Thousands of injuries sounds like something Barbara Boxer and Ted Kennedy would come up with as an excuse to do away with ML's for being too dangerous. This is one of those things that can happen. It is possible, and has happened in the past, but it's very rare. In fact it is so rare that you never hear of it. At one time here in Oregon there was a shoot that required the bore be wiped between every shot just for this reason. It was a big multi state shoot. That rule made so many people mad that the shoot no longer takes place. So, you can see that there are some folks that take this seriously. You can also see that tradionalists and especially buckskinners and a rather independent lot. Now, let me say this -- the chance of premature firing is the very reason why artillery is sponged between shots. After the wet sponge the gunnar places his gloved thumb over the vent to stop the rush of air from possibly fanning a spark as the charge is rammed. However I would guess that the sheer size of the cannon charge and possibilities of embers of the cloth or paper cartridge still being in the breech might be a cause of the spark in the cannon. I don't know of anyone getting hurt loading a rifle or pistol, but I do know of one guy putting on a demonstration trying to rapid fire a muzzleloading cannon and not following proper safety procedures. He lost his ear drums, both eyes and both hands. This happened just a few years ago I think in Utah. Just for the record, I'm one of the guys that quit going to the Oregon shoot because I'm not going to wipe the bore between shots unless my bore is fouled and I have to, and I'm not going to have some city boy tell me I have to. It's my fingers and if I loose some it's my fault. Leave me alone, I'll do it my way, thank you. However, I'm not suggesting that you do that. Just because I don't wipe the bore between shots don't mean you do it that way because I do. There is always a chance that it could happen, and if your are worried about it, wipe the bore between shots. Nobody will laugh at you for doing it, and some of the best shots in the country swab between every shot. I also own a cannon with a two inch bore. I use aluminum foil for the cartridge, and I swab the bore between shots with a really wet sponge. For those of you who think the charge will go off when the powder hits the ember, there fore it wouldn't be shooting a finger off I have something for you to think about, and you can try your own experiments. Somebody can correct me if I'm wrong, and I don't have the exact figures, but it takes somewhere around 400 degrees to set off black powder. A lit cigarete won't set of the powder. Trust me, I have a cannon, and I've primed with 4F and had all sorts of problems getting the priming to ingnite using all sorts of glowing embers. You say "Well in the old days the navy primed with loose powder and fired with the ember on a rope attached to a linstock". Yup, you're right. BUT -- and that's a BIG BUTT. The rope was saturated with salt peter which was to keep it smoldering, and burning hotter to some extent, but not enough. There are at least a dozen or 15 commands that get a navel cannon loaded and run out to fire. The last three commands are, "Prick and Prime -- Gunners, blow your matches -- Fire". Key words, "blow your matches". The ember has to be fanned to a heat that will set off the powder. So when the powder is dumped on the ember, the heat won't set it off at that point. (before I go on, there is always that ember that will make all this out to be a lie -- this is not absolute) continuing: But when the ball is rammed down the bore, the rush of wind out the vent fans the ember and sets off the charge. In the days of the British and the Brown Bess, in combat they would fire, cock the musket and shut the frizzen, tear the cartridge and pour the powder and then ram the ball, paper and all. The rush of air out the vent would prime the pan and they were ready to shoot. I don't recommend doing this either, but seeing as how being in combat is basically dangerous anyhow, one can understand their reasons for accepting the danger of loading that way. So if the rush of air will prime the pan, then it will also fan a spark. So back to the question -- can it happen? The answer is yes. Does it happen? I've never heard of it happening. Over the 500 or so years that muzzleloaders have been around have there been thousands of fingers lost to this cause? I doubt it. I'd expect more injuries from a sharp patch knife cutting the patch at the muzzle than form embers in the bore. :m2c:
