Lesson learned cleaning the muzzleloader
My friend and I have CVA Optima muzzleloaders. I always clean mine thoroughly after each use making sure to remove and clean the firing pin. My buddy isn't so thorough with his. He generally cleans the barrel and outside but had never pulled and cleaned the firing pin.
We were out sighting in the ml's this year for deer season and after his first shot he was loading for a second. He put the primer in and closed the action and BANG! Gun goes off. Luckily we always subscribe to the #1 safety rule and the gun was pointed in a safe direction. I asked what happened and he said he didn't know just closed the action and it went off. Looking at the firing pin it was stuck out. Not cleaning it caused it to get stuck out and when the action was closed it contacted and activated the primer. Lesson leaned. Always clean the firing pin in your break action muzzleloader.
Just thought I would write this up so it may save someone else from having a bad day at the range or in the field.