Muzzleloading's Impact on Health

[Sparkitoff]

A have some questions that I don't see were previously discussed. If you're a medical professional please state so in your reply, but I welcome opinions of anyone.

1) Is the "report" or sound from a muzzleloader more or less damaging to hearing than the cartridge counterpart type arm? I use earplugs or a headset (or both) so does that make a difference in what effect the muzzleloader compared to conventional arm has on hearing if some protection is used?

2) If the smoke is inadvertently ingested or inhaled are there potential symptoms, side effects or risks. If so, are there any remedies for immediate implementation or after-care?

3) How about eyes? I wear eye protection at the range but admit to only using it sometimes while hunting. Regardless, the smoke can get in your eyes or the person with you nearby. Is there any risks and treatments that should be known when a large amount of smoke gets in the eye(s)?

4) It has been said that the recoil of a muzzleloading rifle or smoothbore is "different" than a conventional counterpart. Based on the physics of the recoil is there any more or less potential risk to organs, skeleto-muscular structure or body systems with ML compared to a conventional cartridge firing counterpart? I realized loads and calibers are different so I am asking in general or in comparison to some reference.

Thanks

 

[Osseon]

I'll take a whack at this, not a doctor and actually quite new to ML hobby.

1) I have incredibly sensitive hearing, and I wear your standard ear gummies with headphones on over them. 5.56 rifles make my ears ring still. I fire my blunderbuss and have fired a long rifle with only ear gummies or headphones, and it doesn't seem to have any ringing effect.

2) Smoke from a black powder rifle would probably be the same as smoke ingested from any fire, and probably 1:1 from inhaling smoke from the 4th of july when all those fireworks are going off. Its not good for you, don't be huffing it out of the air like a weirdo. That being said it typically isn't blowing into my face and I don't get a lot of it in my lungs. Basically treat it as you would any other smoke.

3) Eye protection is highly recommended because flint does break off tiny pieces. Some locks eat up flints quickly and spray shards. Others barely anything. The fireball flash and everything else is fine and won't hurt your eyes. The only thing is the bits of rock that can fly off. If someone is standing to your right they will probably feel something. I've never been hit in the face with rocks, but I've only been doing this for a few months and I've heard some people feel grit hit their forehead or whatever. Its mainly a non issue but still highly recommend it. Smoke in eyes would be non issue, your eyes are good at catching and filtering that stuff out into tears that you wipe or blink away.

4) Recoil is absolutely nothing compared to equivalent arms. I fire a .69 round ball and is significantly less impactful than a 8mm mauser rifle I fire often. The 8mm can actually bruise me. I let me 95lb sister in law fire the blunderbuss even with horrible firing posture because I knew it wouldn't be enough to hurt her. Unlike modern guns that are snapping and punching your shoulder while launching projectiles, the recoil is more like hanging onto a tube as a combustion happens and pushes your ball out the other end, and its still recoil but it feels more gradual (Within a fraction of a second).

PS EDIT: Make sure to wash your hands after handling all the material like lead balls and powder. Try your best not to touch your mouth and eyes after touching lead. Don't be one of those guys that put the lead ball in your mouth and you should be fine lol.
I'm pretty sensitive of my hearing, and I'm scared of toxic stuff, but most of the stuff in Black powder is pretty safe. Lead is the biggest thing and I just make sure to wash your hands before doing anything else.

 

[user 48679]

FWIW, I find shooting front stuffers to be therapeutic in all respects...……….

 

[deermanok]

Remember that old song by the Platters, Smoke gets in your eyes.

 

[Smokey Plainsman]

i chew up led balls jus like tha ol tymers dont bothar me nun no how moma sed ima smart boy

 

[tenngun]

I don’t wear hearing protection, and I’ve suffered for it. At 63 my hearing ain’t what it should be, I should have.
The smoke is mostly blowing away from you
Recoil is proportional to weight of the ball and velocity. ML can have big projectiles but low velocity and the big guns seem to often be heavy and absorb a lot recoil. With the low velocity the recoil is more of a push.
That said some guns can be kickers. Slim light guns tend kick and some of the big guns can be real kickers. But shoulders will take a hit before you other innards
I shot a long time with out glasses, been wearing them steady these last fifteen years. Ear protection is a should,eyes a must.

 

[Whitworth]

I'm with Osseon, the muzzle loaded boom is different than the 5.56 crack which goes thru my skull. I always wear plugs and muffs to save what hearing I have at 70.
Smoke, probably not good in a confined space but a lung full now and then outside with a wind shift is no worse than visiting a volcano or a visit to Yellowstone.
Eyes, can't be too careful, ERs and eye Docs are no fun, been there done that.
Recoil is different, can still be heavy but not as sharp an impulse. YMMV

 

[TFoley]

I respectfully recommend that the OP takes up the bow and arrow, where the low twang of the string is unlikely to offend the ears, and neither nose nor eyes are deleteriously affected in any remarkable way.

Addendum - I have to note that the OP has posted these questions elsewhere on the internet, and received similar responses to those in posts #2 to #7.

 

[hanshi]

Whenever I fire guns, including muzzleloaders, I always wear ear protection (plugs and muffs) and eye protection. Not so much in the deer woods as one shot is usually taken.

 

[Jim Nasium]

I'm so confused...

 

[Mulebrain]

The grinning far outweighs any adverse health effects.

 

[user 36911]

Breathing smoke, loud bangs, and thumping my shoulder makes me a mountain man.

I wouldn't have it any other way. I'm 78 and that stuff hasn't killed me yet.

Man-up and enjoy it.

 

[ord sgt]

I enjoy shooting m/l much more than modern firearms. You learn to relax and concentrate on the act of loading the firearm, patience is learned, to prevent mistakes. I can spend an afternoon at the range and fire at my target maybe 10 times. No hurry, no worry, just enjoying the time outdoors. Just good, clean(?) fun.
As for the handling of lead, I, like many others, melt and cast lead roundball and minies. Hours spent near a hot pot of lead hasn't affected me much, if at all. A friend , who also melts lead, during a blood test, requested that they check the lead level in his blood sample. It came back at levels lower than those who never handle lead.
We make sport of inhaling powder smoke. It's a "fix". We have not felt any ill effects yet (we are both ex smokers and tobacco chewer). Been shooting M/L for 40 years.
I am not involved in the medical field but I did stay at a Holiday Inn once.

 

[user 36911]

I did stay at a Holiday Inn once.

I'd sooner sleep in an old log.

 

[oldwood]

Don't do what I did , accidentally spending 20 years with ctg. guns. Muzzleloaders are far and away more fun ,and challenging than ctg. guns. I had to learn to hunt 18th century style , for deer . Wouldn't trade one moment of muzzleloading for anything. Oh , forgot one thing , met a new friend at a 1971 m/l shoot and we have been shooting and hunting together for the last 50 years.

 

[Winchester97]

The only health effect I can point out is your wife trying to smother you with a pillow when she adds up how much money you have spent on this hobby.

 

[JohnnieT]

Probably safer than COVID

 

[Sparkitoff]

TFoley has made a false statement. I’ve never posted these questions anywhere else nor before this post. The questions are serious and the responses are appreciated.

 

[Omahkapi'si]

Make smoke....we're a long time dead.

 

[Henry Miles]

What don't kill you, makes you stronger! Smoke 'em if you got 'em...