Muzzle loader incedent/ignorant me

CD1 · June 23, 2001, 09:51 PM

This afternoon my father in law and I went to shoot his new muzzle loader. I brought mine to shoot as well. We both have the same type, so I was showing him the ropes. I had him blow a primer to clear the breech of oil before we started shooting. No big deal, he puts a patch down the barrel, puts in his primer...pop. Piece of cake. A little while later I had him perform the same manuever on mine. Puts a patch down the barrel, puts in a primer...BOOOOOOMMMM. The gun goes flying out of his hands and lands on the ground behind him. I had a charge in the barrel from last year that I never pulled out. I have never left a charge in the barrel over the off season. I was totally shocked. We are both gun safety fanatics, so everyone was behind the firing line, and gun was pointed in a safe direction, no material loss. A very inexpensive lesson. This was the first firearms "incident" I have ever had, and I have been shooting a long time. Thank God for maintaining vigilance when it comes to gun safety, I can think of a lot of worse endings for this story. The worst of it is that I might have to buy a new barrel, the ramrod shattered and scarred my barrel down the entire length. Good night, and stay safe.

Art Eatman · June 24, 2001, 10:22 PM

Some 50 or 60 years ago, my father unloaded his .257 Roberts, jacking the shells onto a bed. He thought they were all out; closed the bolt and pulled the trigger.

Have you any idea how loud is a .257 Roberts, inside a bedroom?

I learned from his "thereafter-style": I always poke my little finger up into the chamber to make absolutely sure there is nothing there.

Never forget Mario Andretti's comment about Indy-car racers, for its message applies to shooters: "There are two kinds of racers at Indy--those who HAVE hit the wall, and those who WILL hit the wall."

, Art

(Moved to Art Of The Rifle forum)

WiFAL · June 24, 2001, 10:50 PM

Next time you put a charge in the barrel put your ramrod in and mark where it stops. In the future, slide the marked rod down the barrel prior to snapping caps to determine if its loaded.

June 25, 2001, 04:42 AM

The important thing is that nobody got hurt. Now, if he starts flinching when shooting, you can load one of them and not tell him which.

brouhaha · June 25, 2001, 11:16 AM

Someone on one of the boards (may have been this one) had a similar story. They inserted a primer and put their thumb over the barrel to see if the nipple was clogged. Instead of a little pressure, their thumb was blown off by a forgotten charge. Live and learn I guess...

brouhaha

BigG · June 25, 2001, 11:26 AM

Brouhaha, that could be an honorable mention for the Darwin Awards.

Redlg155 · June 25, 2001, 11:55 AM

I beleive someone posted about a guy who snapped a cap, observerd no fire come out the barrel, and then placed his mouth over the barrel to blow into it..hoping the clear the charge!

Now that would be a great way to cleanse the gene pool!

Good Shooting
RED

Redlg155 · June 25, 2001, 11:56 AM

oops...I meant to say nipple...

Red

June 23, 2001, 09:51 PM	#1
CD1 Senior Member Join Date: August 21, 2000 Posts: 320	Muzzle loader incedent/ignorant me This afternoon my father in law and I went to shoot his new muzzle loader. I brought mine to shoot as well. We both have the same type, so I was showing him the ropes. I had him blow a primer to clear the breech of oil before we started shooting. No big deal, he puts a patch down the barrel, puts in his primer...pop. Piece of cake. A little while later I had him perform the same manuever on mine. Puts a patch down the barrel, puts in a primer...BOOOOOOMMMM. The gun goes flying out of his hands and lands on the ground behind him. I had a charge in the barrel from last year that I never pulled out. I have never left a charge in the barrel over the off season. I was totally shocked. We are both gun safety fanatics, so everyone was behind the firing line, and gun was pointed in a safe direction, no material loss. A very inexpensive lesson. This was the first firearms "incident" I have ever had, and I have been shooting a long time. Thank God for maintaining vigilance when it comes to gun safety, I can think of a lot of worse endings for this story. The worst of it is that I might have to buy a new barrel, the ramrod shattered and scarred my barrel down the entire length. Good night, and stay safe.

June 25, 2001, 11:16 AM	#5
brouhaha Senior Member Join Date: November 28, 2000 Location: Spring, TX Posts: 166	Someone on one of the boards (may have been this one) had a similar story. They inserted a primer and put their thumb over the barrel to see if the nipple was clogged. Instead of a little pressure, their thumb was blown off by a forgotten charge. Live and learn I guess... brouhaha __________________ ___________________________________ brouhaha USP Match 45 HE, USP40, USPC40, USPC9, SL8-1, HK91, Rem. PSS .308, Glock 33, P32 Rem. 870 Express, 1914 8mm Mauser, 1899 6.5x55 Swedish Mauser Go TCU Frogs!

June 25, 2001, 11:26 AM	#6
BigG Senior Member Join Date: May 19, 1999 Location: Atlanta, GA Posts: 4,334	Brouhaha, that could be an honorable mention for the Darwin Awards. __________________ o "The Earth is degenerating today. Bribery and corruption abound. Children no longer obey their parents, every man wants to write a book, and it is evident that the end of the world is fast approaching." Assyrian tablet, c. 2800 BC o "In the beginning of a change, the patriot is a scarce man brave, hated, and scorned. When his cause succeeds, however, the timid join him, for then it costs nothing to be a patriot." Mark Twain o "They have gun control in Cuba. They have universal health care in Cuba. So why do they want to come here?" Paul Harvey o TODAY WE CARVE OUT OUR OWN OMENS! Leonidas, Thermopylae, 480 BC

June 24, 2001, 10:22 PM	#2
Art Eatman Staff in Memoriam Join Date: November 13, 1998 Location: Terlingua, TX; Thomasville, GA Posts: 24,798	Some 50 or 60 years ago, my father unloaded his .257 Roberts, jacking the shells onto a bed. He thought they were all out; closed the bolt and pulled the trigger. Have you any idea how loud is a .257 Roberts, inside a bedroom? I learned from his "thereafter-style": I always poke my little finger up into the chamber to make absolutely sure there is nothing there. Never forget Mario Andretti's comment about Indy-car racers, for its message applies to shooters: "There are two kinds of racers at Indy--those who HAVE hit the wall, and those who WILL hit the wall." , Art (Moved to Art Of The Rifle forum)

June 24, 2001, 10:50 PM	#3
WiFAL Member Join Date: June 13, 2001 Location: Wisconsin Posts: 53	Next time you put a charge in the barrel put your ramrod in and mark where it stops. In the future, slide the marked rod down the barrel prior to snapping caps to determine if its loaded.

June 25, 2001, 04:42 AM	#4
PreserveFreedom Guest Posts: n/a	The important thing is that nobody got hurt. Now, if he starts flinching when shooting, you can load one of them and not tell him which.

June 25, 2001, 11:55 AM	#7
Redlg155 Senior Member Join Date: March 13, 2001 Location: NW Florida Posts: 2,307	I beleive someone posted about a guy who snapped a cap, observerd no fire come out the barrel, and then placed his mouth over the barrel to blow into it..hoping the clear the charge! Now that would be a great way to cleanse the gene pool! Good Shooting RED

June 25, 2001, 11:56 AM	#8
Redlg155 Senior Member Join Date: March 13, 2001 Location: NW Florida Posts: 2,307	oops...I meant to say nipple... Red