Bald Baron
36 Cal.
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Well I met a young man with only one arm. Lost his other one crossing a fence with a loaded shotgun. With hunting season on us, let us tighten up on safety. Remember
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Gun Safety
- Thread starter Bald Baron
- Start date
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10. Make priming the last stage of loading.
11. If your gun falls, check the bore for mud or snow. (deprime first)
12. Keep misfires aiming downrange until the threat of hangfires have passed.
13. Never pour black powder directly from a flask or horn.
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11. If your gun falls, check the bore for mud or snow. (deprime first)
12. Keep misfires aiming downrange until the threat of hangfires have passed.
13. Never pour black powder directly from a flask or horn.
14....
Guest
14. Always treat every gun as if it were loaded.
15. If you have to pull a ball manualy, remove the barrel and render the charge inert by soaking the breech end in at least 10 inches of water for at least 30 minutes before attemping to pull the bullet.
16.Be sure to recap your horn or can after loading your powder measure, before you dump the measure into the barrel.
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15. If you have to pull a ball manualy, remove the barrel and render the charge inert by soaking the breech end in at least 10 inches of water for at least 30 minutes before attemping to pull the bullet.
16.Be sure to recap your horn or can after loading your powder measure, before you dump the measure into the barrel.
17......
18. When bench shootin a flintlock keep the bench clean from any priming powder that spilled there and after priming the pan move the priming flask far away from the gun and you.
19. Don't talk to people while your actually reloading. Before you first dump the powder and after the ball is seated talk as much as you want but during loading keep your mind on the task at hand until it's done.
20. Don't ever use or mix ANY kind of smokeless powder in ANY amount in your muzzleloader.
21. Don't shoot at water. Round Balls ricochet far easier than modern bullets (or so it seems to me).
22. Don't blow down the barrel after a shot. Especially on a shooting range. (You will get a not so gentle request to "get the hell off of my range" from the Rangemaster of all the ranges I shoot at.)
19. Don't talk to people while your actually reloading. Before you first dump the powder and after the ball is seated talk as much as you want but during loading keep your mind on the task at hand until it's done.
20. Don't ever use or mix ANY kind of smokeless powder in ANY amount in your muzzleloader.
21. Don't shoot at water. Round Balls ricochet far easier than modern bullets (or so it seems to me).
22. Don't blow down the barrel after a shot. Especially on a shooting range. (You will get a not so gentle request to "get the hell off of my range" from the Rangemaster of all the ranges I shoot at.)
37. DO always pour the powder from the horn or flask into a intermediary container like a powder measure and make sure the horn or flask is plugged or shut before loading the gun. THEN pour the powder in the container into the bore followed by the wad or patched ball.
That way if an errant spark sets off the powder charge it will just burn your fingers and the rangemaster won't have to ask you to leave because he saw you stick the end of your gunbarrel into your mouth!
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That way if an errant spark sets off the powder charge it will just burn your fingers and the rangemaster won't have to ask you to leave because he saw you stick the end of your gunbarrel into your mouth!
38.....
Guest
23. DO blow down the barrel or run a damp patch down the bore after firing to extinguish any live embers before pouring a charge of powder down the bore. If the range officer tells you to "get the hell out", don't argue, just do as he says. He's in charge and his rules are law. Better to leave than be loading with a hook instead of a hand next time.
24. Always wear eye and ear protection
25. DON"T blow down the bore of a double with only one tube discharged. If at all possible, fire both barrels before reloading. If you must reload one, run a damp patch down the bore or wait several minutes before loading, then run a rod down the bores to confirm which one is loaded and which is empty.
26. ALWAYS uncap or deprime the loaded barrel and put the hammer at rest before loading the other tube.
27. Don't put a priming horn or other priming device in a shirt pocket. Powder can dribble out a little each time and a spark from the pan can find it's way into your pocket.
