Accidents and ML'ers

[Snakebite]

The BSA shooting handbook also addressed propellent, (this has all 3 paragraphs addressing muzzleloaders)

Boy Scout and Varsity Scout Muzzleloading Firearms Because of the historical significance of muzzleloading firearms, Scouts are encouraged to learn to safely load and shoot a muzzleloader. On the range, each Scout must be under the direct supervision (one on one) of a currently NRA
or NMLRA certified muzzleloading instructor when loading and firing the muzzleloader.

Muzzleloading rifle. Only recently manufactured (or assembled from a kit) percussion cap muzzleloading rifles no greater than .58-caliber are to be used. Flintlock rifles are not approved for use by Boy Scouts or Varsity Scouts.
All muzzleloading rifles are subject to safety inspection by the instructor or range officer. Rifles made from kits must be checked by a qualified gunsmith.

Propellant. Only a commercially manufactured, sportinggrade black powder or black powder substitute offered for sale by a reputable firm should be used in muzzleloading rifles.

It also goes on to address accessories, muzzleloading pistols and shotguns.

 

[StewartLeach]

Me too, Billnpatti, 'cept my BP tatoo is on the middle digit. My shooting coach from the early sixties would have been proud of me- set the rifle in the rack before I said any mountain man words. Even now, several years later, a powder particle festers out from time to time.

White Fox

 

[Rifleman1776]

+1 :hatsoff: . I was a cub scout leader, boy scout leader, T-ball coach, little league coach, soccer coach and I have to say that as a leader of kids you have to be on guard 110% of the time or you are doomed :grin: .

I was with my boys all the time they were in scouting. And, I was a Cubmaster for years. My experience was the parents were the idiots, the boys were great.

 

[mattybock]

the only real thing about flintlocks that might make them more accident prone would not be the gun itself, for it is just a machine. the only thing that might be a big deal is the making of flints. I tried knapping flint one time, smacked my hand and cracked the whole rock in two.

But that aside, seems like the people in charge are just being sourheads.

 

[jdkerstetter]

The BSA has made a habit lately of being overly cautious. We just returned from Cub Scout Resident Camp last week and there were at least 2 rule changes that had us shaking our heads.

In the past we had always taken the boys out in canoes....heck, scouts have been canoeing since the BSA's inception....now we're being told that all persons in a canoe have to be BSA swimmer certified even though they are wearing life jackets. We could only take the boys out in row boats which were impossible for them to operate as they were not set up for small boys.....and not set up for an average hieght man either. :shake: No fun!

There were also new restrictions on what they could do on the C.O.P.E. course that resulted in them not being able particapate there.

A lot of dissapointment all the way around. Enjoy, J.D.

 

[Zonie]

The C.O.P.E. course?

Somehow I envision a room full of women all sitting around a speaker, totally entranced by what is being said as the speaker continues by saying,

"...and that is just one of the methods that you can use to COPE with your husbands stupidity.
Here's another way to deal with his throwing his socks into a pile in the bedroom ...."

:grin:

 

[kopfjaeger]

1.) Bystander standing “downstream” from the touch hole at discharge, and being hit by hot gas.
2.) Greater propensity to have hang-fires
3.) The use of real black powder having a lower flash point than substitutes, and ease of ignition in the bore from a remaining ember
4.) Loading with a flint engaging a closed frizzen, and a spark igniting some of the powder that can trickle out the touch hole during the loading of the main charge and seating the ball.
5.) A lock blowing off due to the bolster not being seated tightly against the barrel flats, and powder getting behind it (pretty rare).
6.) More powder spillage in the shooting area, and greater likelihood of the open pan flash igniting exposed or uncovered powder in or out of containers



I've been hunting with flintlocks since 1975, now I'm scared to use one. :shake: Everything in life has some risks.

 

[jdkerstetter]

The C.O.P.E. course?

