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I belong to a group that does a lot of reenacting and Living History events. We also train people on the SAFE operation of muzzle-loading black powder cannons. One of the states wherein we operate has a person heading the State Parks system that has chosen to ignore our safety rules. Due to legal considerations, I do not wish to mention the state.
When the cannon goes off, it emits a huge flash fireball from the muzzle (we have it on film). The people working on the front of the cannon are required to wear wool coats to protect them from the fire. Wool may smoulder, but it doesn't burn, and rates almost as high as firefighters suits for protection. The person in question has said that nobody on the guns is to be allowed to wear a wool coat.
There is a 3-minute rule that says a minimum of 3 minutes must pass before another shot may be loaded. This is to help be sure there are no embers still in the barrel. We also sponge out the barrel twice between shots--before and after every shot. He wants us to "ram and jam" and has forbidden watches to be used to be sure ample time has passed.
Nothing besides the black powder is to be packed in the load--no flour, no sawdust, no nothing. They turn into projectiles and do not contribute to the "smoke effect" yet he wants to load all kinds of foreign stuff in with the gunpowder.
I, and my group, are appalled. It's not enough for us to just say that we will not participate in their events. We do intend to take it to the state governor and let it be known that the situation is a tragedy waiting to happen. We have a few members who are living testament to the need to follow these safety rules. We also had a few others that, had rules been followed, might still be with us.
I really just needed to vent about the situation, and I hope we can get things changed.
When the cannon goes off, it emits a huge flash fireball from the muzzle (we have it on film). The people working on the front of the cannon are required to wear wool coats to protect them from the fire. Wool may smoulder, but it doesn't burn, and rates almost as high as firefighters suits for protection. The person in question has said that nobody on the guns is to be allowed to wear a wool coat.
There is a 3-minute rule that says a minimum of 3 minutes must pass before another shot may be loaded. This is to help be sure there are no embers still in the barrel. We also sponge out the barrel twice between shots--before and after every shot. He wants us to "ram and jam" and has forbidden watches to be used to be sure ample time has passed.
Nothing besides the black powder is to be packed in the load--no flour, no sawdust, no nothing. They turn into projectiles and do not contribute to the "smoke effect" yet he wants to load all kinds of foreign stuff in with the gunpowder.
I, and my group, are appalled. It's not enough for us to just say that we will not participate in their events. We do intend to take it to the state governor and let it be known that the situation is a tragedy waiting to happen. We have a few members who are living testament to the need to follow these safety rules. We also had a few others that, had rules been followed, might still be with us.
I really just needed to vent about the situation, and I hope we can get things changed.
+ Asshat = 
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