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View Full Version : Where Is Your BP Container When You Squeeze The Trigger?


bn12gg
April 7, 2013, 06:49 PM
I ran across a couple YouTube videos of BP containers blowing up on a shooting bench when guys pulled the trigger. I guess sparks from the pan, off the cap or from the muzzle ignited a pound of BP. A pound of Goex or substitute that goes bang is real scary-- blew the shooters backwards off the bench.

I've developed the habit of taking the Goex container or 777 container and placing it in my wooden box behind me at the bench once I'm loaded up. It's a little awkward but I feel safe from a wierd accident when I squeeze the trigger.

Am I paranoid?

.02

David :)

Fingers McGee
April 7, 2013, 07:06 PM
No, just safety conscious; unlike the U-tube boobs

I load from a flask & it is never in the immediate vicinity when I pull the trigger. I never have an open container of BP (or any other powder for that matter) around.

Hawg
April 7, 2013, 07:21 PM
Either on the hood of the truck or on the tailgate.

Beagle333
April 7, 2013, 07:30 PM
On the loading table, in the house. (I shoot in my yard.) ;):D

YARDDOG(1)
April 7, 2013, 07:49 PM
+1 On the flask,, Mine is brass. I always load behind line of fire & all powder closed ; )
Y/D

Hardcase
April 7, 2013, 08:55 PM
Mine is always well behind me. Not because of safety, or not consciously, but because I like having a clear area around me when I shoot.

B.L.E.
April 7, 2013, 09:00 PM
I do most of my muzzle loading shooting at a muzzle loading club that has its loading benches behind the firing line. The club rules forbid capping or priming until the shooter is at the firing line. I have made it a habit to hang my priming flask by a leather lanyard from my spotting scope which is a few feet to my left, opposite the side of the rifle where the touchhole is.
In a situation where I have to have that priming flask on me, I swing it around so it's hanging behind me. It's one of those brass tubes with threaded end caps, in other words, a pipe bomb.

I have never had a powder flask ignite but once when I was shooting a flintlock off the bench, some spilled powder on the bench ignited when I shot. No damage or injury, but it did make me realize that it could just as easily have been a powder flask.

kwhi43
April 7, 2013, 10:13 PM
[IMG]gigkdleo

Sure Shot Mc Gee
April 8, 2013, 02:40 AM
When I'm by myself at a club ranges bench rest area. I reload standing in front of a cast cement bench rest & table. (which I'm not allowed to do if someone other than me is there shooting in one of the other lanes.)
I accomplish the task with a un-ajustable 78 gr. loose brass charger & horn. (I never pour directly from the horn into my rifles barrel. >Never!!) Although I've seen it done by one club member who has a tube charger mounted directly to his horns outlet. I suppose it's good to be conscious of where ones powder supply is at all times.

S/S

Doc Hoy
April 8, 2013, 06:06 AM
Only revolvers.

I load the cylinder (Out of the revolver) on a press which is mounted to the shooting box.

The shooting box is on the tailgate of my truck.

My shooting bench is far enough from the tailgate so I can fit a folding chair between....5 or 6 feet.

I load the cylinder from a brass flask with a spring loaded valve. (I have a Treso and a CVA.)

The plastic powder cannister is inside a drawer in the shooting box.

One comment about loading directly from a flask to a previously fired cylinder; It is more potentially dangerous to load in this way than it is to load using a charge sized scoop. (An exploding flask filled with powder is more potentially damaging than the explosion of a single powder charge.) I advise shooters to understand the risks involved as completely as possible and make their decision to load directly from a flask to the cylinder based upon (a) a good understanding of the risks, (b) use of practices which reduce those risks and (c) a willingness to accept the residual risks.

I say again that I am somewhat foolhearty and accept risks which others find unacceptable. In the end there are elevated risks associated with loading directly from a flask to a hot cylinder.

Rifleman1776
April 8, 2013, 08:13 AM
Like BLE, on bench behind me.
Loading from a flask is dangerous and prohibited by most club rules.

maillemaker
April 8, 2013, 09:39 AM
I pre-load all of my cartridges at home at the kitchen table. They go in a shotshell box.

When shooting at the range, I take out 10 cartridges and then close the box.

