Welcome to TheOhioOutdoors
Wanting to join the rest of our members? Login or sign up today!
Login / Join

Lesson Learned...

Mike

Dignitary Member
Supporting Member
15,840
223
Up Nort
...the hard way.
Guys please be careful this weekend. It takes one dumb move to hurt yourself or ruin your muzzleloader. I learned the hard way yesterday. I'm OK, but things could have been much worse..
I was not paying attention and I left my aluminum ram rod down the barrel and then shot my gun. I'm shooting a smokeless Savage ML-II and the recoil was intense. I was wearing eye protection so my face is OK. My gun unfortunately is not. The ram rod made it down range and was bent into a "C" shape. Even though this barrel is designed to accommodate crazy PSI, there is damage inside the barrel. This damage that is visible to the naked eye and felt by running down a patch. Lesson learned.
 

"J"

Git Off My Lawn
Supporting Member
56,739
274
North Carolina
Damn.... Sorry too hear this Mike.... Guns can be replaced my friend you can't..... Glad you're around too relay the message....
 

CJD3

Dignitary Member
Supporting Member
14,630
201
NE Ohio
Damn. You were lucky Mike. I'm glad to hear you were not injured. It could have been much worse
 

Lundy

Member
1,307
127
Mike,

Sorry you messed up your barrel, be glad you didn't do that with a different gun

A lot of guys use only a range rod for shooting practice and put a 4" or bigger flat plate or plastic ball, something, on the ramrod so it is impossible to not see it if you leave it in the barrel
 

Dannmann801

Dignitary Member
Supporting Member
10,640
191
Springboro
well that just sucks.
Easy to see how it can happen - that's why it's so important to develop your steps and stick to them and not get distracted.
I have before been distracted at the range and forgot what step I was on and had to backtrack - it's unnerving.

Glad you're ok.
 

RedCloud

Super Moderator
Super Mod
17,381
193
North Central Ohio
Sucks the gun is wrecked but glad your ok man.

Just getting into the MZ thing had me on edge and waited for a day somebody with more knowledge then myself could go along just so I didn't do something wrong the first few times to get a routine.

After shooting now I could see how easy this could happen. Again, glad your alright buddy.