Muzzleloader Safety

[Ponderosaman]

I work in construction at a semiconductor facility, semiconductors are basically chemical factories and construction as a whole is a fairly dangerous job. When I was a kid, I thought they were being stupid about all the safety garbage. Looking back and having worked at less safe places, I appreciate the safety culture that they have where I work.

Certain rules in hunting/shooting are pretty clear like general firearms safety rules i.e. never point your firearm at something you don’t intend to shoot. Keep your finger off the trigger until ready to shoot. My question for the guys out there that have been doing this so long is what safety rules have you learned by injury or near miss that could help someone new to the hobby avoid tragedy. My near miss was with an unmentionable, but still applies. Keep your gun on safety until ready to shoot. I tripped and may have gotten seriously hurt except that I had the safety on. In the case of muzzleloaders that would be half cock. When hunting besides carrying at half cock, I don’t travel difficult terrain while loaded, due to my near miss. First, I will do what is needed to not trip. Second, I will carry with the safety on. Please share those near misses that people wouldn’t necessarily think of being risks.

 

[deermanok]

I think my closest thing to a near miss, as you say, was a slip and fall once while hunting. My gun never fired or anything but still a bit scary enough.
All the same safety rules apply, no matter what type of weapon you're carrying.
I usually head to the deer stand before legal shooting time, so my gun is never capped until then. When walking out, I leave the cap on and hammer is at the half cock position.

 

[Sam squanch]

Mine is never capped or primed until I get to the deer stand. Then uncapped when I leave for the evening.

 

[Versanaut]

+1 to Sam's comment. Had a sear spring get buggered up and held pressure on the sear keeping it from properly engaging the tumbler. The lock slipped out of half cock. Was at a match and had not yet capped at the line. Realized then not to ever trust half cock.

Similar trust issue with set triggers. Was next to a guy whose trigger gave up the ghost and let fly when the tip that catches finally wore thin and broke. Sent the ball out of the range, but in a generally safe direction. Don't set her till your sites are on target.

 

[SDSmlf]

My near miss

Always considered a ‘near miss’ to be a hit that almost missed.......

Recently we had a guest at a club I belong to have a long gun go off as he removed it from it’s case. Was pointed perpendicular to the range as it was removed from the case and blew a hole through the cinderblock wall at the end of the shooting bench. A couple of club members had been shooting on the other side of the cinder block wall a few minutes earlier. Some of their equipment was still in place. Story as to what exactly happened is elusive and shifting like oceanfront sand. Many safety changes implemented so far and as far as I am concerned member and his guest should be banned for life. Some will complain that resulting new safety procedures are excessive. Let’s review. Long gun unintentionally discharged across shooting bench, perpendicular to range, while others were present. Guess that’s another topic.

 

[russellshaffer]

Mostly just keep it pointed in a safe direction at all times. I had a couple of unintentional discharges while I was figuring out how to operate my matchlock. One of them actually hit the target. I had a 12 gauge double unmentionable discharge when I closed it due to a sear malfunction and I actually shot myself with a 22 rifle at age 16 due to a stupid mistake. Point it in a safe direction and expect it to go off.

 

[Col. Batguano]

Buy my wife something before I come home with a new gun.

Life is safer that way.

 

[Ontario47]

At a club shoot some years ago I was having ignition problems with my Renegade and had pulled the nipple several times. The next shot blew the hammer to half cock, the nipple was behind me on the ground with stripped threads. Not sure what was the cause, my buddy and I were using the same bench space, and I may have picked up another size nipple, CVA??? Keep things organized! Do not get distracted. Double check what you pick up.

Years before, while hunting with my father in Quebec, we flushed some Grouse but had no shot. The next path was single file with my dad in the lead. When the path opened up and I changed my carry, I realized I had not engaged the safety on my semiautomatic 12 gage and had been carrying it with the barrel level and pointed forward. That scared the hell out of me. I have been safety on and muzzle control paranoid since. In Vietnam, when watching John Wayne's Green Beret movie , he was carrying his M16, magazine up,barrel level and flashing everyone with the muzzle. I walked out with the hair on the back of my neck standing up.