28. Don't knapp flints with a tool made of steel. It can cause a spark and discharge the rifle. Use brass or copper.
29. Be sure to keep barrel pointed down range when knapping flints.
30. Never fire a rifle unless you are SURE the ball is seated firmly on the powder.
Cody
24. Always wear eye and ear protection
25. DON"T blow down the bore of a double with only one tube discharged. If at all possible, fire both barrels before reloading. If you must reload one, run a damp patch down the bore or wait several minutes before loading, then run a rod down the bores to confirm which one is loaded and which is empty.
26. ALWAYS uncap or deprime the loaded barrel and put the hammer at rest before loading the other tube.
27. Don't put a priming horn or other priming device in a shirt pocket. Powder can dribble out a little each time and a spark from the pan can find it's way into your pocket.
28. Don't knapp flints with a tool made of steel. It can cause a spark and discharge the rifle. Use brass or copper.
29. Be sure to keep barrel pointed down range when knapping flints.
30. Never fire a rifle unless you are SURE the ball is seated firmly on the powder.
Cody
31. Keep all black powder up out of the reach of kids.
32. Supervise the use of ANY firearm with kids.
33. Never use a muzzleloader to start a camp fire.
(If you feel you must use your flint lock to start a fire, empty the gun first or empty the priming pan and plug the flash hole.)
34. Be aware of what is to the side of a flint lock before you fire it.
35. Static electricity will set off black powder.
32. Supervise the use of ANY firearm with kids.
33. Never use a muzzleloader to start a camp fire.
(If you feel you must use your flint lock to start a fire, empty the gun first or empty the priming pan and plug the flash hole.)
34. Be aware of what is to the side of a flint lock before you fire it.
35. Static electricity will set off black powder.
Jack Walker
40 Cal.
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If you lack any common sense and can't listen, DO NOT PICK UP A FIREARM OF ANY TYPE!
As an addendum to my comments about blowing down the barrel after you've shot your gun let me say that if you really think this will help safety (or soften the fowling which it will) go to your hardware store and buy about 3 feet of clear plastic tubing. It's cheap. If you get the 3/8 size it will fit nicely into any bore bigger than .380 cal.
Plug one end into the bore and while keeping your head back away from the muzzle, blow to your hearts content into the tube. The people at the range (and the Rangemaster) will just chalk it up to another wierd thing them Black Powder shooters do but no one will get upset with your doing it.
Plug one end into the bore and while keeping your head back away from the muzzle, blow to your hearts content into the tube. The people at the range (and the Rangemaster) will just chalk it up to another wierd thing them Black Powder shooters do but no one will get upset with your doing it.
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I know a fellow who did not blow down his barrel. Fired a shot, began reloading. When he seated the ball on the powder it ignited from a left over ember or spark. This fellow took it all in stride however and now amazes people who don't know him by picking up red hot coals from the campfire to light his pipe. The ball and ramrod went through his palm and left him with no feeling what so ever in that hand. Thanks to all who advise not blowing in the barrel, but I will continue as I have for 33yrs. and do so.
If you waited a few minutes between the shots (at the range), wouldn't the embers burn themselves out?
Humans exhale carbon dioxide, but they also blow out excess oxygen (not grabbed by the red blood cells in the lungs), so by blowing down the barrel you are suppling oxygen to the fire.
Humans exhale carbon dioxide, but they also blow out excess oxygen (not grabbed by the red blood cells in the lungs), so by blowing down the barrel you are suppling oxygen to the fire.
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Exactly, Musketman, by blowing down the barrel you are forceing the embers to go on and burn up before you pour a fresh charge on top of them. I have noticed on very dry days, which we don't get many of in FL, smoke may roll out of the barrel for quite awhile. Whether this is from a burning ember or trapped smoke, I can't be sure, but I blow it out and don'T take the chance. And on dry days especially it softens the fowling. If anyone can enlighten me on any dangers here, I am open to listen. In 33yrs. of ML shooting I have met two people with a hole through their hand, but have yet to meet anyone injured from blowing down a fired barrel. I would suppose there may be some freak circumstance that could cause a problem, and if you know of such , tell me about it.
