Patch knife, how do I use it?

[JOHN L. HINNANT]

Greeting All,

Let me assure everybody that my posting was never intended to start a blow/swab debate/firestorm.

But, as Dixie Flinter stated,....."this is an important safety issue". There seems to always be a lot of new or inexperienced shooters on the forum, and while I see postings I do not agree with, I do not always jump to the keyboard to dispute them.

But then and again, one leaps out at me, and I think maybe I can make a difference. At least, I hope so.

This idea of blowing down the barrel is one of those. I personally do consider it to be a very unsafe practice, But knowing human nature, will not argue or debate with those who are set in their ways. The Lord knows I am set enough in my ways.

It seems to be a sad fact that new safety rules are put into place after a serious accident has happened; after a brief lapse of common sense that should have prevented the incident.

It was not that many years back a relative new shooter, at the NMLRA CHAMPIONSHIPS, using a bench rifle with a false muzzle failed to remove the false muzzle before placing the rifle on the bench. Only after capping and cocking the hammer, did he notice the false muzzle was still in place.

This gentleman in one of those brief lapses of common sense, reached out to the muzzle and began to remove the false muzzle. The lightly set trigger jarred loose, the rifle discharged with close to a 200 grain charge of 2FF Goex blackj powder, and a human hand was virtually destroyed.

Today the NMLRA and TMLRA has a range rule requiring ALL fasle muzzles to be secured to the loading bench with a safety line.

I suspect all of us have experienced one of those brief lapses of common sense and afterwards looked upward and said, "thank you for looking out for me".

Since I am the one who started this debate, let me try to stop it. Both sides of this issue have been stated, and neither side is going to be inclined to change or at least admit it.

So we can agree to disagree and move on to other issues.

Best regards,

John L. Hinnant

 

[connerm]

Just one more thing...I think its safer to cut patches with the blade pointing away from your body.

 

[CrackStock]

I wrote this years ago for another forum and have rewritten it a few times for others as this topic came up:


Why you should not put muzzles in your mouth:

Not doing this is the one thing that the NRA, NMLRA, Jeff Cooper, and I agree upon fully.

Most common Rule 1 of gun handling is keeping the muzzle pointed in a safe direction and your head does not qualify.

Your Hunter Safety Instructor will be sorely disappointed and pull your safety card :nono:

The NMLRA certified range officer will be required to escort you to the gate

It serves no purpose that swabbing with a damp patch will not do better

It won't melt in there and BP residue tastes pretty bad anyway

Lead is not good for you

Freud will have bad things to say about you and that long barrel :shocking:

Some of your shooting buddies will say awful things about your preferences (cleaning of course)

You have enough holes in your head

Our insurance is high enough

We do not need the very bad publicity -- Try explaining this image to the press after somebody publicizes a photo of you doing this :no:

On the other hand, maybe we can find some ML manufacturer who will mate an ML gun with a mouth friendly muzzle. :hmm:

If you must, please use protection. (A rubber should suffice.) :crackup:

Please accept this as my humorous way of saying that you and our sport are both important to me.

YMHS,
CrackStock

 

[Stumpkiller]

Freud will have bad things to say about you and that long barrel

:crackup: I was going to include something along that concept but deleted it. :crackup:

"Und you feel dis act causes you to schoot better? Dis is interesting." :hmm:

 

[CrackStock]

Uh ohhhhh!

I wrote:

"If you must, please use protection. (A rubber should suffice.)"

but, I meant to say a rubber tube!!!

Sorry ::

CS

 

[susie s]

I was taught to blow down the barrel-is deeply ingrained in me. When they made the NMLRA rule against blowing down the barrel Whitey Nusky and I went to the hardware store and got some tubing. Now I blow using the tubing-it's legal, and it drives some of them crazy and I feel better about the whole thing. I'm still careful not to have my face or any other body parts above the muzzle when I'm loading, though. S

 

[CrackStock]

Actually, Suzie I have no real problem with the tube which aside from the humor is why I included it. I know that there is a tradition involved. However, I still think that a damp patch is better in many situations.

CS