LOL no worries man.

I keep my flinter hammer 1/2 position on the lock:I also use a frizzen boot to cover the frizzen at all times.
I also will keep the leather boot on even if the primer powder has been removed from the lock pan.
I would say a small spark is all it takes

This is how I've always done it. Entirely silent.

Guns are by nature dangerous.And modern guns have been developed with safety features not invented when muzzleloaders were the only thing available.So of course replica muzzleloaders are more dangerous no matter how they are handled.After over 25 years that was the only situation that ever occured with my Hawkins.The gun was pointed in a safe direction as it always is and I attribute the misshap to hunting in a new situation,the ground blind,and it being darker in the blind than outside of it in the dark.To each his own and I don't believe I've asked any of you to put your lives in danger hunting by my side.

Hell, I don't even load my ML until I see one I want to shoot. Make things a might more sporting! Just kiddin. both my flinters and percussion rifles are carried at 1/2 c0ck. Everything else is as Semi said.

You are right, replica muzzleloaders don't have today's safety features. But what I was trying to get at is; why take an un-needed risk? I'm not saying that we all aren't prone to making a mistake, because anyone can. But why make a habit of something that makes the odds of a mistake go up? That one time in 25 years could have been your last.

Just my thoughts.

popeandyoungchaser

Just to add my 2 cents... with any hammer gun sidelock-inline-30-30... I use the trigger manipulation that i think you all are talking about. Where and when possible the hammer is pulled back to 1/2 kock and when necessary the trigger is pulled and the hammer is pulled full back - release the trigger and ease the hammer forward till it catches the sear. The gun is already capped - primed - loaded.

And I agree at close range who bothers with the set trigger...

OK did I make a mess of that????

To the Pope.Well,because that's the way I've done it for possibly longer than you've been alive,unless you were born before 1986.

Pluckit,
In my opinion you have demonstrated exactly why a person should not have it ****ed the hammer and set the trigger. Despite the fact that you had been using the gun for 25 years and were very familiar with it you had an accidental discharge. An accidental discharge is not haha funny like dryballing or forgetting a primer. I don't know why you are so darn defensive everytime somebody has a better idea. If you miss a deer that is not a big deal at all, if you have an accident that is huge.

Directed at no-one

I am trying to figure out why you would ever the pull the set trigger prior to knowing what range you might be shooting at and how much time you have to settle on a target.

For myself only... if the set trigger is set it is way to sensitive for me to grab the rifle get on target and not set the darn thing off just putting my trigger finger in the hole. I use the set trigger on the bench for sure and for longer range ambush shots where I have time to settle and work the target.

just me thinking out loud - probably did not do a good job explaining it either... but I think I know what I am talking about