Blowing down barrel

[No Powder]

Haven't started to blow down the barrel on my muzzleloader after 40 years of shooting it. Don't plan on starting now. Everything works fine the way I have been doing it . But for those who feel they need to do it, whatever floats your boat.

[RobD]

We're all big boys and most have decades of trad ML experiences notched on our gun stocks and brains.

Blowing has its risk when dementia strikes and ya forget that yer blowing down a loaded bbl - this CAN happen, cause look at how we've all dry balled!!

Not blowing has its risk that the explosive powder yer pouring down the tube will contact some manner of heat left in the bbl or chamber and then Ka-bloo-eee!!

To blow or not to blow is a personal decision and whatever decision we make will be a good one for each of us and that's a good thing 

HOWEVER, using a blow tube eliminates both of the above possible catastrophic issues, and thus no longer a bad safety issue but an excellent good safety issue.

[Winter Hawk]

This has been bandied about numerous times on various muzzleloading sites.  What I remember about the NMLRA rule is that it came into being after their insurance company representative saw someone blowing down the barrel and decided they would pull their coverage if this was allowed to go on.  It was not based on any actual incident, just what the insurance decided.

Disclaimer: I am going by memory, and that is in decline as I get older....   

~Kees~