Signs of unsafe shooting conditions

[Rex in OTZ]

As for unsafe shooting conditions of your firearm.
When cleaning its always a great time to look over your firearm carfully.
Any signs of anything amiss will be apparent if you look it over each cleaning.



How often do you clean the nipple threads?

 

[rodwha]

I still remember the Dixie Gun Works powder measuring method of placing the ball in your slightly cupped palm.
Use powder horn to dribble powder over ball till its just covered (from view) with black powder.
That is your starting powder charge to work up or down from.
I tried checking this with my cap and ball revolver, i used my powder flask to dribble powder over the ball in my slightly cupped hand.
Then removed ball and dumped the powder on a sheet of paper and funneled it into my adjustable powder measure to quantify what I had.
It was fat pinch of powder less than the charge thrown by my powder flask for that revolver.

As I recall DGW also mentioned firing over fresh snow to judge powder burn.
Once you hit the maximum burn of powder, the overage of unburnt powder is blown from the barrel and you can see unburnt powder on the snow.
Helps save powder.
Also cuts down on fire hazard in areas prone to fire.

http://www.shootersreport.com/muzzleloading/capandballrevolver.htm

I’ve also read this about an impromptu powder charge and that it seems to work rather well.

As to checking the ground for unburnt powder I’ve seen this, and believe it to be, incorrect. There is so much unburnt particles that doesn’t get burned regardless, and this is what you see they claim. When we see the size of the fireball outside of the barrel it only stands to reason the powder that might get ejected would get consumed in that conflagration. I suppose setting out a sheet and seeing if what you catch will light would be telling. I’ve seen it claimed once that it was collected and did nothing.