How much can you move around before repacking?

[jeremyc]

I am shooting a T/C New Englander 50 cal w/.490 ball and .010 butter cream lubed patches. I understand that when you move around it's possible for the ball to slide toward the muzzle and before firing you must make certian it's seated against the load.

How much can I move? For instance, I'm sitting in my treestand for a few hours. I've probably changed positions a few times sitting, I've probably stood up for a bit, etc... Now a deer comes. Should I take my ramrod and make sure it's seated? Or should I just do that after each movement? What I'm trying to understand is how much movement is required before the ball starts to fall.

Muzzleloading season is shortly after Christmas here in Ohio and it will be my first muzzleloader season, in fact I just purchased my gun 2 days ago so I'm a complete newbie.

Jeremy

 

[roundball]

I am shooting a T/C New Englander 50 cal w/.490 ball and .010 butter cream lubed patches. I understand that when you move around it's possible for the ball to slide toward the muzzle and before firing you must make certian it's seated against the load.

How much can I move? For instance, I'm sitting in my treestand for a few hours. I've probably changed positions a few times sitting, I've probably stood up for a bit, etc... Now a deer comes. Should I take my ramrod and make sure it's seated? Or should I just do that after each movement? What I'm trying to understand is how much movement is required before the ball starts to fall.

Muzzleloading season is shortly after Christmas here in Ohio and it will be my first muzzleloader season, in fact I just purchased my gun 2 days ago so I'm a complete newbie.

Jeremy

Jeremy, the movement you're asking about is really associated with conicals...once they are punched into the bore, the rifling cuts through the bands and after that, some of them will then slide down the bore under the weight of the ramrod, so they do require checking from time to time while hunting.

But tight fitting patched balls don't move around from gun handling movements, walking, climbing, etc...a good test is to use the ball puller that you have probably purchased by now and try to pull one out...you'll see how tight they are.

PS: there is a list of excellent articles at the top of the forum under "muzzleoading links" that anyone starting into muzzleloading would really benefit from reading before you get too far into it...there are more questions than you'll know to ask ahead of time before something happens...enjoy

 

[jeremyc]

Thanks, I'll begin reading. I have recently finished "The Complete Hunter, Muzzleloading" that I borrowed from the library but it opened about as many questions as it answered

Jeremy

 

[musketman]

Now it is a good thing to check the seating depth of the round ball if'n you drop the gun, a sudden shock could move it...

Remember to de-prime any muzzleloader before checking the projectile's depth...

Moving, walking, running with the gun won't move a tight fitting patched round ball...

Leaning the gun against a tree and missing the tree might as the muzzleloader bounces on the fodder below, tripping in the woods and landing on your gun could cause problems too, under these extreme conditions, yes, recheck the seating depth...

 

[Stumpkiller]

I do all my hunting from the ground with periods of much motion, and sometimes cover MILES when small game hunting (I like taking my guns for walks). I've NEVER had a ball move forward since 1976. With a tightly patched ball ( I do use .490" balls and 0.018" or 0.021" patching in my New Englander, but yours should be fine). As Mooskeetmon notes, if you bump or drop the gun it is best to de-prime and check.