First time muzzleloader hunting questions

[will5a1]

Before loading a charge snap two or three caps, this blows clear any lube that may be in the firing channel.

 

[longcruise]

Only misfire on game that I've observed ever happened to my grandson a few years back. I suggested to him that before we loaded for deer in September that he thoroughly degrease the barrel with alcohol and let it dry/evaporate overnight. "Nah" he said, "I'll just snap a few caps in the morning before loading". He had two attempted shots on an animal fail to fire. Caps went off just fine, but his nipple and flash channel was plugged with lube and cap residue. We.had to remove the nipple, scratch a hole in the hardened residue and oil and then shake some powder in before replacing the nipple. Then, the gun went off!

I always snap a few caps before a range session and have no problem, but given time that goomba is going to form a plug.

Using the alcohol wash and allowing a COMPLETE dry period eliminates the problem. The DRY oil free barrel gets enough lube on it when the ball is seated on the powder to prevent any corrosion action. Below the ball everything is bone dry and goes off reliably.

My guns have been loaded for months at a time and go off every time with POI where it should be.

That's just my way of doing it. It's not the only way, but it has never failed. It's also now the grandsons way too :haha:

 

[Britsmoothy]

Good method.

I find a rod and patch down the bore and then a cap catches crud and the back pressure keeps the channel open.

 

[smoothshooter]

Night before hunting:

Remove nipple.
Run pipe cleaner through nipple seat, and flash channel all the way into the bore (several times ).
Swab bore with 70 % isopropyl alcohol saturated patch.
Put smaller alcohol saturated patch on corkscrew jag or something similar. Run down bore to breech and twirl around clockwise several turns to clean breech and remove.
Allow to dry for a half hour or so.
Run pipe cleaner through flash channel again.
Look through nipple and make sure you can see daylight.
Replace nipple.
Load barrel.
Lower hammer with leather pad sandwiched between unprimed nipple and hammer.
Cap nipple when hunt begins.
Gun may be left loaded like this for weeks and still fire when needed.

Get in the habit of never going to bed at night without cleaning you muzzleloader if it has been fired even once.

 

[longcruise]

I can see how that would work :thumbsup:

 

[robinsroost]

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

I, along with several others, leave the gun loaded until a shot is taken. If you bring it into a warm environment out of a cold environment it will likely cause condensation. Leave it in the cold, locked in your vehicle will be fine.

Once you fire the gun, clean it ASAP, or it will rust.

Take a spare nipple with you to your local hardware store, where you will find the proper size of flexible plastic tubing to fit the nipple. A 12" or 18" section will last you for years and cost about $3.00. Cut the tubing into 1/8" sections. When you cap the rifle, push one of the tube sections over the cap and nipple, effectively sealing it from rain. As a double precaution, I cut a 3/4" square out of an old inner tube, punched a hole in one corner, and tied it to the trigger guard, with a 6" piece of waxed linen cord. I put the square over the cap, tube, and nipple, then lower the hammer over the square. When you cock the hammer, the square falls to the side. Keep yer powder dry......Robin :wink:

 

[smoothshooter]

I should have mentioned in my previous post that after removing the nipple and running the pipe cleaner through the flash channel into the barrel, point the muzzle down and rap the side of the gun pretty hard to the point that it hurts a little, with the heel of your hand several times to get any chunks you may have dislodged with the pipe cleaner to fall out of the muzzle.

 

[Britsmoothy]

I should have mentioned in my previous post that after removing the nipple and running the pipe cleaner through the flash channel into the barrel, point the muzzle down and rap the side of the gun pretty hard to the point that it hurts a little, with the heel of your hand several times to get any chunks you may have dislodged with the pipe cleaner to fall out of the muzzle.

Sounds like it could become a dance :thumbsup:

 

[longcruise]

It was surely a popular dance around the campfires of the mountain men as they each fired their guns at the end of the day so as to reload to be certain they would fire the next day. Very important in such a hostile environment!

Many a trapper lost their scalps to the Blackfoot once they realized they were vulnerable while dancing :haha: :haha:

 

[don hepler]

I clean my guns, similar to what you suggest and I have never had a problem. A clean gun.....will fire.

 

[Black Hand]

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?

No. If you shot and reloaded, then yes. If I've been out in the rain, then I pull the load and load fresh.

Q2. How long is it safe to go between deep cleaning of my rifle.

See Q1

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

Very few. Use a "cows knee" or tuck the lock under your arm to keep it dry. Caplocks appear to be less susceptible to rain than flinters.

 

[Vaino]

Prior to the actual loading, 2 caps are fired, the bore is swabbed w a dry patch, one more cap is fired and the powder is poured in and then the PRB. The bore is then swabbed w/ Oxyoke 1000 down to the PRB. This is done on the eve of opening day.

The rifle is left loaded until either a shot at game is made or the season has ended. Have MLer elk hunted and it rained 7 of the 9 day season and the rifle fired at the end of the season.

I've hunted w/ a fouled bbl for a couple of rainless days w/o any ill effects asre the bbl after missing an elk.

W/ a properly lubed PRB which doesn't allow any moisture to dampen the powder, the only other avenue for moisture is the cap/nipple. A properly seated cap won't allow moisture to get at the powder. Some put electrician's tape on the muzzle and wax the cap, I don't, but if doing these things gives one peace of mind, so be it.

Always carry a calves knee but only use it when there's a downpour. Usually just find an evergreen of some sort and sit under it.

Judging from complications of some of the guys in our hunting party, the reason for non-ignition has been the use of WD40 or the thinner rust inhibitors which aren't thoroughly cleaned out....especially in the flash channel of snail type breeches. All hunting party members now use waxy type rust inhibitors and have had zero cases of failure to fire.

Good luck on your first MLer hunt....Fred