Safety in muzzleloading - your thoughts

[PPatch]

I am sure that most of you, just as I did, grew up around firearms and learned gun safety early on. We know the rules:

-Treat all guns as if they are loaded.
- Never let the muzzle cover anything you are not willing to destroy.
- Keep your finger off the trigger until your sights are on the target.
- Be sure of your target and what is beyond it.

I can add several to that right away: Alcohol and firearms absolutely do not mix; never become complacent around firearms and store arms so the children positively can’t gain access to them.

I am thinking that black powder shooting comes with its own special set of safety considerations such as never load directly from a horn, be aware of distraction during loading, no modern powders, those little brass flasks are actually hand grenades (thanks Dennis, mine has been retired).

Care to share your experiences and thoughts on muzzleloading safety?

[Jerry V Lape]

Don't pull a ball from the muzzle end.  Attach the ramrod to a tree or something solid and pull from the butt end if you can't blow the ball and load out with a CO2 discharger or by slipping a few grains of priming in through the vent or percussion nipple.  

And common to all firearms, protect your eyes with quality shooting glasses.

[TMerkley]

Mark your ramrod where your load is so that you know if your are unloaded or PROPERLY LOADED. 
1. No powder
2. Double charge. 

Always check the barrel to make sure the barrel is empty before handing to off to some one else!

Never trust your buddy when he says it's empty!   CHECK!

FINGER OFF THE TRIGGER UNTIL YOU ARE READY TO SHOOT!!!!!!!

[Kermit]

Don't chat with others while they're loading, and insist on being treated the same.

[Hungry Horse]

 The most often overlooked safety technique is simply speaking up when you see something unsafe. As a long time member of a nationally recognized gun club, I can't count the times my phone has rung, and a member has told me of some safety breech he, or she, witnessed at the range. This does no good. The moment has past. Safety needs to be addressed when the breech occurs, not hours or days later. Unfortunately, I had to learn this from children. When our club sponsored a 4H shooting sports program, I was asked to help their range master. His instructions to the youth, was, if you see an unsafe situation call a cease fire. If you call a cease fire just fooling around, you will be dropped from the program. We now give all our new members the same instructions. It has made a lot of difference, and has cut my whiny phone call by two thirds.

                      Hungry Horse

[SCLoyalist]

In a match or competition:  Once you go to the firing line, don't leave it with a loaded gun.  Take the stuff you need to the firing line to handle minor stuff like a misfire or lost or dull flint (e.g. a nipple or vent pick, extra caps, a knapping hammer, an extra flint and screwdriver) without feeling you have to take a loaded gun back to the loading bench.  If you don't have the stuff in your pockets/pouch to handle the situation, notify the range officer and let him direct you how he wants you  to proceed.

Keep visitors, onlookers, bystanders back from the line, especially cigarette smokers.

Don't blow down the barrel - the range officer will appreciate not having to guess if you've put your head in front of a loaded muzzle.


For hunting:  put a wrap of orange marking tape around the trigger guard if you keep your rifle loaded when you go back to camp to remind you there is a charge down the barrel.  Frizzen stalls are your friend.

[PPatch]

All of these are great guys. I'm learning, I'm learning... 

Thank you for taking the time to respond.

dave

[little joe]

Contact the NMLRA and get a copy of there range rules

[WadePatton]

If you shoot at places with public access, note the holes in the roof and elsewhere that are not downrange.  Remind yourself that those holes got there because someone wasn't paying attention.  Pay attention to those around you.

I've been in the presence of 3 AD's (accidental discharges) over 30 years or so.  No one was injured, but they leave an impression.  I know of two houses with accidental bullet holes through the exterior walls (not counting the floor i shot a hole in).

Brain.  making assumptions short-circuits brain function.  Don't do it.

[hanshi]

Never let a moron handle your rifle; they're out there, folks.

[snowdragon]

Never lean over the muzzle when loading. I have seen this common sense rule broken quite often, especially with the shorter halfstocks and those other kind of muzzleloaders.  Get in the habit of holding that barrel away from your body, head, and face. Bill

[Dogshirt]

Short grip your ramrod to avoid breaking and running it through your hand.

[TMerkley]

Don't pretend that you are "clearing rooms" to show off even if it is a BB gun!  I know of a Co-Worker who almost got his A$$ beat by me and some one else.  His immaturity is still present and wants to be a supervisor.    :-> Maybe I should have beaten him with it to prove a point! 

He needs to be a card carrying member of the I D 10 T club!!!!!  it spells IDIOT!!

[elk killer]

dont believe all the instructions from a big box store employee..
over heard one telling a customer that 200 grains of powder is a standard
load for a .50 cal TC he was thinking of buying..!!!

[mjm46@bellsouth.net]

Here's another one

Make sure it's really loaded!!!!!!!!!!!!1

Yesterday, at the range, while my friend was sighting in his Hawkin that I put new sights on for him, he went to fire and SNAP, again, and again, well after trying half dozen time put his rod down the barrel, swore it was loaded. (he didn't have his range rod which was marked) pulled the nipple and picked it tried again SNAP, again. Pulled the nipple again and also the clean out, tried again SNAP. Pulled the nipple again, I told him to put some primer in the touch hole before the nipple went back on. He tried again and POP and smoke came out the muzzle. I thought Try again, This time put a full charge of powder in the barrel and try it, if there is a ball in there it won't fire. Well it went BOOM! It was never really loaded. This whol sequence took no less than 45 Minutes, and left him somewhat red faced, and aggravated.

[WadePatton]

Micah, one could have inserted a feather or a leaf or blade of grass into the muzzle (keeping it pointed downrange as it was "loaded") a cap would have blown it out or moved it...indicating a clear channel (no load).  wow.

[mjm46@bellsouth.net]

Wade,
Never thought of that, I'm a flintlock shooter, powder in the pan doesn't make much of a puff through an empty barrel, but if he does it again I'll remember that tip. 

[WadePatton]

from my pre-cussion days.   

[PPatch]

Not, you understand, that Master Patton ever mistakenly attempted to shoot a dry barrel...

(sorry, sometimes I just can't restrain meself).

dp

[WadePatton]

ain't that how you flinch test yer self?   

[Roger Fisher]

More detail on this important subject in the archives a short while back...