First time muzzleloader hunting questions

[mancill]

Tons of questions. This year I will be hunting with a smoke pole for the first time.
Q1. Should I discharge the rifle every night?
Q2. How long is it safe to go between deep cleaning of my rifle. I currently deeply clean after my weekly shooting session.
Q3. My gun is a cap lock, what precautions should be taken for getting caught in the rain?
Thanks in advance
Chris

 

[Skychief]

Tons of questions. This year I will be hunting with a smoke pole for the first time.
Q1. Should I discharge the rifle every night?
Q2. How long is it safe to go between deep cleaning of my rifle. I currently deeply clean after my weekly shooting session.
Q3. My gun is a cap lock, what precautions should be taken for getting caught in the rain?
Thanks in advance
Chris

1-Only if ya like cleaning your gun
2-You'll need a "deep clean" after every firing
3-Keep the muzzle down and cap/nipple dry as possible

Welcome to the great past time.

 

[Len Graves]

Just use common sense . Try to avoid large temp. changes while gun is loaded because of condensation. If it is wet and rainy I reload every night. Keep your lock covered in wet weather, under your coat and/or. Cover with a calves knee ( a greased leather wrapped over the lock). Or any other precaution you might think prudent. I would rather spend a charge of powder and ball than lose a nice trophy.

 

[mancill]

Thanks guys. I never thought about the temp changes.

 

[coloradoclyde]

Tons of questions. This year I will be hunting with a smoke pole for the first time.
Q1. Should I discharge the rifle every night?
Q2. How long is it safe to go between deep cleaning of my rifle. I currently deeply clean after my weekly shooting session.
Q3. My gun is a cap lock, what precautions should be taken for getting caught in the rain?
Thanks in advance
Chris

1. Some do, and some don't. It's a personal preference for you to develop.

2.I would say within hours of your last shot. BP residue is "acidic" and time is not your friend. A week is far too long in my opinion.

3. Keep muzzle down, when sitting I cover the lock or stick it under my coat, poncho or armpit. The same as I would with any gun.

 

[Stumpkiller]

I left one loaded 11 months in my unheated garage - temps from 0°F to 90°F and it went off fine.

"Deep clean" after you get home after every firing; whether one or 100 shots.

Muzzle down and a waxed cow's knee (leather cover) over the lock. Brimmed hat and cowled cape also help; as does sittng under a nemlock tree.

 

[tenngun]

Get your self a ball screw or ball puller, as if you do want to discharge the gun you can pull the ball and dump the charge.
If you shoot your gun needs a deep cleaning,1 or 100 makes no difference.
Melt a little wax, and as it cools you will have a short time were its cool enough to handle but soft enough to work. and you can smear a little around the base of the cap., Its not as good as a cows knee, but helps. The arm pits a good spot. Be very very careful not to apply to much or you will interfere with the hammer strike or block the vent.
Practice, get out in the mist or sprinkles and play. Spend some days with the gun minding where its muzzle is and where its breach is.
Lastly git rid of them modern guns and get you a smooth bore rock in the lock :rotf:

 

[longcruise]

So, take your choice; yes! Do all of those things, or, no! None of the above :haha:

 

[Spikebuck]

Tons of questions. This year I will be hunting with a smoke pole for the first time.
Q1. Should I discharge the rifle every night?

I used to discharge and clean every night starting the new day with a new load. After reading a lot of comments on this forum about just leaving a load in, I do that now and have not had any issues. I do leave the gun in a cold place overnight (I have an enclosed unheated shed). IF it was bad weather, then I will blow the load out at the end of the day with a CO2 discharger, wipe the bore, and reload before going out the next morning.

Q2. How long is it safe to go between deep cleaning of my rifle. I currently deeply clean after my weekly shooting session.

I agree with the others...if you shoot it a "deep" cleaning needs to be done. I don't know what exactly you mean by a "deep" cleaning, but what I mean is thoroughly cleaning the bore and wiping down the outside. You don't need to remove the barrel.

Q3. My gun is a cap lock, what precautions should be taken for getting caught in the rain?

I think a good ol' cows knee is as good as it gets. Some here mention full loose waterproof canvas cases the gun can easily be slid out of when needed. I've used the commercial plastic rings that slide down over the cap to seal it. If it's just very light rain, I've sat under a cedar or something and just put my hand over the cap. I've used the "muzzle down, lock under armpit method too. Many things can work well.

Best of luck to you! :hatsoff:

 

[nwtradegun]

to cover your lock get a cows knee. I am not joking that's what it is called. it is a leather cover treated with bees wax or grease.

 

[Britsmoothy]

I don't deep clean after a shot if I wish to keep the gun loaded.
Step one is to put a piece of leather between the hammer and nipple.
Step two is to swab the loaded shot earlier barrel with an olive oiled patch until happy.
Next with oiled patch or damp patch remove fouling around the nipple and hammer. Nothing must enter the nipple!

Whilst some acid may be present it is little when compared to the caustic salts present.
As long as animal fats or vegetable/animal oils are used these will absorb and hold the salts in suspension.

 

[hanshi]

Tons of questions. This year I will be hunting with a smoke pole for the first time.
Q1. Should I discharge the rifle every night?
Not if you're using a grease type lube and not any lube containing water. But if it has been fired, yes, discharge and clean thoroughly.
Q2. How long is it safe to go between deep cleaning of my rifle. I currently deeply clean after my weekly shooting session.
If the gun's been fired at all clean it thoroughly and don't wait overnight.
Q3. My gun is a cap lock, what precautions should be taken for getting caught in the rain?
A cows knee is fine. I've had fine success using a plastic baggie.
Thanks in advance
Chris

 

[irishtoo]

i load the first time before season at home, no cap or prime. i wipe the bore well before hand. i use a loose waterproof canvas case and let it slide off if i spot a deer. the gun is left in my truck the entire season. if i shoot, i clean then reload. i have left my guns loaded from october till the end of season at the end of january. i fire them on the last evening as im walking out, without issue. hunt like a bow hunter. good luck to you. this is more of a challenge but carries more fun and much more pride when you score old school. irishtoo

 

[Mort Scott]

i missed a nice buck because, i left my gun loaded until the next day. took my aim an fired cap did not ignite i now clean each day and start fresh, the big guy is still walking around

 

[longcruise]

If the cap failed it probably wasn't related to leaving the gun loaded.

 

[Britsmoothy]

i missed a nice buck because, i left my gun loaded until the next day. took my aim an fired cap did not ignite i now clean each day and start fresh, the big guy is still walking around

Did you seal the nipple with anything ?

 

[Rat Trapper]

If the cap failed it probably wasn't related to leaving the gun loaded.

10X

 

[piper987]

I have used the plastic cap rings, basically fishtank airline tubing, in a good rain with no problems. Keeps caps from getting knocked off in brush too.

Mike

 

[don hepler]

I've used the little plastic band, "things". Thanks, I didn't realize they were fish tank tubing.

 

[mancill]

Thanks for the info guys. It has helped alot. :thumbsup: :hatsoff: