Safety Advice

[Stantheman86]

I had the same thought, also when loading lubed Minie balls, that I was pushing air out of the nipple , even with the hammer down,and basically pushing against air pressure to load. I'm like, what if this bullet rises up a half inch?

2 patched balls, I'd be afraid of not getting the 2nd spherical object seated tightly against the first one and bulging or blowing my barrel.

 

[Rat]

If you load both balls at once, that will keep them seated tightly together. However, I figure that if you need to load two balls, what you really need is a larger caliber.

 

[Dan Masson]

Maybe the loader studdered?
I just bought a gun that is loaded. I posted in percussion section "pawn shop find". I have not cleared it yet.
X-ray...great idea! I know someone that works in imaging, I'll ask if she can take pictures before I work on it!
Dan

 

[Sean Gadhar]

Well I am going to tell on myself. . . . ..

I had shot my .32 quite a bit out at the range and in the sage rabbit hunting.

I took it Squirrel hunting and in the quite woods sneaking around, when I took a shot and ONLY the cap went off, it seemed just as loud as when the charge went off in the sage. It wasn't until I tried to ram home the next load that I noticed my rod was sticking out 2" too much.

5??? I have no Idea but 2? 2 I can tell you all about.

 

[bang]

If the pop of the primer sounds to you like the charge went off it might be a good idea to add inserting the ram rod to make sure before loading to your routine.

 

[Carbon 6]

If the pop of the primer sounds to you like the charge went off it might be a good idea to add inserting the ram rod to make sure before loading to your routine.

Yep!' and while you're doing that, you might as well put a patch on the end of it and make the most of it.
Swabbing between shots eliminates more problems than just fouling build up.

 

[Britsmoothy]

Well I am going to tell on myself. . . . ..

I had shot my .32 quite a bit out at the range and in the sage rabbit hunting.

I took it Squirrel hunting and in the quite woods sneaking around, when I took a shot and ONLY the cap went off, it seemed just as loud as when the charge went off in the sage. It wasn't until I tried to ram home the next load that I noticed my rod was sticking out 2" too much.

5??? I have no Idea but 2? 2 I can tell you all about.

So how come you did not notice a distinct lack of any smoke?
If my gun sounded no louder than a cap I would be adding more powder!

 

[Sean Gadhar]

So how come you did not notice a distinct lack of any smoke?
If my gun sounded no louder than a cap I would be adding more powder!

Squirrel hunting,
I shot and 100% of my attention was on the squirrel.
That .32 blows rabbits heads near clean off with 20 Grains (by volume). Out in the open with the wind etc etc it sounds like "Pop" At the range with ear protection on it sounds like "pop" in the dead quiet of the deep woods it must have sounded about the same, all I know is it happened. Haven't you ever noticed the kick of a firearm at the range, yet can't recall any kick at all while shooting game? Or thought how loud your _ _ _ _ _ was and the range, yet couldn't remember noticing when you shot that game animal 2 days later with no hearing protection?

Maybe it is just me, my wife calls me "unique" from time to time, and I don't think she means in a good way
As I recall when I used to waterfowl hunt, those magnum loads sure punched when I was pattering them, but I can't remember them kicking at all when I had a bead on a goose.

 

[Sean Gadhar]

If the pop of the primer sounds to you like the charge went off it might be a good idea to add inserting the ram rod to make sure before loading to your routine.

Having never had it happen before I was stunned that I had not heard the difference.

 

[Eddie2002]

Haven't bough a loaded muzzle loader yet and I do check for them but got a powder horn from a pawn shop last year that had about a half pound of black powder still in it. The powder was lumped up and wouldn't shake so I'm guessing the pawn shop didn't know it was there. Poked the powder out with a brass rod and used it at the range with no problems.

 

[Britsmoothy]

Squirrel hunting,
I shot and 100% of my attention was on the squirrel.
That .32 blows rabbits heads near clean off with 20 Grains (by volume). Out in the open with the wind etc etc it sounds like "Pop" At the range with ear protection on it sounds like "pop" in the dead quiet of the deep woods it must have sounded about the same, all I know is it happened. Haven't you ever noticed the kick of a firearm at the range, yet can't recall any kick at all while shooting game? Or thought how loud your _ _ _ _ _ was and the range, yet couldn't remember noticing when you shot that game animal 2 days later with no hearing protection?

Maybe it is just me, my wife calls me "unique" from time to time, and I don't think she means in a good way
As I recall when I used to waterfowl hunt, those magnum loads sure punched when I was pattering them, but I can't remember them kicking at all when I had a bead on a goose.

Fair enough.
I get the unique thing.
My wife is somewhat more blunt than yours, I just get "your nuts"!
I can be blamed for leaving powder at home, shot or caps....several times.
Then there is the dry loads and no screw occasions!

 

[bisleyjohn]

I am terrified of making a pipe-bomb with my lovely PH Enfield. When I load my minnies, if I pause for some reason, half way down, the air pressure pushes the rod back up a little. Thus, when the ball is seated, I pause a second or two, then apply three firm taps (bashes) with the rod. It may well deform the nose but I’d rather a larger group than no gun.

And then, yesterday, gossiping on the firing point, I dry-balled. I’m surprised you didn’t hear me over the pond!

 

[bang]

Air should blow out with hammer on half cock.

 

[Grenadier1758]

Tell us whether you are using an over powder wad. If you use a waxed over powder wad, that wad will seal the bore and loading the minie ball will result in the capture of air under the ball. If you use a wad, then push the wad flush with the ball. Push wad and minie' ball down together. That should prevent the compressed air under the ball as air can easily pass through the powder and out the nipple.

 

[bisleyjohn]

I don't use a wad, my minnes are lubed with my own fairly soft brew, both in the grooves and I fill the hollow base. (It's in the barrel too short a time for the powder to 'get wet'.) Normally I wouldn't go to half-cock until the rifle is horizontal which is when I place the cap on. Then to full-cock when the rifle is in the shoulder. After firing, half-cock, blow down the barrel (paranoid about hot embers/gasses) then lower the hammer to load the powder down a full length tube.

 

[Grenadier1758]

Your hammer must have a very good fit to the nipple to seal the bore to prevent air flowing out through the nipple. Can you get a nipple with a relief hole drilled in the side such as a Hot Shot nipple? I do see a safety advantage to loading with the hammer down on the nipple.

 

[bisleyjohn]

I had no idea that there was such a thing as a ‘Hot Shot’ nipple. I make my own although I do have some ‘factory’ ones. I was taught, many years ago, to load with the hammer down and have never thought to change or even question it. I am however, always happy and grateful to receive any comments/help/criticism to improve my shooting and keep me safe alongside fellow shooters. I have had forty years of good times with a number of firearms and shooting has made me lots of good friends. Sorry to use foul language, but I’m involved with nitro shooting this week, 7WSM/284/308 with the European F class championships. It’s all target shooting and 99% are good people.

 

[Bad Karma]

Not to doubt anyone, but that sounds like "one of those stories"...never heard of such a practice; what if you had to run in a direction not toward a "stash"...grain of salt there!

It sounds like an action sequence from a movie, more than an actual practice.

 

[TFoley]

It’s all target shooting and 99% are good people.

And the 1% who are not?

Who might they be, Sir?

 

[Pete G]

And the 1% who are not?

Who might they be, Sir?

You will know them when you see them.