Steve

Pahoo
April 8, 2013, 09:51 AM
Am I paranoid?
Not at all and have read that the "Paranoid" will survive. Regardless of how we protect our potention bombs from unintentional ignitions, this is a great point to bring up and post. Going to have to go in Utube and see. We thank you, sir !! ... ;)

Cover, protect and;
Be Safe !!!

chickenmcnasty
April 8, 2013, 09:59 AM
I'm really glad this was brought up. I load my walker from the flask, but only because I hadn't considered this could be dangerous.
I'm a new shooter that unfortunately has to figure all of this out as I go. I'm thankful for the info.

Roshi
April 8, 2013, 10:10 AM
I've always loaded my revolvers from a flask. The flask is returned to my "possibles box" which is closed when firing. I do not consider the likelihood of more than what's in the spout going up from an ember in the chamber to be very high. However, even that could cause some serious burns. I will now make it point to blow into the chambers and allow some rest time between loads.

brazosdave
April 8, 2013, 10:47 AM
I usually close my flask up and place it on my box behind me. Occasionally, I will have a sealed flask on the table, fairly far away from the gun. That you tube video you are referring to, I believe it was pellets of pyrodex that were out in the open that caught that spark. In a well sealed flask, you would really have minimal problems with that. Still, closed and behind you is the best practice.

TomADC
April 8, 2013, 10:49 AM
On a table 5 feet behind me.

bedbugbilly
April 8, 2013, 11:03 AM
Depends on the situation - if I'm using a bench to load at, it stays there and is covered up when I go to shoot. Usually, I load from a flask or a horn. If I'm loading from my pouch, the horn is swung behind me before I fire.

Glad the OP posted this - never hurts to have a safety reminder - regardless of how long a person's been shooting. It might do well to mention "smoking" as well . . . I've seen some pretty stupid things done over the years and I also remember a accident at a club I belonged to in the 60s where several folks were injuried and one killed by an open powder container.

I've chewed out more than one person for smoking while handling powder - even thought they were closed containers. Sometimes "you just can't fix stupid".

One thing to always be aware of when shooting and loading at a bench . . . and I've noticed this not only at Nationals but smaller clubs as well . . . at times you can't help but spill a few grains when loading - they can accumulate in cracks, etc. on the bench and even on the ground at the loading bench - be aware of that and cap your containers tight or secure them so a spark isn't going to cause a problem. Usually the "accident' that happens is the one you'd least expect.

bn12gg
April 8, 2013, 11:42 AM
Bedbugbilly-- Thanks for bringing up smoking. While I gave up pipe/cigars 20+ years ago, we have a nice elderly range officier who smokes cigars constantly while walking the benches. He is a great guy and very knowledgable, but I'm going to keep an eye on him and really cover up if it is one of my black powder days with him watching the line.

.02

David :)

ps-- I love the smell of a cigar, cheap ones- expensive ones, makes no difference just love the smell!

maillemaker
April 8, 2013, 01:10 PM
I've always loaded my revolvers from a flask. The flask is returned to my "possibles box" which is closed when firing. I do not consider the likelihood of more than what's in the spout going up from an ember in the chamber to be very high. However, even that could cause some serious burns. I will now make it point to blow into the chambers and allow some rest time between loads.

Cookoffs are rare but can and do happen, as any N-SSA veteran can tell you.

I would not want to experiment to see if only the powder in the spout went off leaving the rest of the flask untouched. I would expect the whole thing to go off.

Steve

Rigmarol
April 8, 2013, 05:41 PM
I usually take up two shooting lanes, one for loading one for shooting. If someone needs the lane, I slow way down, cap up powder and primer box and remove from the lane until fired, then bring it all back to reload.

When shooting from the truck with benches, I try to set up a card table to spread out on. it's next to the tailgate where all the powder and caps are. Hard to explain, and no picture but basically more than an arms length between where I shoot and where I reload. I recap all containers before I shoot.

Recently went to a conversion in my Dragoons so I'm loading a lot less at the range.

Fingers McGee
April 8, 2013, 06:41 PM
I've always loaded my revolvers from a flask. The flask is returned to my "possibles box" which is closed when firing. I do not consider the likelihood of more than what's in the spout going up from an ember in the chamber to be very high. However, even that could cause some serious burns. I will now make it point to blow into the chambers and allow some rest time between loads.

Cookoffs are rare but can and do happen, as any N-SSA veteran can tell you.

I would not want to experiment to see if only the powder in the spout went off leaving the rest of the flask untouched. I would expect the whole thing to go off.

