Safety

[marcuskillion]

I was reading I structions for a cva inline . 50. It stated that when our hunting you should load rifle and not prime. Pull back strike handle and then carry to where you will be shooting.
My question is why pull back strike handle ?
Does this not allow for moisture or dirt to possibly get in before you prime it ?
They say it is for safety reasons

 

[deermanok]

Welcome new member. Not sure I understand what you mean by strike handle?
Do they mean the hammer?

 

[marcuskillion]

Yes basically that . Here is a pic

 

[michiganmuzzy]

Yes basically that . Here is a picView attachment 31103

Can you flip the safety switch to “SAFE” without pulling back the striker handle?

 

[michiganmuzzy]

Or possibly its just for easy visual confirmation that it is unloaded/unprimed?

 

[pacanis]

I got nuthin'.

 

[deermanok]

I know they say that for additional safety.
For myself, when hunting with an inline or sidehammer gun, I load up usually the night before. I also like to get to my morning hunt spot a bit before legal hunting light, so my gun is not primed until legal time. If I'm hunting from a stand, I only primer the gun when I'm settled in, I pull the primer or cap off when I get ready to climb down.
Beyond that, my gun is capped or primed when still hunting through the woods.
Common sense and good safety practices are no accident.

 

[marcuskillion]

Can you flip the safety switch to “SAFE” without pulling back the striker handle?

I don't know. Perhaps not.

 

[white eagle]

My old boss used to say "safety first unless it takes to long"
seriously though as long as you are hunting I would proceed like you would with any other firearm it makes no difference as long as you and others practice safe handling

 

[Confederate rifleman]

When hunting, my striker fired Firehawk is primed. #11 cap in this case.
You are correct that an open nipple can allow moisture to enter. It can also get into an open breech rifle using 209's as there is a good size gap ahead of the primer face.
If you wish to wander unprimed, and have a dry charge, wrap the nipple threads and face ( powder side) with white plumber's tape. Cap/ primer blast will blow right through with no effect on ignition. Even makes the threads easier to clean. I do this with my sidelock percussion rifles too.
I've been doing this for quite awhile now and can report complete success.
Good fortune to you.

 

[CVA Fanboy]

I usually load and prime mine, I have a BA (bolt action) I am able to rest the strike face down on primer, when time presents I work bolt back and I can shoot. On my Buck Horn it is a bad practice, as I imagine it would be here spring pressures, handle slippage while live definitely not getting a pretty picture. Kind of why I am glad I grabbed my old school BA when given the opportunity

 

[GoexBlackhorn]

CVA Fanboy
Enter the woods alone please. Do it like 5:00AM when nobody's lurking in front of you while walking dangerously to your stand.

The rules to not engage the primer is meant as a generic term here. So many MLs exist today and some are less likely to accidentally fire than others.

So the Good Rule is to apply the same Safety rule ALL THE TIME. That way there's no guesswork on what ML I brought today and what are the odds I will be wrong about an accidental ignition, should I trip on / over the foot-tall rock right in front of me, with no other light than what the full moon is offering me at this current moment.

Every hunting season horror stories occur. Most are accidental tragedies. Yet some are the result of plain ol' stupidity, laziness and the will to be instantly ready, should a large buck show itself to you within shooting range as you walk to your deer blind.

Be Smart - Not Stupid.
I would rather go home empty-handed (200 miles away) at the end of the hunting season in one piece and still breathing correctly.

I also want my hunting partner, who entered the woods in front of me and leading the way to the deer blinds, to not be harmed by any muzzle-blast, created by a primer / powder ignition-engagement.

My hunting partner ensures I won;t get lost on this hunting trip. I am the worst at finding the road (my vehicle also)... for I get lost in the woods often & repeatedly....lol

So the last thing I want is to shoot my buddy Ed (walking in front of me) ...with my ML. The Huron National Forest is over 200 miles long and all I have is a couple peanut butter sandwiches - bottle of water and a small compass pinned to my orange coat.

 

[CVA Fanboy]

CVA Fanboy
Enter the woods alone please. Do it like 5:00AM when nobody's lurking in front of you while walking dangerously to your stand.

The rules to not engage the primer is meant as a generic term here. So many MLs exist today and some are less likely to accidentally fire than others.

So the Good Rule is to apply the same Safety rule ALL THE TIME. That way there's no guesswork on what ML I brought today and what are the odds I will be wrong about an accidental ignition, should I trip on / over the foot-tall rock right in front of me, with no other light than what the full moon is offering me at this current moment.

Every hunting season horror stories occur. Most are accidental tragedies. Yet some are the result of plain ol' stupidity, laziness and the will to be instantly ready, should a large buck show itself to you within shooting range as you walk to your deer blind.

Be Smart - Not Stupid.
I would rather go home empty-handed (200 miles away) at the end of the hunting season in one piece and still breathing correctly.

I also want my hunting partner, who entered the woods in front of me and leading the way to the deer blinds, to not be harmed by any muzzle-blast, created by a primer / powder ignition-engagement.

My hunting partner ensures I won;t get lost on this hunting trip. I am the worst at finding the road (my vehicle also)... for I get lost in the woods often & repeatedly....lol

So the last thing I want is to shoot my buddy Ed (walking in front of me) ...with my ML. The Huron National Forest is over 200 miles long and all I have is a couple peanut butter sandwiches - bottle of water and a small compass pinned to my orange coat.

I have entered woods with fathers, mothers, brothers and sisters, BECAUSE YOUR an idiot, do not rope me into it, there are things that can be done as long as the one doing so keeps it between his/her ears, I UNDERSTAND it aint for everyone, those whom place blame games, I AM NOT ONE OF THOSE, I find no reason to beat on the bolt, or even percussion hammer of my Hawken. But as I said It aint for everyone. YOU PLEASE do you I WILL continue to do me, and we will agree to disagree. Have a Nice day.

 

[jd24.5.48]

It depends upon the hunting situation. If I'm going into the stand in the morning before daylight I never put a primer on until I'm in my stand! If I'm going to stand in the afternoon and I'm alone I'll put a primer in and still hunt my way to the stand. If I'm walking into the woods with others I don't put a primer in until we've split up. Safety is the most important thing when going hunting!

 

[Confederate rifleman]

Lowering the hammer/ striker on a primed muzzleloader is asking for trouble though. A sufficient blow to the hammer spur or cocking handle( or even the rear of the bolt will fire the rifle.
If in doubt, try it with a primed only rifle. The BANG will not be a surprise.
There was a t.v. hunter, went by the name " Sasquatch" who used to carry a percussion side hammer primed and hammer down.
Over his shoulder.
By the muzzle.
One time the hammer caught on something and it fell with enough force to pop the cap.
And put a ball through his hand.
I'm NOT bustin' on anybody. But primed and hammer/ striker down IS a bad idea.

 

[Travis299]

As others said, in the am my Accura is loaded but no primer while I get into my tree stand. All of my stands have 3 ropes, 1 for my pack, 1 for my weapon and 1 for my lifeline. After I am comfortable in the stand with all of my gear I load the primer. When finished hunting the primer is removed before the weapon is lowered and may be reloaded if I choose to hunt on the way back to the 4-Runner and then removed. The BP Accura is always loaded with powder/bullet during the hunting season.