Polecat
Well-Known Member
Just purchased a CVA .45 cal long rifle off the internet from a used gun dealer this past week. It was a used gun and in decent shape according to the pics, having that weathered look of a reenactment gun. Gun came in on Friday. Looking it over everything appeared mechanically fine. I pulled the ramrod out and dropped it down the bore and noticed about an 1 3/4 sticking out past the muzzle. I mark it and think, "No way," as am laying the ram rod against the outside of the barrel and see it stopping almost two inches above the drum. I pull the nipple and give the gun a few taps and see loose powder. I dumped a little out on my hand and placed some of it on the bottom of a coke can. I carried it outside and lit it with a long butane grill lighter. It was a little difficult to ignite and the grain size seemed rather coarse but once lit it burned with a bright red flame.
Yep, some yahoo sent me a loaded muzzleloader through the mail.
I considered removing the bolster screw and nipple and submerging it in penetrating oil and then trying to pull the projectile after the powder charge was oil fouled. Not having a bullet puller for a 45 or knowing anyone who did or having access to a CO2 unloader I elected to stump fire it. I replaced the nipple and carried the gun outside to the make shift range and place it in my gun vice and proceeded to sand bag it like the IED it was. Placing a #11 cap on the nipple and 40 feet of parachute cord on the trigger I sought cover behind my aluminum duck boat. Giving a slow tug the cap went pop then nothing. After waiting a couple of minutes in the event of a hang fire I eased closer and elected to repeat the procedure. After replacing the spent cap with a fresh percussion cap I returned to my position of assumed safety and gave the 40' of cord another tug. This time there came the following Ka..........pow, followed by a small column of white smoke. Now at least I know the gun's unloaded. A good thorough cleaning and everything seems to be fine. I sent an e-mail of discontent to the seller later that day and rec'd a reply this morning expressing disbelief that the gun was loaded followed by an apology and the excuse of, "We handle hundreds of firearms transactions a year and have no way of checking or ensuring that a blackpowder weapon is unloaded"... If I had a WTF smiley I promise I would insert it here. I recently attended a refresher Hunter Safety Course and before we left every person in that room knew how to check a muzzleloader using either the ramrod or a cleaning rod to ensure the gun was unloaded and this person is a dealer and tells me they don't know how? I still can't get over it. I think what would of happened had I just swabbed the bore and then popped a couple of caps to clear the nipple or worse loaded a charge on top of a charge and then shot it. It still baffles me with that last statement of not being able to check to see if it was loaded.
Yep, some yahoo sent me a loaded muzzleloader through the mail.
I considered removing the bolster screw and nipple and submerging it in penetrating oil and then trying to pull the projectile after the powder charge was oil fouled. Not having a bullet puller for a 45 or knowing anyone who did or having access to a CO2 unloader I elected to stump fire it. I replaced the nipple and carried the gun outside to the make shift range and place it in my gun vice and proceeded to sand bag it like the IED it was. Placing a #11 cap on the nipple and 40 feet of parachute cord on the trigger I sought cover behind my aluminum duck boat. Giving a slow tug the cap went pop then nothing. After waiting a couple of minutes in the event of a hang fire I eased closer and elected to repeat the procedure. After replacing the spent cap with a fresh percussion cap I returned to my position of assumed safety and gave the 40' of cord another tug. This time there came the following Ka..........pow, followed by a small column of white smoke. Now at least I know the gun's unloaded. A good thorough cleaning and everything seems to be fine. I sent an e-mail of discontent to the seller later that day and rec'd a reply this morning expressing disbelief that the gun was loaded followed by an apology and the excuse of, "We handle hundreds of firearms transactions a year and have no way of checking or ensuring that a blackpowder weapon is unloaded"... If I had a WTF smiley I promise I would insert it here. I recently attended a refresher Hunter Safety Course and before we left every person in that room knew how to check a muzzleloader using either the ramrod or a cleaning rod to ensure the gun was unloaded and this person is a dealer and tells me they don't know how? I still can't get over it. I think what would of happened had I just swabbed the bore and then popped a couple of caps to clear the nipple or worse loaded a charge on top of a charge and then shot it. It still baffles me with that last statement of not being able to check to see if it was loaded.
