Re-enactor on probation for shooting another with powder

[The Straight Story]

Re-enactor on probation for shooting another with powder
Juvenile victim sustained burns and had to have a toe partially amputated.


A Civil War re-enactor accused of firing a powder charge at another re-enactor's foot was sentenced to 24 months of probation in Adams County court Oct. 6.

Paul J. Sproesser, 45, of Frederick, Md., pleaded guilty to one count of simple assault.

His sentence was reached through a plea agreement with the Adams County district attorney's office.

According to court documents, the shooting happened Aug. 3, 2008, at the American Civil War Museum in Gettysburg.

Sproesser carried a .69-caliber Springfield black-powder rifle, which was loaded with gunpowder but no round. He walked up to a 17-year-old re-enactor, who was lying on the ground, under a tarp.

Sproesser pointed his rifle at the juvenile's foot and fired. Even though there was no round loaded in the rifle, the shot burst through the other re-enactor's boot, injuring his foot. He had to have one toe partially amputated and received powder burns on two of his toes.

http://ydr.inyork.com/ci_13585152

[tularetom]

1. Don't f#*k with black powder

I lost the vision in my right eye because my nephew didn't know that.

[LuvNewcastle]

2. Yet another Civil War casualty

[krispos42]

3. Woops, that was stupid.

Black powder flies out of the barrel still burning, even with a projectile loaded to slow down the gasses. It's probably similar in concept if not scale to using white phosporous.


I've seen the slo-mo of blackpowder rifles... there's a LOT of still-burning powder granuals escorting the bullet on the way downrange.

[3waygeek]

4. Sproesser's one mistake...

he's not Dick Cheney.

[Swamp Rat]

5. 24 months of probation is way too lenient for shooting someone.