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blowing down the barrel, etc...

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Not to reopen this can of worms, but I re-discovered a quote I had read years ago from Audabon in 1810 that described a loading procedure he took to be common then and it contains several things that some recent folks have thought were "modern". Like blowing down the barrel between shots--he allowed it was to see if the touchhole was clear or if one needed to pick it. Another observation: a narrow strip of linen was hung from the bag--for patching, which was cut at the muzzle! The patching was 'lubed' by rubbing it in grease kept in the patch box. The cutting was done by a knife hung on the bag! I'll have to reread the quote and see if there is anything I missed...but 1810 is a pretty early date for all these things...I have seen us question all of these things--blowing down the barrel, patch knives hung from the bag, cutting at the muzzle....oh, and he said a feather was often placed in the touchhole while loading, and when removed, a few grains of the charge would spill into the pan, showing the hole was open...Audabon is responsible for several period descriptions of loading and hunting--and was an avid hunter as well as artist...
 
The Audobon Sanctuary is practically right down the street from where I live. Fascinating place and the art is phenominal. To get details of his subject animals he would observe them to get a feel for how they lived and what they loked like in life then shoot seversl speciamins and mount them in realistic poses so he could then draw / paint them accurately. The sanctuary is a real treasure. They are doing a lot of work to restore the property to include constructing a visitors auditorium. Pickering (maybe Pawling?) Creek runs though the property. Its just north west of Valley Forge.
 
I have always thought blowing down the barrel was a common sense thing. Just don't blow directly down a barrel when it is -4 degrees and you are hunting. A good friend of mine did that just a couple of years ago, when we were in the late season for deer. Froze his lips to the end of the barrel. :rotf: We both can laugh about it now.
 
Ouch...when I started muzzleloading "everyone" blew down the barrel after a shot...it was said to help break up fouling [moisture] and put out sparks that may reside down there and ignite the next load...plus as Audabon said, see if the vent hole was clear. "For safety reasons" some ranges have outlawed the practice and we have had several discussions here about the practice, pros and cons....there was a story about someone killing themselves by blowing down a loaded barrel after a hangfire--why one would do that I am not sure--no way I'd put MY face in front of a loaded rifle...I don't even like pulling a charge after a LONG wait, though I have had to...seems like I don't see folks blowing down the bore anymore and it was common 20 years and more ago--it probably is NOT necessary in any event.
 
IF....My musket fais to fire I would NEVER put my head afront the barel..



Seems to darwins law for me. :rotf:

Unless a pint of water was dumped down first mind you.

Rob


Always have preferred paranoia to death.
 
I have always done it, and consider it more unsafe not to. Over the years, I have met two shooters that have had a discharge while loading, and both had a ball shot through their hand, with the ramrod! In both cases, it could only be assumed that there was an ember remaining in the breech. Neither was caused by a falling cock, or hammer, according to them. One lost all feeling in his hand, and enjoys shocking folks on occasion by lighting his pipe holding a red hot coal in his fingers. I near croaked when I saw him do it the first time. A real attention getter, but I would rather keep my hands the way they are. And, I would add that both blow down their barrels now! After the shot is fired, of course.
 
Use a flexible plastic tube to blow out the barrel. This way you can blow out the barrel and soften the fowling for the next shot. That is if you don't clean after each shot. Almost all who shoot black powder cart rifles blow out in this manner but of course from the breach.
 
Wick Ellerbe said:
"...enjoys shocking folks on occasion by lighting his pipe holding a red hot coal in his fingers..."

Did he mention how his skin manages to defy that direct red hot heat for the several seconds it takes to light a pipe and not cook his fingers to the bone?

Of course he then has to immediately attend to the seared flesh on his fingertips after the demo...burn treatment, antiseptic, bandages, etc?

Visualizing the dexterity it normally take to do that I also assume his trigger finger is probably involved too?
 
OMG!!! "ITS" BACK!!!!!!!!!

Not another, "Just stick the gunbarrel into your mouth and blow" post!

If someone feels it necessary to blow down the bore, please do as spitpatch suggested and use a piece of plastic or rubber tubing to keep you head clear of the muzzle.

zonie :)
 
Sure, I'm gonna take a blow tube out hunting. :rotf:

If there is anybody out there that can't feel and hear his own rifle go off he needs to be bowling or golfing and not shooting these dangerous old smokepoles. I have already argued for blowing down the barrel several times since joining the forum. Do a search. There are more guys running around with missing fingers and hand parts from NOT blowing than there are headless shooters that DO blow down the barrel. :rotf:

Seriously, do the search. I have talked to guys that have lost fingers and thumbs because they were taught by the NMLRA "safety" experts not to blow down the barrel. If there is a chance of cookoff you are running a risk. If you blow down your own barrel AFTER shooting your own rifle you can not possibly blow yer head off. If there is NO chance of cook off, why do cannon shooters take all the precautions that they take. There IS a BIG chance of cook off in a muzzleloading firearm. If you have shot 50 rounds without swabbing or blowing down the barrel you are playing the odds and they are stacking against you.
The knee jerk reaction by the NMLRA several years ago to outlaw blowing down the barrel is the reason I will not join the NMLRA. They are advocating dangerous loading procedure and calling it "SAFE". :shake:
 
Yes sir! After we put this one to bed, we will be talking about the pros and cons of coning muzzles again in about another week or so. :rotf:

"round and 'round the mulberry bush, the mulberry bush, the mulbe.............. :blah:
 
I really don't care if you folks blow down your barrels while your out hunting, or anywhere else if there are no kids other than your own around.

My concern about this is directed towards folks who are shooting around other folks kids, like at a public shooting range.

Kids are great copiers and kids all know that some stranger they've never met is a lot smarter than their old man, so, when the old man says things like, "Never point a gun at anything you don't want to kill" and "Never point a gun at ANYONE, EVER!" when they see someone sticking a rifle barrel in their own mouths they KNOW the old man is full of manure and pointing a gun at yourself is a great thing to do. If it wasn't, then why did that old man stick it into his mouth at the shooting range?

zonie :)
 
"ANYTHING" can be made to look and actualy be dangerous, without knowdledge, understanding and training. Examples---driving, boating, flying and chewing gum while walking and and and.. :grin:
 
The entire process of loading the gun has it pointed pretty much at your head anyway... :shocked2:
 
sniper68 said:
"ANYTHING" can be made to look and actualy be dangerous, without knowdledge, understanding and training. Examples---driving, boating, flying and chewing gum while walking and and and.. :grin:
I was chewin' gum tonight, and my wife dropped her soda. The broken glass cut my toe. Chewin' gum don't require walkin' to be dangerous. :nono:
 
[/quote]
I was chewin' gum tonight, and my wife dropped her soda. The broken glass cut my toe. Chewin' gum don't require walkin' to be dangerous. :nono:
[/quote]
I ain't even close to being the sharpest tack in the box when it comes to posting articulately, BUT it sounds like ya got my point!!! :surrender: :v
 
Cooner54 said:
Yes sir! After we put this one to bed, we will be talking about the pros and cons of coning muzzles again in about another week or so. :rotf:

I really should compile a list of Pros and Cons for both coning and blowing down the barrel. :)
 
We best take Batman and Superman and Spiderman off of the movie shelf. Some kid might see that and try to fly out the window or climb a wall of a tower or......

I tell kids exactly what I am doing and why. What about kids who see some idjit loading another round on a fresh shot barrel without any further prep which has been bragged about on this very forum. Worse,..... parents who teach their kids to load that way because the NMLRA says that it is the safe way to load a ML rifle.
 
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