Unloaded muzzleloader at the range?

[BuffaloSoldier]

At the range I shoot at, they have a neat little International Orange device that slips in the muzzle.

 

[Stantheman86]

I don't have RSO's, the people using the rifle range are supposed to be the "RSO's" and not everyone gets the concept of "clearing" a muzzleloader as more than once I've been ramming a bullet down the pipe or pouring powder, and some guy will simply tell me that he's "about to go down range" and I'm like, I have to cap this round off, I'm loaded....and I can't unload without a lot of labor I'm not going through when I can just fire......

Plus I'm not leaving my rifle with powder in the breech and no projectile....making me have to remember that it's charged but not loaded....and I have to keep it in mind during the probably 20 minutes the guys will be downrange changing targets etc so I don't double charge or have to run my rod down to "feel" for powder which I've had to do....

ONE time, of almost putting 2 Minie balls down the barrel and you will be 10000% more mindful, I guarantee it. I'm just glad the light bulb went off and I remembered that I had 3 Minies on the bench and I just grabbed one of 2 that were left after I got distracted by some guy who wanted to drive his truck downrange ... I dropped the rod down and "clunk" , sure enough, I was loaded .. Another reason to love paper cartridges , they are "dummy proof"

 

[The Damned Yankee]

I would suggest a frizzen stall on a flinter they can and have fired with no primer just the spark from the flint.

Yes. A leather hammer / frizzen stall is the way to go to make your flintlock safe. It covers the frizzen and prevents the flint from striking it and sparking. If you are worried about conforming you can always paint the leather bright red or orange. Forget inserting the rammer or range rod. It does not determine that the gun is unloaded. (It can even be launched down range!) Stay safe out there. DY

 

[Bobby44]

Being down range when two (2) folks shoot is not in my definition of being too safe!!

They should be banned from the range, dead is dead.

Never had that happen but many years ago my son and I were downrange and long comes a clown. puts his rifle on rests and lines up behind. I noticed him sitting there and made a frantic wave. - nothing. We ducked out sideways and headed back to introduce myself. By the time we got there another member had come over and was escorting him out! It is a scary situation when something stupid happens.

 

[springfield art]

The range I shoot at has process when the range gos cold. All receivers open and a bright red plastic flag like device threaded through receiver to demonstrate an unloaded condition. As the only ML there, I have no idea what to do with the flag thing. As the RO walks the line, they just shake their heads and move on. How do you guys handle this issue. How does one show an unloaded muzzleloader at the range?

Just some sort of red/yellow "flag" that won't slip down the barrel, to at least signal that you are aware and have paid attention to the "unloaded" command. Shows compliance and attention to detail. Make your own up with short piece wood dowel and affix little colorful "flag" of some sort.

 

[mmb617]

That said, "can't be too safe," is still a path to extremes. Such as, the flintlock doesn't fire, so they flint must be adjusted. Is it not reasonable to make sure the pan is empty, maybe (i would) plug the flash hole, and move the flint forward in the jaws or flip it over? Maybe remove it, knap it, and put it back. Then unplug, reprime, aim downrange, and try the shot again?

That's exactly what I do. I have a rule of thumb that I will try to get the gun to fire three times while on the firing line. If I have three failures then I go to the bench and run through the procedure you have listed.

The range I use has no RSO's and I'm almost always the only one there, but if there is another shooter I ask them to wait at the bench so they don't walk up to the firing line. I then keep my gun pointed down range while working on it. We have one range that is dedicated to black powder shooters so anyone shooting there understands what's going on with these guns.

 

[Shadowalker164]

I have not found myself needing to transport a charged and loaded muzzleloader. I live in Florida, and if I have this right, a muzzleloader is considered unloaded if it lacks an ignition source. It can be transported and stored as an unloaded weapon. I’m not sure it’s a great idea, but ML is different

 

[BackDraft]

Yes. A leather hammer / frizzen stall is the way to go to make your flintlock safe. It covers the frizzen and prevents the flint from striking it and sparking. If you are worried about conforming you can always paint the leather bright red or orange. Forget inserting the rammer or range rod. It does not determine that the gun is unloaded. (It can even be launched down range!) Stay safe out there. DY

That’s my plan. I got two (one for my capper and one for flinter) and a small bottle of orange leather dye. They definitely show up!

 

[The Damned Yankee]

That’s my plan. I got two (one for my capper and one for flinter) and a small bottle of orange leather dye. They definitely show up!

Orange leather dye?! I'll have to look for that! Thanks

 

[BackDraft]

Orange leather dye?! I'll have to look for that! Thanks

This is what I used. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00FEQHSVE?psc=1&ref=ppx_pop_dt_b_product_details