The things that you see at the range

[ord sgt]

Hunting season is approaching. The "hunters" are flocking to the range to prepare for opening day.

Two shooters brought out their percussion rifles, wanting to try m/l season for the first time. One rifle was an inline but the other was a 40+ year old Navy caplock kit rifle.
Shooter tried cap after cap, but no boom. I asked if he had snapped a few caps on an empty barrel and the answer was "no'. This was with musket caps. He then pulled the cone, trickled some artificial BP in and replaced the nipple. Big boom then.
The hammer was blown back to half cock. Shooter says "that's normal"
I walked away after hearing the powder charge was 100 gr on bp substitute on top of a T/C maxi ball.

There is no reasoning with some people.

 

[Alden]

Ouch.

Some, not I, would ensure dangerous hunters who came out of their cages every hunting season were SO off target when they were being helped sight in that they would never go hunting again.

 

[Rifleman1776]

musket caps

For whatever reason, a lot of musket caps have large flash holes and are coned. This forces a lot of pressure back up causing the half-cock thing.

 

[hanshi]

"Kids, our new word for the day is i-d-i-o-t. Who can tell the class what the word means....?"

 

[pa woods roamer]

Best one I`ve seen was a new shooter that showed up and already knew everything about shooting a M`loader. Best part was when He cut a two Inch strip of cleaning cloth that was as long as His ram rod. We tried to stop Him knowing that It would jam up in the Barrel. But, he claimed he read that It was a very effective way to clean A barrel!! Well, he went Home with a dirty Barrel and a very stuck Ram rod......

 

[Toomuch51]

Unfortunately, offering some "factual" information (not ridicule) is about the best one can do in these situations.

Toomuch
-----------
Shoot Flint

 

[zimmerstutzen]

Left more than one range session early because I didn't want to be there for the blood and guts that would probably occur.

 

[Billnpatti]

Everybody has to start somewhere. I can remember way back somewhere around 1970, or maybe a bit earlier, I got my first muzzleloading rifle. Like many folks, mine was a T/C Hawken kit that I had built. I knew virtually nothing about muzzleloading but was fortunate enough to have a muzzleloading business near me that had a 100 yard range specifically for muzzleloaders. I would go out there to shoot and got a lot of very helpful advice from folks who would approach me with things like "Excuse me, but I noticed that you were doing _______. Do you mind if I make a suggestion?" Naturally, with an approach like that, who could be offended and I got LOTS of great advice and got started in a great sport that I have enjoyed for over 40 years. But, what if they had approached me in a negative way with criticism instead of helpful advice? I may have just thought that muzzleloading was too damned complicated and dangerous and just have sold my rifle and given up. Our approach needs to be gentlemanly and our advice gentle and helpful. If we see something dangerous, of course, stop it instantly before someone is hurt or killed but then use tact in explaining why you interveined and then show and explain the safe and correct way to do whatever they were doing dangerously. Gentle, tactful, informative and helpful is the way to go. In the process, you might make a new friend. :thumbsup:

 

[Toomuch51]

Everybody has to start somewhere. I can remember way back somewhere around 1970, or maybe a bit earlier, I got my first muzzleloading rifle. Like many folks, mine was a T/C Hawken kit that I had built. I knew virtually nothing about muzzleloading but was fortunate enough to have a muzzleloading business near me that had a 100 yard range specifically for muzzleloaders. I would go out there to shoot and got a lot of very helpful advice from folks who would approach me with things like "Excuse me, but I noticed that you were doing _______. Do you mind if I make a suggestion?" Naturally, with an approach like that, who could be offended and I got LOTS of great advice and got started in a great sport that I have enjoyed for over 40 years. But, what if they had approached me in a negative way with criticism instead of helpful advice? I may have just thought that muzzleloading was too damned complicated and dangerous and just have sold my rifle and given up. Our approach needs to be gentlemanly and our advice gentle and helpful. If we see something dangerous, of course, stop it instantly before someone is hurt or killed but then use tact in explaining why you interveined and then show and explain the safe and correct way to do whatever they were doing dangerously. Gentle, tactful, informative and helpful is the way to go. In the process, you might make a new friend. :thumbsup:

Here-Here :hatsoff:.
A good positive approach will make all the difference between a new friend and a disgruntled enemy.

Toomuch
---------
Shoot Flint

 

[zimmerstutzen]

When I started in MLing, I asked questions and appreciated the information I could get. There were a few books and old timers, no internet.

Today, unfortunately despite all attempts at tact, some folks generally have little or no patience because they were born knowing it all and view any helpful suggestion as an insult to their intelligence. I see it in shooting, in government, in everything. It seems to be an broad affliction among the genx'rs

 

[necchi]

:haha:
Your right about the young folks that;
"generally have little or no patience because they were born knowing it all"

But I think that has afflicted every Generation since mankind began!

Our fathers said that about us, and their fathers said it about them and,,, :wink:

 

[Billnpatti]

Yeah, there is a certain faction who doesn't seem to know bird s**t from wild honey :idunno: and like it that way . As long as those folks are not presenting a hazard to themselves or someone else, such as the stuck ramrod story, and refuse to listen to reason, you just have to let them make their mistakes and suffer the consequences. But, if they are doing something that will injure themselves or someone else, you can only tell them and if they refuse to listen, you must inform the range officer and let him handle it. If there is no range officer, and they are presenting a danger to you, all you can do is leave the range, go have a cup of coffee and wait for the ambulance to leave.

 

[Alden]

Difference is the kids today are so removed from reality each thinks they are unique and "worth it." The only thing I love about the current administration in Washington is it is dashing all these dopey Call-of-Duty video-gamers' irrational dreams to the ground quickly (I mean besides the lies they still swallow and being on their parent's health insurance policy until they are 26).

One wispy college graduate kid here thinks he is a Ninja and is studying to be a physical trainer -- he helps all his friends and that's what he's going to do for a living for real, he thinks. Delusional. And with a BP gun -- maybe dangerous.

 

[Swamp Rat]

One wispy college graduate kid here thinks he is a Ninja and is studying to be a physical trainer -- he helps all his friends and that's what he's going to do for a living for real, he thinks. Delusional. And with a BP gun -- maybe dangerous.

And this coming from the guy in a three musketteer outfit. Sorry Alden just poken fun with you.

 

[Rifleman1776]

you can only tell them and if they refuse to listen, you must inform the range officer and let him handle it. If there is no range officer, and they are presenting a danger to you, all you can do is leave

Amen to that. I can't count the number of times I'll see someone in the woods and after talking to them they tell me they have loaded their muzzle loader with the powder out of a shotgun shell. :shocked2: When I try to explain how dangerous that is they tell me to 'f' off and then they say "it ain't blowed up yet". I love the "yet" part. But I have heard that so many times I'm almost numb to it. But, I do leave their vicinty as quickly as I can.

 

[rodwha]

:rotf:

 

[rodwha]

That was me growing up!

I can remember countless things my mother told me that I shouldn't do because this or that will happen. But I was smarter than that, and this is a newer generation! What could she possibly know about today?!?!

After a few years of living with consequences and seeing it for myself I finally wisened up a bit and listen. Doesn't mean I always do it, but I certainly prefer to learn from someone else's mistake these days than my own!

I also learned that my sense of logic is more than willing to let me down!

 

[ol vern]

you can only tell them and if they refuse to listen, you must inform the range officer and let him handle it. If there is no range officer, and they are presenting a danger to you, all you can do is leave

Amen to that. I can't count the number of times I'll see someone in the woods and after talking to them they tell me they have loaded their muzzle loader with the powder out of a shotgun shell. :shocked2: When I try to explain how dangerous that is they tell me to 'f' off and then they say "it ain't blowed up yet". I love the "yet" part. But I have heard that so many times I'm almost numb to it. But, I do leave their vicinty as quickly as I can.

Only Darwin can fix stupid

 

[Alden]

And this coming from the guy in a three musketteer outfit. Sorry Alden just poken fun with you.

Hey, I make a decent living as a candy bar!!! Milk chocolate, fluffy nouget...

 

[Wes/Tex]

And this coming from the guy in a three musketteer outfit. Sorry Alden just poken fun with you.

Hey, I make a decent living as a candy bar!!! Milk chocolate, fluffy nouget...

Swinging on the castle curtains, sword fighting on the furniture....