Leave reloading to those aware of proper safety

To the editor:

Modern black powder rifles are, for the most part, pretty accurate due to new barrel technology.

However, ball-and-cap pistols have a common failure. If the operator does not have a library of knowledge the first time he pulls the trigger, he will be easy to find. He will be at the emergency room with only a thumb and pinkie finger remaining on one hand.

History teaches us of the misfires these first attempts at pistol making have caused. The most common problem is that the cylinders of these guns don't fit tightly enough to keep the hot sparks inside the chamber, setting off the rest of the charges in the cylinder. Many a professional or would-be gunfighter met his Maker due to these failures. This is where the invention of the metallic cartridge and the old saying, "God created all men, Sam Colt made them even," came into being.

Humidity of Southeast Missouri also plays havoc with black powder, and these guns may or may not fire when called upon. This probably explains why police haven't found any cases of their use in the last 75 or so years.

Leave reloading to those of us who have a library of knowledge on these guns. Another law will not help. It is still against the law to use a firearm in the admission of a crime.

DOUGLAS FLANNERY

Whitewater