As I put my rifle in the safe last night

[WalnutRed]

Went out for the 1st day of Ohio deer season yesterday, no luck. I'm not going out today but I'll be going out again tomorrow. I uncapped the rifle before leaving the field but didn't clear the charge. As I started to close the safe door I remembered the reason I'd not be going out again today is that we'll be attending a memorial service for a neighbor who had a fatal stroke recently. He was only 47 and was changing his shoes for his daily treadmill workout. Then I thought about all of the times we warn people to check the barrel of a newly acquired muzzleloader because they are often left loaded for years. Realizing I have no guarantee that I'll be the next person to touch this rifle I hung a red tag from the ramrod saying "LOADED". I've never done this before but I think it will be my new habit.

 

[BillRob]

In years long past, I always shot and cleaned my ML at the end of the day, even when I was going to go the next day. I no longer do it, so your new practice is one I should adopt too.

 

[Dutch7]

I have had the same thought as well so I have a short wooden dowel with a red handle that reads loaded. I don’t usually do it over night but between seasons I usually use it.

 

[sussexmuzllodr]

I use red electrical tape wrapped around the barrel in a single pass
When I discharge it comes off

 

[Semisane]

I use a piece of Flagging Tape tied to the trigger guard.

 

[RiverRat]

This is a flag that I made up years ago. I live alone now but I still use it when one of my long guns is left loaded.

 

[Kansas Jake]

I’ve stored loaded rifles during hunting season. I always wrapped tape around the ramrod with “loaded” on the tape.

 

[2 shots]

i have one area in my safe marked HOT for the loaded unmentionables that reside there .

 

[Spikebuck]

I have a thick plastic baggie that's red that I put over the end of the barrel with a rubber band to hold it in place. "LOADED" is written on both sides of the bag.

 

[morehops52]

Went out for the 1st day of Ohio deer season yesterday, no luck. I'm not going out today but I'll be going out again tomorrow. I uncapped the rifle before leaving the field but didn't clear the charge. As I started to close the safe door I remembered the reason I'd not be going out again today is that we'll be attending a memorial service for a neighbor who had a fatal stroke recently. He was only 47 and was changing his shoes for his daily treadmill workout. Then I thought about all of the times we warn people to check the barrel of a newly acquired muzzleloader because they are often left loaded for years. Realizing I have no guarantee that I'll be the next person to touch this rifle I hung a red tag from the ramrod saying "LOADED". I've never done this before but I think it will be my new habit.

I haven't read all the posts but another issue, particularly if you know you're going out the next day is to keep your rifle near the same temp when it's cold. I either keep mine in the truck or If i need to bring it inside I'll put it in a heavy lined case and in the coolest part of the house so that it warms slowly.

 

[mrfritz44]

You guys must get alot of shots at deer to keep your guns loaded overnight.

I feel the need to shoot and clean my gun every day as I've had too many hangfires otherwise. Maybe it's our humid PA weather, especially in December and January, coupled with the temperature change inside and out of the car?

 

[FishDFly]

Very s

I haven't read all the posts but another issue, particularly if you know you're going out the next day is to keep your rifle near the same temp when it's cold. I either keep mine in the truck or If i need to bring it inside I'll put it in a heavy lined case and in the coolest part of the house so that it warms slowly.

Very sage advice, if not, you may come back to a rusted rifle.

 

[TFoley]

Over here in UK putting away a loaded gun is just unthinkable. Not that anybody except BritSmoothy shoots game with a muzzleloader, but I bet you an even $1000 bill that HE doesn't do it either.

True, I only shoot on a range, but my gun has to be shown clear and unloaded before I can remove it from the range - it has to be inspected by the RCO, declared clear and bagged on the firing point.

 

[WalnutRed]

TFoley, here in Ohio a muzzle loader is considered legally unloaded if it's not primed. I would almost be willing to bet that even $1000 that 90% of the people in the county that I live in who own firearms have at least one loaded non muzzle loading firearm in their house or even vehicle.

 

[LME]

The rule to

I have had the same thought as well so I have a short wooden dowel with a red handle that reads loaded. I don’t usually do it over night but between seasons I usually use it.

The rule to follow is consider all guns loaded. You get used to it and it becomes natural!

 

[waksupi]

We have used these on shooting ranges for decades.

https://www.amazon.com/FSDC-940URCF...2674&sprefix=empty+chamber+tag,aps,774&sr=8-7

 

[Terrier]

I loaded my kibler for a deer hunt early during muzzleloader season, then didn’t use it again until shooting at targets from the porch for a practice session prior to a club shoot. First target had two holes after the first shot.

It took me a minute to figure out why.

 

[Dutch7]

The rule to

The rule to follow is consider all guns loaded. You get used to it and it becomes natural!

Yes I know that and you know that but many do not. This is the point of the OP

 

[Eric Krewson]

I loaded my flintlock on the opening day of M/L season which was Nov 18th, A few weeks ago I realized that the toothpick in the touch hole had fallen out somehow. I leave my flintlock out the garage so the barrel doesn't get warm and cold and possibly sweat. With the possibility of the powder absorbing moisture, I blew the load out with my air compressor, swabbed the barrel, reloaded the rifle and put a tight-fitting piece bamboo skewer in the touch hole. Sealing the charge on both ends is very important for extended time load dependability.

I took off the frizzen stall so the touch hole plug would be visible. Bamboo skewers won't break off in the hole like a toothpick can, I color them with a red sharpie to signify that the gun is loaded.

If you shoot real B/P you can leave your rifle loaded forever and it should go off easily. It is not unusual for me to have a bad year and never fire my flintlock all season. I have a white lightning touch hole liner in all of my flintlocks. When I shoot them out after they have been loaded for months, they go off like they were just loaded, no hang fires.

Back in the early 70s, when TCs had just come out, we all bought one to hunt the newly established M/L seasons on the management areas. It was common practice to fire your rifle at the end of the day, clean it and reload it at the start of the next hunting day.

I am pretty sure I followed this regimen up until I changed from percussion to flint about 20 years ago.

Another thing, I am a fair-weather hunter, my flintlocks seldom see a drop of rain. If I am caught out in a storm I empty my flintlock, clean it and reload for the next hunt.

 

[Sam squanch]

Something else to think about is this. I have a tag on each gun with its used value, I just kind of estimate and look at gun auction sites to see what they are selling for. That way your spouse or kids will know what to ask for them in case something bad happens to you and you are gone. I’ve seen way too many examples of a widow selling a $2000 shotgun for $200 because she doesn’t know guns and their value….