "You'll put your eye out" .

Hate to let them win but I am pretty sure Simon Kenton had vinyl tubing so there you go.

Do what you know works. You have a right to your opinion. If they don't agree, fine. You already know your right. They lose!

 

[Nobody85]

People think too much. Do what you feel is safe for your best interest. There are so many safety guidelines and warnings everywhere that people fail to look out for themselves. Nobody is looking out for you, like yourself.