I clean my barrel with a Balistol mix after shooting, then run a couple a dry patches. This leaves a very light oil coat in the bore. Prior to shooting at the range, I shoot a couple caps and then run a dry patch down the barrel and I ready to shoot. If I do the same thing prior to hunting, will the cap residue left in the firing channel, powder chamber and barrel cause corrosion if I end up leaving the gun loaded for several weeks during hunting season?
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firing a cap prior to hunting
- Thread starter newkid
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That's been my supposition, based on limited experience. I only let it go a couple of days, but saw enough stuff happening on the dirty nipple to make me real itchy about what was happening in the bore. My rule of thumb is if I fire a cap in the morning before loading, I'm going to be doing a full cleaning in the evening whether I fire or not. Others will almost certainly differ, but they're messing with their own guns and not mine.
In truth I haven't popped caps before hunts in a couple of years, based on a bunch of range testing. If I swab everything with alcohol before loading, I haven't had a single misfire, much less slow ignition. My tests involved the alcohol swab the night before, loading, then test firing the next day at the range. Maybe if I was inclined to leave a load in there for days and days on hunts it would be different. But after sitting 12 hours there's never been any indication that my alcohol swab job failed to get out enough oil to cause problems.
In truth I haven't popped caps before hunts in a couple of years, based on a bunch of range testing. If I swab everything with alcohol before loading, I haven't had a single misfire, much less slow ignition. My tests involved the alcohol swab the night before, loading, then test firing the next day at the range. Maybe if I was inclined to leave a load in there for days and days on hunts it would be different. But after sitting 12 hours there's never been any indication that my alcohol swab job failed to get out enough oil to cause problems.
Yes, it can. It can also leave a residue that plugs the nipple, since there is no back preasure load to blow it clear. Yes though, I do snap a cap before loading the gun. I also send a very lightly lubed patch down the bore on a jag, to help blow the nipple clear. I have not had any problem doing it this way.
smokehouseman
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IMHO I am less concerned about residue left over but far more concerned about leaving a load in the gun for several weeks.
At the end of my day of hunting I blow the charge out with a CO2, scrap out anything left over and wipe out the barrel with your favorite mixture and you're good to go for the next hunt.
At the end of my day of hunting I blow the charge out with a CO2, scrap out anything left over and wipe out the barrel with your favorite mixture and you're good to go for the next hunt.
Emet Huntsman
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No more than two days for me. I prefer to "unload" at the end of the day, clean, and reload the next morning before heading out.
And I'm not sure about trusting anything that says "non-corrosive."
And I'm not sure about trusting anything that says "non-corrosive."
Ive been told that all current caps are non corosive, I always snap a cap before I load manly due to the use of bore butter. It can build up and couse the charge to not go off. Snapping the cap allows the force of the cap as well as heat to clean the channel out. To each his own though.
Caps are "non-corrosive". Of far greater importance are the cap combustion by-products. Do any of the current cap manufacturers claim that the by-products are "non-corrosive"? I have not seen any such claims. I would tend to assume they are until proven otherwise.
Modern caps are non corrosive and so are their by products. They use a formula pretty close to what's used in modern centerfire primers and those don't promote rust either. I wouldn't worry about firing caps. I've dry fired dozens of caps when trying to diagnose a misfiring gun. Never bothered to clean afterwards and didn't get out to shoot it for weeks. There was no corrosion whatsoever, and we run swamp coolers in the summer here, which generate gobs of humidity.
I don't worry about cap residue from snapping one before loading since I don't do that. At home, the night before, I run alcohol patches through the bore and then dry patches. I remove the nipple and clean it and the channel with a pipe cleaner with alcohol. It is then dry and clear of oil. Never had the load fail to fire using that method for 30 years. However, I tend to remove the load at the end of the day and start fresh. Of course, if I fire the gun, I give it a good cleaning that evening.
I snap a cap then pour a charge of powder down the barrel and set it off before I go hunting. maybe it's overkill but I have seen folks lose a deer because a charge failed to fire. Mine never have. I have had my blank charge slow fire a few times.
shortstring
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I always cleaned the barrel out with laquer thinner before loading for a hunt. I'd use a teflon coated patch with my RB & oil the bore after loading. There's barrels that have been loaded many times for a month & show no corrosion.
There is no problem with cap residue but firing off a blank charge will leave a tremendous amount of fouling in the bore. To then load on top of that fouling is a very bad idea unless you intend to fire it right away. To flash a pan of powder in a flintlock also accomplishes nothing but leave powder residue which will draw moisture from the air.
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Don't sweat the small stuff.
Try this.
Before loading to hunt, run a dry patch down the barrel and leave it all the way down. Pop a couple caps, pull the ramrod and have a gander at the patch. It should be blackened a great deal.
Run a dry patch up and down the bore a few times to clear the nipple of obstructions and you are ready to go. You can also pull the nipple and clean it with acetone or alcohol then put it back in.
Lode er up and go.
HH
Try this.
Before loading to hunt, run a dry patch down the barrel and leave it all the way down. Pop a couple caps, pull the ramrod and have a gander at the patch. It should be blackened a great deal.
Run a dry patch up and down the bore a few times to clear the nipple of obstructions and you are ready to go. You can also pull the nipple and clean it with acetone or alcohol then put it back in.
Lode er up and go.
HH
JackAubrey
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Actually,Snuffer,I think it not a problem at all.I run a cotton flannel to breech before snapping a few caps,this forces the debris into the flannel rather than into the barrel where a swabbing may push the remnants toward the flash channel.The flannel will clearly show a scorch mark and I find the flash channel quite clear.If hunting,I will sometimes remove the cone and run a pipe cleaner through.As for leaving the weapon loaded, one need not worry so.I have read many studies that indicate it is the BURNED powder residues that are corrosive,the salts and other by products.As long as the powder remains unburnt it is chemically stable.Now,one must keep his powder dry.How could it be dampened? Obviously, a dunking or rain but more likely bringing a cold weapon into a warm environment resulting in the formation of condensation.On a personal note,two weeks ago I killed an eastern diamondback rattlesnake in the back woods of my property.All I had at hand was my third model dragoon,which I might add was snapped and loaded in 2005.Killed the serpent dead and not a misfire nor hesitation.I checked the chambers for any signs of corrosive "ringing" and found absolutely nothing,chambers nice and clean.Yes,powder is hygroscopic,but if dampened it just separates into it's components ,not good for firing but not particularly corrosive.Burned powder residue is corrosive but unburnt powder will not eat up a gun.Best regards,J.A.
Headhunter said:
My way is less labor intensive. :grin: As for that particular rifle I doubt the nipple would be easily removed as it's been it there since 78. The original nipple lasted about a year. The one in it now needs to be replaced but I've got a .54 barrel coming for it so not going to worry about it. maybe I'll go ahead and take this one out and put some anti sieze on it.
