Muzzleloader Danger

While working in WV in 1997 i heard a guy at Wheeler Sports in Elkins talking about this. He claimed to have lost a couple of fingers when the gun went off while being loaded. The fingers were gone. Later talked with a guy who knew the amputee. Seems like he capped and cocked the gun before loading it.

 

Nope,

never seen it happen. Don't think it could or would happen. Only way it could possibly happen is if using a steel loading rod and caused a spark, or using a flint tipped ramrod Now, that being said, I'm not saying it hasn't happened or maybe could happen because anything is possible. I Don't think it would and I have seen and put down a lot of BP in my day. Of course when dealing with stupidity, anything is likely to happen and there are some stupid people out there that need to be eliminated from the gene pool. I guess I'm just ramblin' now so just forget about it, it's not going to happen. Just enjoy the smell of the BP. (Don't use the new fangled stuff, smells different )

 

There's no need to "pack your load really hard" in an ML. More important for consistant velocity and accuracy is consistant ball seating pressure against the powder charge.
Basicly what needs to be done is seat the ball lightly but firmly against the charge, and fine tuning that seating pressure to get the best consistancy of groups possible. IF the patch/ball is not seated on the powder though it then becomes a bore obstruction resulting in a dangerous situation.
If you'r having to work way too hard seating your ball, you need to look at your patch/ball combination or perhaps start wiping the powder fouling out of your barrel more often.
Some shooters wipe every shot, some after multiple shots. find what works best for you.

 

Excellent post. +1...................John

 

The only thing that has concerned me while loading a muzzleloader, is that the powder could ignite while pouring it in due to burning residue from the previous shot.

I wonder if that's a real possiblility?

 

"The only thing that has concerned me while loading a muzzleloader, is that the powder could ignite while pouring it in due to burning residue from the previous shot.

I wonder if that's a real possiblility?"

It is highly improbable.

 

It IS a real possibility and thats why its a good practice NOT to pour powder directly from your flask into the barrel.It is much safer to have 70 grains(from a measure) or so ignite in your hand then a 1/4 pound. I swab my barrel inbetween each shot, one for better accuracy and second to put out any embers that may be lurking. ................John

 

Yeah, I always pour from premeasured speedloaders. There have been a few times where I've seen smoke forced out the nipple when loading the next shot quickly after firing.

 

Carbine

I've never heard of it happening with a handgun or rifle, now a few years ago in the States a guy in a civil war gun team lost his head whilst reloading a fieldgun, they hadn't sponged out well and the powder charge went off.

 

I don't think it could happen unless you are doing everything backwards or smoking. The rifle if it is a cap doesn't have a cap on the nipple yet and the hammer is not cocked anyway. The flinter has not got the primer in the pan so I don't see how it could happen. If the powder was going to go off it would go off before you set the roundball. The odds are 99.99999 out of 100 that is aint goin off.

 

muzzle loader Danger

If your spooky about loose powder you may want to consider triple seven pellets

 

I have been reenacting for 20+ years and only had one quick fire and it was when I poured Powder down the tube and there was a live spark in the barrel , that is why you keep it pointed away from you while loading

 

Actually,a friend of mine experienced this fenomenon when he was ramming the wad down on the powdercharge.He nearly got the ramrod hitting him on the chin.It CAN happen,allthough it is seldom one hear about it happening.I do not know or remember exactly what kind of rifle he was using at the time.

 

This is a very good point, and standard procedure for anyone versed in muzzleloading. As far as compression causing an explosion, theoretically it can happen- but practically it can't, not with the amount of pressure generated by the hand - over the years I have observed many old timers "throwing" or "forcibly dropping" the ram rod down the barrel from a distance of about 10" after the ball/bullet has been seated. I have adopted this technique also and it works quite well because the ramrod will not "bounce" back until the ball is fully seated - in other words, if there is no "bounce" then you have not seated the projectile! This technique also keeps your palm and fingers out of the way of the ramrod if the charge DOES ignite!
As concerns hard starting of projectiles, I learned the hard way. I mould my own "REAL" bullets (Rifling Engraved At Loading) and once I melted down a few pounds of wheel weights to be used in my .58 cal. rifle. I spent two hours making BEAUTIFUL 585 gr. Hollow Base Conical bullets. I WAS UNABLE TO START ONE OF THEM DOWN THE BORE! I had to throw them all out because of the alloy composition. Only pure lead works!

 

Do you have any problems with damp powder after swabbing, or do you run a dry patch only down the bore?

 

I would guess it happened a lot when the enemy was charging...

 

Do you ever have damp powder problems?

 

I just wait about 30 seconds between shots.

 

I've been shooten em and been around people shooten um for about 40 years. Never seen this happen. It WILL happen if you pour powder down a nasty, dirty bore that can contain hot embers from the last shot. Wipe your bore regularly with a damp patch and all will be well.

P. S. If you are having to really bang on the ramrod to get the ball/bullet down, you might have a nasty, dirty bore -- or the wrong sized projectile.