Somehow I envision a room full of women all sitting around a speaker,....:grin:

Scary thing is, I'm starting to find your brand humor funny Zonie. :haha:

For those that have no clue though, C.O.P.E. is an acronym for "Challenging Outdoor Personal Experience."

Here's a link: http://www.copecourse.com/ Enjoy, J.D.

 

[pargent]

I would like to share this one ,from the Sydney Gazette Saturday, March 5 ,1803 .
ACCIDENTS.
On the 16th ultimo ( the day following the Infurgency at Caftle-Hill )as feveral conftables were loadind and preparing their mufkets to go in queft of the delinquents, one of the pieces accidentally went off, and fhot a labouring man through the body, who foon after expired.


NB. written and spelt in the English of the time.
labouring man -convict
constables- possible milita at this time there was only military units in New South Wales .There was no mention of charges being layed etc..

 

[Baxter]

Everything in life has risks. If we teach nothing we avoid the risks for the moment, but for the moment only; leaving our progeny to learn as they will and likely by accident. "Experience" is a poor substitute for wise instruction. baxter

 

[pargent]

We just had a fatality last night in FNQ , 3 guys around a bonfire and one threw an old lb can of black onto the fire , one death and two serious injuries :shake:

 

[TFoley]

At the annual BSA rendezvous we use Goex, supplied by the BSA. We are restricted to percussion and when I asked why was told something along the lines of Col's #1. Jets of hot gasses and flying flint shards.

Now, before everyone gets their britches tied in a knot remember this: we're dealing with kids, mindless young boys as younng as 12. Not all of them are as savvy as some others. Herding 12 year old boys is like herding cats. If you can get their attention your 50% there. If you can KEEP their attention you stand a chance of success. The restriction to percussion only may seem like safety overkill to us but to the BSA powers-that-be (who may not know the first thing about ANY firearms) it seems to eliminate or avoid one or two small safety problems.

Personally I think we are extremely lucky that the BSA allows us to teach these kids about black powder arms of any persuasion. Many, many of these kids have never fired a gun in their lives and would never be exposed to firearms (except the negative media version) if it weren't for the BSA and the volunteers who teach them how to safely handle them.

Done preaching :surrender:

Got to remember that none of this, nor anything remotely like it, happens in the yUK, the spiritual home of the Boy Scouts Association.

Here in yUK ANY blackpowder style firearm that is fired has to be licensed, as you sure as heck wouldn't get Scouts shooting ANY kind of a live-firing firearm anywhere, unless they were guests on a club open day - maybe one or two at a time. In our club I've never heard of such a thing happening in the last seventeen years that I've been a member.

You don't know just how lucky you are.

tac

 

[Rifleman1776]

We just had a fatality last night in FNQ , 3 guys around a bonfire and one threw an old lb can of black onto the fire , one death and two serious injuries :shake:

Would you please expand on that? What is FNQ? Is this for real? :shocked2:

 

[Rifleman1776]

See my reply in the non-ml forum.

 

[crockett]

Just wondering....since the original question was the flintlocks were out because the accidents rates were much higher.......
1. When I hear "accident rates" I tend to think what is being discussed is actual data of accidents that occurred with a percussion as compared to actual accidents that occurred with a flintlock. In other words, historical data. When this compiled data is compared, there were more accidents from the flintlock.
2. But...it seems a lot of times what gets discussed is areas of potential danger, about what might be possible, or what might happen.
3. It seems to me that the only difference would be the flint, the powder in the pan, a greater amount of flask on ignition. You wouldn't want someone right next to the shooter's right (riight hand lock). It seems that good eye protection would be all that is required. The added flash- loose powder on a bench would be a no-no but it shouldn't be there anyhow.
A percussion pistol has a certain amount of side flash.

 

[bpd303]

It's for real, Far North Queensland...
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-06-30/man-dead-after-gunpowder-explosion-in-far-north-queensland/4789850?&section=news

Darwin Award Candidates.