Steve

While the possibiity of a 'cook off' in a rifle or single shot pistol is a very real possiblity; and, happens from time to time; I do not know of any documented cases of it happening while loading a revolver from a flask.

Pahoo
April 9, 2013, 11:07 AM
I would not want to experiment to see if only the powder in the spout went off leaving the rest of the flask untouched. I would expect the whole thing to go off.

What we teach;
We teach that you only load from a calibrate measurer as this would cause minimal danger, in the presence of any embers. We also teach to pump the rod and wait .... ;)

What I do;
On rifles and single-shot pistols and on the bench, I load from a flask or horn with a calibrated spout. I do take precausions to eliminate any embers, such as "pumping" the rod and wait.

In all cases, we never blow down the bore and I know full well, that some of you do. ..... ;)

Be Safe !!!

B.L.E.
April 9, 2013, 07:27 PM
All the clubs I shoot at go by the NMLRA rulebook, so loading directly from a flask with a calibrated spout is forbidden, along with blowing down the barrel.

Most of the target shooters wipe the bore with a damp cleaning patch between each shot anyway.
For what it's worth, in the many years I have been going to black powder shoots, I have never witnessed a cookoff during loading.

The trap and skeet shooters usually don't wipe the bore before reloading, but they have a short walk back to the loading table which gives any ember time to go out and I have never seen a cookoff at the shotgun range either.

I would guess the situation where a cookoff is most likely is a skirmish match where a team of shooters is shooting and loading as fast as possible.

David13
April 9, 2013, 09:36 PM
Back bench. Caps are on the front bench.
Or back table. Caps on the front table.
It's the rule in some places here, but it's my rule wherever I go. Back bench and front bench.
(Unless I'm on the motorcycle. And I have yet to do any black powder shooting off the motorcycle. As yet.)
dc

brazosdave
April 10, 2013, 08:00 AM
I don't usually do club shoots, too restrictive for my taste. Just use common sense and you'll be fine.

Doc Hoy
April 10, 2013, 08:44 AM
I don't usually do club shoots, too restrictive for my taste.

You and me Brazos.

They would never tolerate my shenanigans.

HILLBILLY-06
April 10, 2013, 09:03 AM
{QOUTE}:I ran across a couple YouTube videos of BP containers blowing up on a shooting bench when guys pulled the trigger. I guess sparks from the pan, off the cap or from the muzzle ignited a pound of BP. A pound of Goex or substitute that goes bang is real scary-- blew the shooters backwards off the bench.

So where's the You tube video link? I'd like to see it and try to figure out why it exploded. Did he have the cap screwed on or off the can? etc....

B.L.E.
April 10, 2013, 09:50 AM
The likelyhood that a container of black powder going off, and a camera just happening to record it, is so low that I suspect that most U-tube videos showing such an event were staged.

B.L.E.
April 10, 2013, 09:57 AM
I don't usually do club shoots, too restrictive for my taste. Just use common sense and you'll be fine.
__________________
Compared to the rule-nazis that run the local public range where I live, the clubs I shoot at are downright easy going, and don't treat you like you're Gomer Pyle.

4V50 Gary
April 10, 2013, 01:01 PM
Hanging beneath my arm. I hardly go to ranges anymore.

robhof
April 10, 2013, 09:59 PM
Mine's usually hanging at my side too, I've got a flask or horn dedicated to each of my B/p guns with the usual load nozzle asttached, although for rapid reloads, I use a separate powder holder(large straight wall cartridge) fo pouring into the barrel or cylinder.:rolleyes::D

brazosdave
April 11, 2013, 06:59 AM
while I prefer shooting on private property, the local gun range is very cool. A lot of times if I go during the day, I may indeed be the only one shooting. It's ran relaxed, unless you are being a complete idiot, the shooters pretty much run it amongst themselves. Even the military range at Ft. Hood is pretty laid back, except that when the Army is shooting the zero range, every time they cease fire, you have to, which is frequent because every couple shots they fire they go downrange to check their targets.

Pahoo
April 11, 2013, 10:07 AM
I suspect that most U-tube videos showing such an event were staged.
Going to have to agree with you but the message is, that it can happen. I've only seen it on two occasions and on one, I warned the guy what might happen and it did. Did not actually explode but he did get burned. .... :mad:


Mind your powder and;
Be Safe !!!