Shotgun came already loaded.

[Sparkitoff]

I was looking for an older lightweight SxS shotgun and someone here said they had one. After due diligence I was satisfied that the deal was legit and we proceeded. The gun arrived and it is in better condition than described and photos indicated. The Seller said he bought several guns in order to get one in the bundle that he really wanted. Admitted he didn’t know much about these.

I was going to clean, check and oil the barrels. When I looked down them with a light I did not see the breach, but rather a flat white surface in both barrels. I used a patch screw and removed a white card from each. Then I could see shot, which I dumped out. There was an orange thing still in there that I could pull to the choke but then it would stick. I used a CO2 discharge and everything came out into a bucket. The orange was cork, lubed wads. I measured what I could out of curiosity. 90 grains of powder and 1 1/8 oz or mixed shot, size 2,6 and 8. The nipple threads had slight rust and the breach face. It came right off. First time for me, coming across a loaded ML upon inspection. CHECK, Check, check! I let the Seller know, but I’m not upset, I know he didn’t know and I’m glad he didn’t load and try to shoot as he may have hurt himself or the gun. On a side note, the nipple threads and just slightly more upright than the 4 other Pedersolis I have. While I switched the others to musket cap with a simple nipple swap, this one doesn’t squarely hit the musket cap nipples. I figured out a minor mod to the nipple that will work and I’ll get that done later today. Please beware of “new”, used MLs …. They could be loaded.

 

[Britsmoothy]

Yep, happens often.
I drop the rammer down first.
Don't be looking down there until sure.

 

[Thingamajiggy]

Have not had it happen to me yet but I've heard enough stories. Why we have the basic rule of 'handle every firearm as if it were loaded'. Anytime I pick up a gun, even my own, I check to see if it's loaded, something my Dad instilled in me as a young boy. Glad you checked and nobody was hurt. Thanks for the PSA.

 

[BillinOregon]

Years ago I was invited to help curate the firearms collection of the Southern Oregon Historical Society in Jacksonville, Oregon. The collection included several percussion doubles and as I recall, at least two of them were loaded. One specimen had suffered a catastrophic failure of the right barrel about midway up the forend, about where the forward hand would have supported the gun. The left barrel was still loaded and I can imagine that this fact was forgotten about by the poor soul who very likely had just lost fingers! Yes , ALWAYS CHECK!

 

[Rifleman1776]

I'm shipping a gun to a member here today. And, YES, I did check to make sure it is not loaded.

 

[Sidney Smith]

I bought a beat up 50 caliber rifle from a guy at work. Yes, it was a Traditions. He wanted $50 for the gun and a bunch of kit. For that price I said "hell yeah!" Upon dropping the ram rod down the pipe, I could tell something was amiss. I did what I probably shouldn't have and looked down the bore with a light. Sure enough, loaded with a ballistic tip modern bullet. I primed it up and took it out back. Aimed at a large willow in our yard and pulled the trigger... BOOM! Next day I told him about it. He didn't even remember the last time he fired the gun. He asked if I hit the tree. I never checked. My son now has that gun for when his youngest is old enough to hunt.

 

[Brazos John]

Sure enough, loaded with a ballistic tip modern bullet. I primed it up and took it out back. Aimed at a large willow in our yard and pulled the trigger... BOOM!

Please let me be the first to tell you how lucky you were!
A modern bullet?
How did you know there wasn't modern powder behind it?
A shooter posted the photos of his remaining hand parts after loading smokeless and shooting it.
I'm glad that you still have all of your fingers! (Assumption on my part).

 

[Hermit Tim]

I bought a Traditions Pioneer on GB several years ago. It was delivered loaded through the postal service. The whole gun was clean and slick as a whistle so I just made sure it was seated and let her rip. I let the seller know so he could be sure to check the next time. I did wonder what would have happened if the postal folks somehow found out it was loaded.

 

[Brazos John]

I just made sure it was seated and let her rip.

Another lucky guy!
There are too many new shooters here to be telling them that you got away with this.
I'm glad you did, seriously, but not everybody gets that lucky.
The photos of the guy's fingers blown away put the fear of God into me regarding smokeless powder.
I'll try to find the posting...

 

[Brazos John]

I remembered it to be worse than it actually was.
I hate dumping powder, but if you didn't load it, sometimes you have to be extra careful!

