[many ponies]

Sorry you were injured,,,things like this do happen.

I would like to commend those that posted the many safety tips, all apply in one way or the other.
I do not wish to come on as being a wise acre, but feel i should warn others about a potential safety hazard that exists with these weapons.

The problem lies in the compression generated by pushing a tight fitting boolet down a barrel, if the hole on the nipple is too small, or is obstructed, by small grain powder, burned powder, or anything else.

compression generates heat, and any flamable substance has a flash point, when that temp is reached ignition will occur, like in a desil engine.
desil only requires 150 psi to ignite, i do not know the flash point of substitute powders.

IF, the hole in the nipple is so obstructed, and a boolet is "rammed" home, the tempature can easily reach the flash point, not only of the powder used,but probably the lube on the boolit as well.

I am an old man, 68,,,i have shot patch rifles for much of those years.
I have never had an AD, altho i did shoot my ramrod away once.

Others have covered most of the required safety tips, but i will add this, make sure the nipple is clear, either by blowing down the barrel, put a cloth over it if you dont want lube and powder in your mouth,,,this will extinguish any spark, soften the residue, and generally make life easier, or poking a prick in the nipple.

you dont need to tamp on the powder, you couldn't tamp it any tighter with a loading press, BPC shooters consider 24 inches plenty long enough for a drop tube.

push the boolit down slowly, until it hits the powder, contact is enough, you dont need to bounce the ramrod on the boolit either, that will just cause more problems, put a mark on your ramrod until expirence teaches you the feel.

hope you consider this angle on the problem.....

look up compression fire starters.


many ponies