Just for the record, I was not endorcing "BLOWING DOWN THE BARREL"
What if you put a small rubber tube on the nipple, then you could blow out the barrel...
It would be better to plug the barrel and nipple/flash hole and smother the embers that to supply them with oxygen.
What if you put a small rubber tube on the nipple, then you could blow out the barrel...
It would be better to plug the barrel and nipple/flash hole and smother the embers that to supply them with oxygen.
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WHY?
A few months back we discussed safety on this site and someone came up with the following story.
A fellow was happily shooting away with a bunch of his buddies and was in the habit of blowing down the barrel after each shot, like Wick Ellerby describes. One time his gun misfired or "hangfired" and with all the noise and confusion he failed to realize this. Then as he wrapped his lips around the muzzle the gun fired. Now I don't know if this really happened, and I'm sure your first question is : Didn't he notice the lack of recoil when he pulled the trigger? Maybe it was a small cal. rifle. Who knows? Anyhow something to think about. I was always taught don't point your gun at anything you don't intend to shoot. The back of my head is the last thing I intend to shoot.
Wick, if you're comfortable doing what you're doing, so be it. But I don't think we should be teaching our kids to blow down the barrel. They just aren't always smart enough to get it right, like us old timers. I guess the piece of tubing would be safer at least. I think running a patch down the barrel between shots would eliminate any burning embers.
Horse Dr.
A fellow was happily shooting away with a bunch of his buddies and was in the habit of blowing down the barrel after each shot, like Wick Ellerby describes. One time his gun misfired or "hangfired" and with all the noise and confusion he failed to realize this. Then as he wrapped his lips around the muzzle the gun fired. Now I don't know if this really happened, and I'm sure your first question is : Didn't he notice the lack of recoil when he pulled the trigger? Maybe it was a small cal. rifle. Who knows? Anyhow something to think about. I was always taught don't point your gun at anything you don't intend to shoot. The back of my head is the last thing I intend to shoot.
Wick, if you're comfortable doing what you're doing, so be it. But I don't think we should be teaching our kids to blow down the barrel. They just aren't always smart enough to get it right, like us old timers. I guess the piece of tubing would be safer at least. I think running a patch down the barrel between shots would eliminate any burning embers.
Horse Dr.
I have heard several horror stories about the terrible things that have happened to folks who blew down the barrel but have yet to see any solid documentation to support them, many ranges forbid the practice aside from that it is a matter of preference, when I see no more smoke rolling out of the vent I am comfortable that things have "cooled" down in the breech and there is no danger of an ember igniting my measure full of powder, a damp swab will also work which I do use if shooting a gun that has a less than tolerable fouling buildup between shots, As for putting ones mouth over a loaded barrel I believe that Darwin proved that this type of activity was actually benificial to the long term health of the genetic pool, as for the static electricity setting of BP mentioned above, that one has been put to rest as a myth by scientific tests.
More thoughts on BLOWING down the barrel.
First: This is a common practice with Long Range Black Powder Cartridge shooters Except they do it from the breech and they use a plastic tube as I described above. They do this to keep the fouling soft. Buy a plastic tube about 3-4 feet long and blow away. They pay lots of money for theirs but for a couple of bucks you can do as well.
Why shouldn't you stick the barrel in your mouth?
BECAUSE KIDS ARE WATCHING YOU!!!! They don't know what your doing but when they see a adult stick a gun barrel in his mouth it MUST BE OK OR THAT MAN WOULDN'T HAVE DONE IT.
First: This is a common practice with Long Range Black Powder Cartridge shooters Except they do it from the breech and they use a plastic tube as I described above. They do this to keep the fouling soft. Buy a plastic tube about 3-4 feet long and blow away. They pay lots of money for theirs but for a couple of bucks you can do as well.
Why shouldn't you stick the barrel in your mouth?
BECAUSE KIDS ARE WATCHING YOU!!!! They don't know what your doing but when they see a adult stick a gun barrel in his mouth it MUST BE OK OR THAT MAN WOULDN'T HAVE DONE IT.