Previous thread:
https://www.muzzleloadingforum.com/...ader-like-a-banana.154947/page-2#post-2194053

 

[Britsmoothy]

What I never understood is that when something feels "amiss" down there folk think they should take a look. It's a bit like looking down a hose pipe wondering if the water is coming.....

 

[cynthialee]

never fire a mystery load!

a number of years back I bought a handful of BP pistols from the local pawn shop
one of them was loaded, almost shot it but decided to just pull the load.... it was loaded with a modern smokeless powder!
When I saw them silvery flakes I almost shot....my tail end was in a serious pucker. I almost shot a pipe bomb.

 

[deerstalkert]

rules i live by.
never shoot someone else's reloads
never shoot a rifle loaded by someone else
there are people out there that would intentionally "spike" a gun with smokeless. in addition to people out there that are just dumb enough to use smokeless.

 

[bluemule66]

I have purchased more than one that was loaded. I have NEVER tried to shoot them out! I did get one screaming deal one tome because the local gun store said it was loaded. Took it home and found a patched .54 ball rammed down a .50 barrel! luckily there was no powder.

 

[Hermit Tim]

Another lucky guy!
There are too many new shooters here to be telling them that you got away with this.
I'm glad you did, seriously, but not everybody gets that lucky.
The photos of the guy's fingers blown away put the fear of God into me regarding smokeless powder.
I'll try to find the posting...

In my case I talked to the guy on the phone and he said, if it was loaded, it would be a charge of Pyrodex. I spoke with him several times and he seemed to know his stuff. Also, when stuff like this happens, I put on the safety glasses and do the one handed, arm stretched way out, pistol shot. I don't want to lose any fingers.

 

[Brazos John]

spoke with him several times

That makes a difference.
I'm glad it worked out well.
I hope everyone else is as careful.

 

[The Crisco Kid]

If you have to shoot a mystery load, tie the thing down to an old tire and fire it with a long string. Preferably while you're hiding behind a tree.

 

[Sidney Smith]

Spare me the advice guys. Ive known this gentleman for years. I know he was a user of black powder, not modern stuff. The only modern component was the ballistic tipped bullet, of the kind they use in inlines. I guess I should've mentioned that, to avoid the chastising. Its not as if I had bought the gun from a stranger. He simply forgot the gun was loaded. I had all confidence that the shot would be fine and it was.

 

[springfield art]

I was looking for an older lightweight SxS shotgun and someone here said they had one. After due diligence I was satisfied that the deal was legit and we proceeded. The gun arrived and it is in better condition than described and photos indicated. The Seller said he bought several guns in order to get one in the bundle that he really wanted. Admitted he didn’t know much about these.

I was going to clean, check and oil the barrels. When I looked down them with a light I did not see the breach, but rather a flat white surface in both barrels. I used a patch screw and removed a white card from each. Then I could see shot, which I dumped out. There was an orange thing still in there that I could pull to the choke but then it would stick. I used a CO2 discharge and everything came out into a bucket. The orange was cork, lubed wads. I measured what I could out of curiosity. 90 grains of powder and 1 1/8 oz or mixed shot, size 2,6 and 8. The nipple threads had slight rust and the breach face. It came right off. First time for me, coming across a loaded ML upon inspection. CHECK, Check, check! I let the Seller know, but I’m not upset, I know he didn’t know and I’m glad he didn’t load and try to shoot as he may have hurt himself or the gun. On a side note, the nipple threads and just slightly more upright than the 4 other Pedersolis I have. While I switched the others to musket cap with a simple nipple swap, this one doesn’t squarely hit the musket cap nipples. I figured out a minor mod to the nipple that will work and I’ll get that done later today. Please beware of “new”, used MLs …. They could be loaded.

I had a US musket back in the 80's that came with a load in it! How long it had been there, who knows! I've seen numerous mentions of this situation in muzzleloading reading.

 

[Blitz]

I bought a Traditions Pioneer on GB several years ago. It was delivered loaded through the postal service. The whole gun was clean and slick as a whistle so I just made sure it was seated and let her rip. I let the seller know so he could be sure to check the next time. I did wonder what would have happened if the postal folks somehow found out it was loaded.

Was it capped ?