Flintlock eye injuries?

[mark davidson]

I do not wear glasses normally and have not been wearing safety glasses when I shoot my flinters. I ought to wear them and almost always do when I shoot centerfire stuff. I do not wear safety glasses when hunting. So far I have noticed the flash and felt the heat on my face but have not had anything come back and burn me. It seems that I (we) should always wear safety glasses of some kind or at least regular eyeglasses when just shooting for fun or while doing benchwork. Maybe I will go ahead and take my own advice! :-)

[tg]

Most people feel that for safety glasses should always be worn, I have worn them for practice shooting from time to time, but never wear them hunting, time will tell wheather I pay the price for comfort or not, I would not allow yougsters under my care to shoot without them , if they grow up and choose not to wear them, the finger will not point in my direction.

[Fletcher]

Yeah Captchee - what he says again.  I ain't been burned since!  I think the Brown Bess dude is still snickerin' cause he wanted to see the greenhorn 'light up'!

It is a very good courtesy to tell the folk to the lock side that you are a FLINTER!

[Spotted Bull]

I would not allow yougsters under my care to shoot without them , if they grow up and choose not to wear them, the finger will not point in my direction.

Same here tg...I like them all to leave with all the body parts working that they came with!

[Three Hawks]

In most States all eyeglasses must meet minimum safety standards.  I worked in a shipyard and had to comply with Longshore and Harbor Workers Safety Act regs.  Regular street glasses made in WA State meet requirements.

One caution I'll give about shooting flinchlocks is to keep your beard neatly trimmed.  

I was shooting a flinter at a rondy some years back.  Apparently my beard had gotten fairly well dusted with unburned powder dust, and upon firing another shot, caught fire.   That pretty much stopped all other action on the firing line until I got myself extinguished.  One guy was laughing so hard he wet himself.  Kind of ruined his nice brain tan breeches.  

Anyway, wear your glasses, and ear plugs and mind your beard.  

I've heard and read on boards, some "Real Men" scoff at ear plugs.  I suppose  that for them, being deaf is manly.  Not being all that invested in the appearance of manliness, knowingly doing something that causes me to lose my hearing isn't manly, it's stupid.

Slightly crispsy ol'

Three Hawks

[BEAVERMAN]

course you can always do like most of the flint shooters I know do, just close your eyes when ya touch it off!!!!!!!!!!!!!!just make sure ya hold REAL STILL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Kermit]

Sounds like all have been pretty lucky--at least compared to me. I've taken my share of touch-hole wash from the occasional flinter that I've failed to notice (and had no warning from the shooter). I DID, however suffer two somewhat freakish accidents from my own fowler!

A wee flint shard broke off the rock and flew, either from the inertia of the moving cock or from the force of the open-air ignition. As bad luck would have it, it happened on a day when my glasses were not on my face. I took it in the left eye, cutting my cornea. Not a bad injury, but it took me off to the emergency room a half-hour away, and sort of spoilt the day for the two friends who spent a few hours of bonding time with me. I don't want to repeat that one, ever.

Ever since, I don't shoot without my glasses on.

Then once, even when I was so protected, I stepped back from the line after a shot to jaw a while, and was asked why that blood was running down my nose. Me fingers found, yup, another not-as-wee shard stuck right between my eyes immediately above the bridge of my glasses. It was about 3/16" square, and very thin and sharp, embedded right between my eyes. Just a little cut to my already somewhat scarred face.

So it's not the flash of burning powder I've come to respect when shooting a flinter, it's the durned rock shedding little pieces!

I wear earplugs too. My wife says I'm deaf enough already.  

[FlintSteel]

I've been shooting Flintlocks since about 1973. I usually always wear glasses of some type. Although I have never sustained an injury from the flash or flint chips I have noticed permanent pits burned on the surface of my glasses at times, both in glass lenses and plastic lenses. Those little sparks from flint and steel are very hot and I'd hate to see what those pits on my glasses would be like if it was my CORNEA instead.

My advice is to go without protective lenses VERY SPARINGLY. But I guess it's your eyes.

Michael

[tg]

One thing you do not want to do is to dump the pan, roll the gun lock up and fire to see if you are getting any spark, one might just go down the vent hole, just maybe, just possibly...one...just one...it can happen, I'll leave it at that.

[Captchee]

it does happen TG , with suprising regularity . anyone that hasnt had it happen  just is lucky to this point

[Kermit]

...and try to imagine sustaining an eye injury while you're out hunting somewhere, far, far from any medical care.

Now imagining it happening when you're alone.

I wear glasses and ear protection. Can't afford to lose any more sight and hearing than I already have.

[Three Hawks]

Something most folks don't think about is full beards.  I have set my face on fire shooting flintlocks.   Overpriming was most likely the main cause along with a rilly rilly kewl full furry Santy Claws beard. Flying black powder dust gets caught in the beard until it reaches critical mass, then all it takes is a single errant spark.  

It ain't nearly as funny to the prime participant as it is to the spectators and other participants on the firing line.  At least not until the fire's out. (Except for the guy about four shooters downline who wet hisself good.  Ya don't wants to laff at ol' Three Hawks, the spirits don't like it!)

Flintlocks also throw enough sparks that a powder horn or powder tin with the plug out or top off can and has become a grenade on a rope hanging from one's shoulder or sitting on the shooting bench.   If you think it can't happen, being in the area when a half pound of 3F goes off in a horn is a very memorable experience, believe me!  The only thing that saved the guy from losing a substantial chunk of hip was his shooting bag clear full of gadgets and gewgaws between his horn and his hip.  He did get a huge, nasty bruise, not unlike being hit hard with a baseball bat.

Three Hawks

[LRB]

I had more close calls when I shot cap locks. Cap fragments. Most FL's have a sufficient rear fence that usually prevents problems.

[bluelake]

i would also say  that   the oppiset is also true . when shooting , be mindful of the jet from your flashole . if there is another shooter standing to your lock side ,  call out Flinter  so they know  your about to shoot . exspecialy if its someone new that may or may not be  knowlagable about  flintlocks . if it takes  actualy say ; aaahh could you please step back , i dont want to burn you . then thats what you should do .
 most folks though quickly learn  to not  stand next to out locks  when we shoot

It makes you think what went on during battles in the 18th and early 19th centuries--hundreds of men standing nearly shoulder to shoulder with each other and shooting.  However, I doubt embers and jets were at the top of their minds at that time...  

[Gambia]

Eye and ear protection IMHO is the most important gear to have when shooting.I happened to work when they were not required as a result I wear hearing aids at about 2Gs per each that don't last forever.When I think of the custom rifles I could have bought! oh well water over the dam.Losing even partial vision unnecessarily is also just plain stupid.I didn't wear ear or eye protection in the Army either, yeah we did have other things to think about like survival.