• Fort Parade Ground and Officers Quarters as seen from Guardhouse

    Fort Scott

    National Historic Site Kansas

Weapons-Weapons Safety

Reenactors handling weapons

The following are guidelines for safety during weapon demonstrations.

  • Approach and leave the demonstration area carrying the weapon in a safe and military fashion.
  • Have all the equipment needed for the demonstration and do not encumber yourself with superfluous equipment.
  • Visitors are kept at a safe distance but can see and hear without shoving.
  • Weapon is always pointed down range and never towards a visitor or other individual.
  • At no time are there any parts of the demonstrator's body placed in a hazardous position in relation to the weapon.
  • In the event of a misfire, wait ten seconds before attempting to reprime.
  • Treat every weapon with the respect due a loaded gun. Avoid all horseplay with a firearm.

The information on this page came from the NPS Blackpowder Manual.

 

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Soldier shouldering firearm
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Did You Know?

Soldiers fighting settlers along the railroad right of way south of Fort Scott

From 1869-73, soldiers were stationed near Fort Scott to protect a railroad being built through this area. Soldiers fought squatters who had formed an armed resistance to the railroad. This was one of few times in U.S. history that the army took up arms against civilians.