Is loading from the flask really that dangerous???

[Nameless Hunter]

Remember the Guy with the Beach Chair and Helium Balloons? He was Lucky.

I remember the priest in Brazil who tried the same trick. The last they saw of him, he was drifting out over the Atlantic...

 

[Hatman/2nd line]

There were 13 commands to load and fire the brown bess musket in the Rev War, American and I believe the British. One of them was after handle cartridge (from the cartridge box), prime and then cast about, from what I remember. The next command was withdraw rammer and then load the cartridge, as you can see the pan is filled with powder and THEN you load the gun, makes you wonder!

 

[Grenadier1758]

In the line of battle, personal safety was really not much of a concern. Especially when all those balls are being fired in your direction.

 

[Pete G]

There were 13 commands to load and fire the brown bess musket in the Rev War, American and I believe the British. One of them was after handle cartridge (from the cartridge box), prime and then cast about, from what I remember. The next command was withdraw rammer and then load the cartridge, as you can see the pan is filled with powder and THEN you load the gun, makes you wonder!

All those guys are dead now

 

[SDSmlf]

I’ve got a copy of an European military manual somewhere that instructed the shooter to keep a number of lead balls in their mouth for a quick reload, kind of a super fast ball dispenser. Something to consider if you want to save even more time.

 

[zimmerstutzen]

Well, look at the public safety precautions for covid with a one in umpty thousand chance of death. Having a flask explode is probably about the same chances of injury as getting hit by lightning. It killed my Uncle Harry. I sure as heck wouldn't feel safe waving a metal pole on a roof top during a thunderstorm.

 

[FlinterNick]

I Don’t I use pa per cartridges for my smoothbores and rifles. I just add the patch to the ball in the paper cartridge. I use the 1841 rifle method.

 

[FlinterNick]

I’ve got a copy of an European military manual somewhere that instructed the shooter to keep a number of lead balls in their mouth for a quick reload, kind of a super fast ball dispenser. Something to consider if you want to save even more time.

No thanks, the deer can have another day.

 

[Bob McBride]

I’ve got a copy of an European military manual somewhere that instructed the shooter to keep a number of lead balls in their mouth for a quick reload, kind of a super fast ball dispenser. Something to consider if you want to save even more time.

That will save you time while simultaneously costing you time, so, theoretically, you should get off the same number of shots over the course of your lifetime using that system.....

 

[SAJones]

What Zonie said. I have a special pistol measure w/ funnel for my revolvers that works well and quckly.

 

[N.Y. Yankee]

When I see someone dumping powder from the flask down the bore I do the same thing I do when someone puts a firearm on the bench pointing some other direction than down range. Pack my things and leave. I have no intentions in staying around for the end results. Learned a long time ago some people will listen and some will argue no matter how they are told of the dangers it is in there nature. I let Darwin sort it out.

Like when I pull into the filling station and see some chick pumping gas with a cigarette in her mouth. Just keep driving.

 

[Johnny Tremain]

I normally do not post on revolver threads. I had a very bad experience in the 80s and will never shoot one again.

I bought a CVA naval revolver. Took it out to the woods and loaded it up, dropped the hammer and all 6 cylinders fired at the same time.
I mailed it back to CVA and they told me that the cylinder gap was to be .002, well mine was .020.
Even with wads in front of the ball, they still fired.
They sent me a match set of Army 44s in a display case for my troubles. I sold them.

The moral of the story is I did not get hurt. powder burns on my hand, and a stain in me drawers is all I got.

 

[smoothshooter]

I mean I've been doing it for years from my revolvers. I understand the danger but isn't that a pretty small probability?? Your thoughts??

Loading directly from the flask is the ONLY way I load percussion revolvers. Many thousands of shots. I use smaller flasks that are not fully filled as well.
I DO rotate the cylinder and blow into them quickly to clear out any embers that may be lurking there. Can’t say I have ever seen one come out.
I DO NOT load directly from the flask or horn on any other kind of muzzleloader. Longer barrels are more likely to leave something hot inside.

But I would never fault someone else for doing it differently.

 

[smoothshooter]

I wonder who the heck said they blew down the barrel in the 'old days' anyway?? The comment made about the hole in the hat, was an example of a gun going off unexpectedly, I thought, and that would make it germane to the conversation.

i have seen a copy of a newspaper account of a young man who was out shooting in England in the late 1700’s who blew down his shotgun barrel after having a flash in the pan to see if it was loaded.

It was.
R. I. P.

Cue Spence to appear with multiple references from the 1700’s and 1800’s describing blowing down barrels to kill sparks and soften fouling.

 

[Bob McBride]

If I were to write an 18th century style 'Rules for the General Use of Firearms' type booklet, rule number one would probably be don't point a gun at your own head.....

 

[springfield art]

I normally do not post on revolver threads. I had a very bad experience in the 80s and will never shoot one again.

I bought a CVA naval revolver. Took it out to the woods and loaded it up, dropped the hammer and all 6 cylinders fired at the same time.
I mailed it back to CVA and they told me that the cylinder gap was to be .002, well mine was .020.
Even with wads in front of the ball, they still fired.
They sent me a match set of Army 44s in a display case for my troubles. I sold them.

The moral of the story is I did not get hurt. powder burns on my hand, and a stain in me drawers is all I got.

They sent you the nice consolation prize as a thank you for not suing them! Shoulda kept 'em!

 

[rshveyda]

I normally do not post on revolver threads. I had a very bad experience in the 80s and will never shoot one again.

I bought a CVA naval revolver. Took it out to the woods and loaded it up, dropped the hammer and all 6 cylinders fired at the same time.
I mailed it back to CVA and they told me that the cylinder gap was to be .002, well mine was .020.
Even with wads in front of the ball, they still fired.
They sent me a match set of Army 44s in a display case for my troubles. I sold them.

The moral of the story is I did not get hurt. powder burns on my hand, and a stain in me drawers is all I got.

With all due respect, if the lead balls were the correct size and shaved a ring of lead off when rammed home, then the unfired cylinders should have been completely sealed off by the balls alone and no spark could have found it's way in from the front. Loose fitting or missing caps are what I've always understood caused chain fires as the spark gets in via the nipple.

Please correct me if wrong.

 

[Blitz]

With all due respect, if the lead balls were the correct size and shaved a ring of lead off when rammed home, then the unfired cylinders should have been completely sealed off by the balls alone and no spark could have found it's way in from the front. Loose fitting or missing caps are what I've always understood caused chain fires as the spark gets in via the nipple.

Please correct me if wrong.

I believe that`s what Sam Colt said - cone .

Buzz

 

[Griz44Mag]

With all due respect, if the lead balls were the correct size and shaved a ring of lead off when rammed home, then the unfired cylinders should have been completely sealed off by the balls alone and no spark could have found it's way in from the front. Loose fitting or missing caps are what I've always understood caused chain fires as the spark gets in via the nipple.

Please correct me if wrong.

I cap my loaded cylinders with a lube cake.
First for the safety (which is not a huge concern)
Second - to lube the barrel ahead of the ball. This GREATLY reduces or totally eliminates barrel leading.
Loading powder from a flask is a risk - but shooting any black powder gun is a risk. How much risk you are willing to take - is a personal choice.
Cylinders are very short, and if there was a smoldering anything in the cylinder, you would probably notice it.
Since I have 2 revolvers, I shoot one and set it aside while I load and shoot the other one. (Time is your friend)
In this scenario - I pour directly from a 30 gr snout into the cylinder. I'm not very worried about it.