1. Keep the gun muzzle pointed in a safe direction.
2. Be sure of your target and beyond.
3. Never rely on a gun's safety.
4. Gun should be unloaded until ready to use.
5. Wear eye and ear protection.
6. The barrel should be clear of obstruction before shooting.
7. Handle every gun as if it were loaded.
8. Keep guns and ammunition separate and in locked storage.
9. Avoid alcoholic beverages and drugs before and while using a firearm.
10. Do not alter or modify your firearm. Have your firearm checked regularly by a competent gunsmith to make sure all parts work properly

• Never smoke around or while using a muzzleloader.
• Use a powder measure to pour powder into barrel.
• Never lean over or stand in front of muzzle.
• Keep flask and powder containers away from heat, flame, sparks and shooting area.
• Use only blackpowder or approved substitute (such as Pyrodex®).
• Never use smokeless powder. Do not mix powders.
• Place percussion cap on nipple only when ready to shoot.
• Gun is unloaded only when percussion cap, projectile, AND powder are removed from gun.
• Use factory recommended loading data.
• Never use plastic poly patch. These are different from proper sabots.
• Deactivate and remove powder before cleaning or working on gun.
• Treat every misfire as though the gun could fire at any moment.
• Keep the muzzle pointed in a safe direction.
• Make sure projectile is seated firmly on powder charge.
• Do not blow down barrel to clear or extinguish sparks

• DO wear shatterproof shooting glasses and ear protection, as both percussion and flintlock guns may shower sparks and bits of caps/flint when fired.
• DO use black powder or Pyrodex® only. Using any amount of smokeless powder in any muzzleloader can result in excessively high pressures and can cause serious damage to the muzzleloading firearm and possibly serious injury to the shooter.
• DO treat a misfire or failure to fire as though the gun can fire at any second. Wait at least one minute with gun pointed at target.
• DO handle a muzzleloader with the same respect due any firearm.
• DO be sure all spectators are completely behind you when firing. Flames and bits of caps/flint sometimes exit to the side of the gun.
• DON’T fire a muzzleloader unless the projectile is firmly seated against the powder charge. Firing a muzzleloader with the projectile off of the powder or part way up the barrel may cause serious damage to the firearm and possibly serious injury to the shooter.
• DON’T exceed manufacturer's recommended maximum powder charge. The proper charge for a muzzleloading firearm is an efficient load that provides consistent ignition, consistent velocity and yields chamber pressure that is well below maximum levels.
• DON’T lean over or stand in front of the muzzle at any time.
• DON’T attempt to shoot out a projectile that is not firmly seated against the powder charge. The projectile and powder charge should be removed.
• DON’T use any plastic patches. The ball-to-patch fit is critical. If improper fit or sharp jolt occurs, the ball will roll down the barrel, leaving an air gap between the ball and plastic patch. The ball will then act as an obstruction and will cause serious damage to the firearm and possibly serious injury to the shooter. To use any type of plastic patch will void the CVA warranty.
• DON’T smoke while loading, shooting or handling black powder. Always follow the powder manufacturer's safety precautions, as listed on its container.
• DON’T pour a powder charge into the barrel directly from a horn or flask. If a smoldering ember is present, it could ignite the powder in the larger container, as well as the powder charge, as it is poured into the barrel. This excessive amount of black powder could cause a dangerous explosion. Therefore, be safety minded, use a powder measure or other small measuring device

For additional information about muzzlelaoder safety be sure and watch the safety segment in Blackpower 101 video series...