Somewhere in my attic is a copy of a British book. The title is something like "Safety With Firearms". It was written in 1839. That book recounts dozens of accidents with the firearms of the day, mostly rifles and shotguns.
Accidents with shotguns were quite common: It seems that the wedge would quite often come out of shotguns, releasing the barrels from the stock. Of course the caps always hit a rock.
i've looked for that book several times in recent years but there is too much junk in the attic. Some of that junk will be dumped this spring and maybe i can find the book.
Some Brit company had a patented flask in that time period that was supposed to prevent explosions.
From the Black Powder Journal:
Quote:
While writing this segment, I was reminded of two historical stories relating to black powder safety. One is taken from The American Daily Advertiser a Philadelphia newspaper dated December 28, 1839. It reads as follows:
Serious Gunning Accident -- Mr. Joseph Askew, of Burlington, N.J., in company with his brother, Mr. Peter Askew, and Mr. Joseph Haines, were out shooting partridges recently.
A covey was raised and Mr. A. discharged both barrels at them. While re-loading, an explosion of the contents of his powder flask took place, lacerating in a dreadful manner his right hand, destroying, it is feared, his right eye, and fracturing the bones of the nose and upper jaw.
It is said that experienced sportsmen always put the powder into the hand, and thence into the barrel, but never pour direct from the flask.
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http://www.blackpowderjournal.com/ar...s/blackmag.htm
Accidents With Blackpowder Guns In The Day
