touch hole is dangerous?

[jethro224]

I can see that more in depth testing is in order!
But should I favor something that will likely burn or keep it reasonable?

I heard of the dangers of being too close to the flash hole or how it can set something on fire, like dry grass or someone's beard.

If you want to know if it can set something on fire you obviously should use something that will likely burn.

 

[Larry Pletcher]

I don't know if this helps to demonstrate the strength of the jet from the vent, but here goes. Early in timing vents with a computer, I ignited priming in pans with an ordinary propane torch. It worked ok with smaller vent sizes, but as the vents timed were drilled larger, the exiting jet would blow out the torch. I ended up changing the angle of the torch to finish the experiment. Since then I use a red hot copper wire to ignite pans.

Regards,
Pletch

 

[hoochiepapa]

I know!! Get a liberal to stand next to you!! Definitive test!

 

[Robby]

:rotf: :rotf:
Or if your really firm in your belief that there is no danger, lay a full can of powder a foot away, uncapped facing the touch hole. :shocked2:
Robby

 

[hunts4deer]

I am an F&I reenactor and routinely fire in ranks, standing shoulder-to-shoulder. Once I had a man to my left whose flashguard screw came loose and the flashguard rotated out of postion. I caught his blast on my left cheek. Not fun at all.

Which brings me to question why the flashguard was not a standard fitting in the 18th century. Maybe that's why they say you don't aim the musket, you point it... because you were probably turning your face to the right away from the flash hole blast coming from your left. But seriously, why did they operate without one?

 

[hanshi]

There are documented instances of old west gunfights resulting in clothes catching fire in close quarters.

 

[SDSmlf]

As an attention getter when introducing young new shooters to flintlocks I have held a balloon near the touch hole (a ram rod makes a nice handle). Having gained their attention it is very easy for them to follow instructions ”“ among other things they stand where I want them to and safety glasses stay on.

Just a variation of your paper test with the instant visual feedback of the popping balloon.

 

[hardtimes]

I know!! Get a liberal to stand next to you!! Definitive test!

What a great idea! :rotf:

 

[Deadeye]

On many firing lines the flint shooter has to yell "FLINTER", sometimes they don't, I've been stung several times from 4 or 5 feet away. Last week i was shooting offhand on a windy day and got on the left side of my new white pickup to get out of the wind, must have been closer than I thought, there's about a 3" chunk of my white paint that's black now and cut right down to the metal.
Deadeye

 

[ebiggs1]

Shooting my flintlock yesterday and remembered we are under a “fire hazard warning” because it is so dry. Well that got me thinking again and after shooting what I wanted to at the paper, I got some very dry grass and tried again to see how dangerous the touch hole actually is.
I put a pile of dry grass about 3 feet away and shot. Nothing. I don't think it even touched it. I than put it a bout 18 inches away and again nothing. Well I will give it one last try. I put the grass right next to the touch hole and again nothing. Not even singed. I did this seven times!

Now you more ornery guys don't beat me up this time as I am only reporting what I am finding to be. May be possible but I still think unlikely.

 

[Stumpkiller]

Maybe with your touch hole it is.

Try it with three or four different diameter vent holes . . .

 

[Stony]

hunts4deer, you have to remember the common soldier was not thought of as being too bright so things were kept as simple as possible. It also could have been that since officers were not often in the line, they rarely got stung. Bet if an officer got "bitten" more than once or Lord Howe or the Duke of Cumberland got stung there might have been flash guards :rotf: .

 

[Stumpkiller]

Bet if an officer got "bitten" more than once or Lord Howe or the Duke of Cumberland got stung there might have been flash guards :rotf: .

That's probably why they climbed up on a horse 260 yards behind the skirmish lines - to avoid the unpleasant pan flashes. :wink:

 

[wahkahchimaol.com]

Here's my learning experience. Wow not gonna get close to that vent hole again. The "funny" part was that my hand kept smoking for about 20 seconds. Smoking and bleeding. I was very nice about it though...it was on a public range...and didn't scream, yell, or cuss. Lesson learned.

 

[Rifleman1776]

On many firing lines the flint shooter has to yell "FLINTER", sometimes they don't, I've been stung several times from 4 or 5 feet away. Last week i was shooting offhand on a windy day and got on the left side of my new white pickup to get out of the wind, must have been closer than I thought, there's about a 3" chunk of my white paint that's black now and cut right down to the metal.
Deadeye

I don't yell. I wait.

 

[ODG34]

Do you always shoot that close to your neighbor’s house of do you have 2 garages?

 

[123.DieselBenz]

Aww, don't worry, they wern't home! :rotf:

Actually, it looks like it is his house, and he only has one garage ... The green cart/trailer is infront of a shed ... :idunno:

 

[roundball]

That's probably why they climbed up on a horse 260 yards behind the skirmish lines - to avoid the unpleasant pan flashes.

There might also have been the additional fact that they already knew how incredibily stupid it was to march wave after wave of men lined up shoulder to shoulder across open fields towards waiting, dug in defensive enemy positions.

To this day I can't believe grown men actually did that...and they did it over and over and over.

 

[gearheart]

I doubt that many went willingly. They were conscripted and like pawns in a game of chess, they were considered "expendable".
The British class system at its finest. For the officers war was an adventure. For the privates it was hell.

 

[Rifleman1776]

That's probably why they climbed up on a horse 260 yards behind the skirmish lines - to avoid the unpleasant pan flashes.

There might also have been the additional fact that they already knew how incredibily stupid it was to march wave after wave of men lined up shoulder to shoulder across open fields towards waiting, dug in defensive enemy positions.

To this day I can't believe grown men actually did that...and they did it over and over and over.

The choice was that or be flogged until their boots filled with blood.
Soldiers do what they are told to do.
What happened then was probably not as deadly as our American soldiers landing at Normandy.