Muzzleloader Safety rules/guidelines.

[Pahoo]

Okay, in addition to the basic-4, safe firearms rules, What in your opinion, are the top "Three" safety rules for M/L's. I have read 10,14 and even 17, listed.
My state lists 2, for Hunter Safety classes, which are of questionable priority. Yes, I have three in mind that are important to me ???? ...

What say You?????

Thanks and;
Be Safe !!!

[Deltadart]

Use Only Black Powder, or a proper black powder substitute such as Pyrodex or T7 as powder. Never use smokeless powder.
Use a proper patch with round ball
Make absolutely certain the ball/projectile is seated on the powder charge.

[stinkeypete]

This is a great question and complicated.

I agree that
-one should only use Black Powder or Black Powder Substitute (because those who own modern powder muzzle loaders know they are a special case and no sense confusing people)

As for patch and ball- what about sabots and conicals? Those are safe too so ... only use proper black powder projectiles rated for your firearm.

"Loaded" vs. "Unloaded" gets very complicated because of flintlock vs in-line vs. percussion cap and me personally being (if it's possible) a bit TOO nervous about a rifle loaded with powder yet no ignition device installed for several reasons:

1. The danger of double-loading. So: Check every rifle with a ramrod marked for the "empty" position to make sure the rifle is not already loaded unless it has not left your hands since the last shot.

2. Some way to prevent firing with the ramrod in the bore? I've done this in hunting excitement and it HURT, could have been more than a bruised shoulder if my gun had not been strong... "Always touch your ramrod before priming your rifle"??? I'm very safety conscious but I'll admit I did a stupid thing in the excitement of watching a deer just stand there staring at me after I missed a shot. I shot the ramrod. Ramrod ended up stuck deep in a tree and looking like a corkscrew. Thankfully it was a plastic one, not the steel range rod and that I got lucky and nothing blew up.

3. Something about safely removing a dud load with a screw... I've never done it but I always worried about how to do it safest

This post has me excited because the weather JUST turned a little bit cool and I am looking forward to hunting season! I won't be deer hunting this season as my dog would rather we hunt pheasants and he's right- they are easier to pack out in my older years.

[Pahoo]

3. Something about safely removing a dud load with a screw... I've never done it but I always worried about how to do it safest

The common term is Dry-Balling and during an advanced class, a couple of instructors expressed this fear. So in order to "Dehorn" that devil, we purposely did that and demonstrated how to use a screw-jag. ..,,,,,,

Be Safe !!!

[big al hunter]

. My state lists 2, for Hunter Safety classes, which are of questionable priority. Yes, I have three in mind that are important to me ???? ...

1. Use only black powder or black powder substitute.
2. Use a marked ramrod to prevent from double loading/ not seating deep enough.

That should cover hunter ed

3. If the gun doesn't fire when you pull the trigger keep it pointed in a safe direction for at least 30 seconds. Those of us who have experienced hang fire understand completely.

4. Never pour powder from the horn/bottle/can directly into the barrel. Use a powder measure. A hot ember can ignite the powder as you pour.

5. All of the standard firearm safety rules.

[FrankenMauser]

My major addition to standard rules, which seems to often be ignored with BP:
Never put any part of your body in front of the boom tube, once a powder charge is in place.
I know this seems like it fits with the 'standard' rules, but people ignore it too often with muzzle loaders, since you're not dealing with cartridges.

Too may people stick their faces, arms, and hands over the starters, ramrods, and even loaded bores. ...Because it's "just a muzzle loader".

I even saw a notable member of this forum, whom has a YouTube channel, do such (in all aspects) in one of his recent videos (last 6 weeks, or so).
"Well, I just seated that projectile on the powder charge. Let me put this ramrod back in place." ...While putting his hand, arm, and FACE in front of the muzzle.

...

That being said... I am going to go against the grain here and add rule number 3,712:
Do whatever you feel is safe enough for the risks you are willing to take.

For example...
There's a rule with muzzle loaders, 'never over-pack the powder charge'.
This is often seen as people "bouncing" the ramrod off the projectile after seating it.
I was taught to do this. I found ignition to be very unreliable without doing this. To this day, I will not pull the trigger on a muzzle-loader unless I can bounce the ramrod out of the barrel to verify that the powder charge is packed tightly.

The average BP shooter says it is because there is a risk of compressive ignition and kaboom. It is true. No denial. But it is infinitesimally small.
Competition shooters will tell you that it is because this results in variable compression and erratic results down range. I disgree with that being a justifiable argument, since all methods of packing have variable results.

And I don't put any body parts in front of the muzzle (other than fingers handling the ramrod from the sides). And I've found tight packing to be necessary for reliability.

Yes, bouncing the ramrod might deform Minie balls or "Plains Bullets" with hollow points. But for round balls (which is about all I shoot), it's a non-issue for me. The risk is far lower than the reward.

I think some BP rules are a little over-exaggerated, hyper-inflated, or just Fudd lore.

[Pahoo]

My major addition to standard rules, which seems to often be ignored with BP:
Never put any part of your body in front of the boom tube, once a powder charge is in place.

I think that this is an important point to bring out and if you have been involved long enough, in shooting sports, you have made this mistake. ......

Now then, in some states, a Muzzleloaders is considered "unloaded", if no ignition source cap is in place. This is taken for granted all too often and just a matter of time when someone or something is going to get hurt. We teach that muzzle control at "all" times is important. Then I do a demo, I place a cased firearm on a table and note to the students that the muzzle is pointed away from them. Muzzle control is "absolute"

Be Safe !!!