leaving m/l loaded

[snagg]

I have read in various magazines and on the net where some hunters have left there unfired m/l's loaded after a day of hunting. Only to put it away and get it out the next morning and go out again. Some have gone all seaon like this, never firing it at the end of a day and cleaning it. Waiting until the season is over to finally discharge there m/l.
Is this a wise thing to do considering how corrosive b/p is?
I'm new to this, but am of the impression that the m/l should be cleaned after a day of hunting and that would require firing it before leaving the woods. That after a period of time the corrosive nature of b/p would harm the barrel. Perhaps I'm putting to much thought into this matter. What are your thoughts.
Anyway, Take care, snagg

 

[biliff]

Unfired BP isn't particularly corrosive. Take a look at your metal cans's of GOEX. BP sits in them for years with no ill effects. I think that people who fire or pull their charges every day are more concerned with moisture contamination of the charge more than corrosion issues. Everybody has to be the judge of how reliable their piece is going to be the next day. If you hunt in a dry climate, leaving the piece loaded probably isn't an issue. In wetter areas it may be.
Of course if you fire the piece and reload then you will probably want to pull the charge and clean at the end of the day. BP fouling is very hydroscopic (hope I got that right) and that's where your corrosion starts. Never had to do that myself deer hunting as they all drop in their tracks with the first shot. Oh, and they're all 6 point or better, too, Western count. And they all fall within 50 yards of the truck. :bull:

 

[Old Ironsights]

The correct answer to your question is:

Yes. No. Maybe. YMMV. All of the above.

BP is good essentially forever and will always go boom if dry.

If you are not in a humid climate and you can keep the charge dry, well, there is no real "shooting-failure" reason to unload it.

Sure, decap or deprime for safety, but unloading is unnecessary... just don't load another on top of the first.

OTOH, many folks just don't want to risk the X% chance that the powder in/near the vent hole might absorb ambient humidity and cake up, plugging the hole, so they shoot/blow the barrel clear then load fresh for the next day. Six to one, half dozen to the other.

The corrosiveness of BP doesn't really come into play unless there is water involved - turning some of the sulfer into sulfuric acid (H20>H2SO4) so, again, keep your powder dry.

Back in the day when the difference between living and dying meant having a loaded gun handy (primed, capped or not) meant the difference between life, death or eating, "loaded" was the default condition for a rifle - and you will more often than not find Attic Queens still in that condition.

 

[buckknife]

Bill Knight has a good write up on it.Scroll down to the part about bore fouling and read to the and threw the important aside and there abouts.[url] http://www.thunder-ridge-muzzleloading.com/Bill Knight.htm[/url]

 

[chuck-ia]

You will get a lot of different answers on this. If I am hunting and don't get a shot by quitting time and it is dry, I may leave the gun loaded, but I will put a tag on the trigger guard LOADED. That is if I plan to go out the next day. If I don't plan to hunt the next day the gun will be unloaded, either by shooting or pulling the ball, and clean the gun. Some guys leave their guns loaded for weeks, or months at a time, I don't agree with this practice. flinch

 

[roundball]

Snagg, I'm one of those who unloads every day.

Had a hang fire back in the early 90's after leaving the rifle loaded over night, and the next morning missed a 6 pointer within easy bow range.

Since then, I have never, and will never, leave a ML loaded over night...just don't have confidence it'll fire precisely as it should the next day after missing that 6.

I've seen the stories about leaving them outside in a cold truck, etc, etc...but I prefer not to do that...and it only takes about 60 seconds to pull the load and lube patch the bore.

Then it warms up & dries out overnight in a warm house, load it fresh in the garage the next morning and know without question it'll fire when I drop the hammer...that's how I do it and never worry...

 

[Halftail]

Snagg, I'm one of those who unloads every day.

Had a hang fire back in the early 90's after leaving the rifle loaded over night, and the next morning missed a 6 pointer within easy bow range.

Since then, I have never, and will never, leave a ML loaded over night...just don't have confidence it'll fire precisely as it should the next day after missing that 6.

I've seen the stories about leaving them outside in a cold truck, etc, etc...but I prefer not to do that...and it only takes about 60 seconds to pull the load and lube patch the bore.

Then it warms up & dries out overnight in a warm house, load it fresh in the garage the next morning and know without question it'll fire when I drop the hammer...that's how I do it and never worry...

Ditto on what Roundball said!
3 years ago late in the season I had a misfire on a small 4 point with a muzzleloader that was left loaded for a few days.Luckily he was too stupid to run very far and the second cap fired the gun perfectly.I was cold that day and I took the rifle into a hot camp at lunch time,when I got to my stand I re-capped with a fresh cap but it didn't make any difference.The cap went on the first shot but the main charge didn't.
Ever since then I either shoot off and clean or Blow the load with the C02 Discharger.
It's worth a little piece of mind.

 

[Big John]

Hunting in cold weather and bringing your loaded rifle indoors, besides being stupid can cause it to miss fire the moment you really need it, believe that! Leave it in the back of the truck, locked or better yet blow it out with CO2 discharger, quiet and safe.

 

[CrackStock]

Burned Black Powder residue attracts moisture, so if you fired that gun, you should clean carefully before leaving it for the night.

Black Powder does not fire well when damp, so you must keep it dry by plugging the two openings. You should also understand that condensation can cause moisture in your barrel and gravity will bring it down to foul the charge.

Most substances that you use to preserve your bore can cause your charge to become fouled. Oils is particularly bad about this.

The really large concern is that you keep your gun in a safe condition. You must keep it away from others and you must recognize that others may not believe that you left a charged ML gun out and about. You might also forget and mishandle the gun at some point. This could be a dangerous situation. Be careful and come up with a method of securing your gun and reminding yourself if you choose to do this. Tompions, colorful patches folded over the nipple and held by the hammer, a toothpick poked into the vent with the cock down; lock the gun in a safe, special and dry place. Whatever reminds you; preserves your charge and makes the gun safe and secure.

CS

 

[playfarmers]

If my muzzleloader has not been fired, and if it's good dry weather, I may leave it loaded for the entire season. If it is cold out then the rifle stays locked up in the truck, but if it get fired once it gets a complete cleaning. I have never had a hang fire because it was left loaded for any length of time. I have had a couple of hange fires, but they were due to either hunting in a snow storm, or rain.

 

[shmrck1]

snagg,
Of course this is just my opinion: I have never had a problem with leaving my m/l loaded
for up to a week during deer season(unprimed of
course).It is a .45 cal. hawken percussion and has never failed me for up to a week.
snake-eyes :hmm:

 

[Gary]

I'm given to believe that the old timers or original users of muzzle loaders kept them loaded and ready for game or self-defense. So long as the barrel is cleaned before the powder is introduced, you won't have to worry about rust. What you do have to worry about is moisture ruining the powder charge.

The Confederates at Spotsylvania Court House were quickly overrun by Hancock's II Corps on May 12 when they left their guns loaded in the rain. When Hancock's men attacked, the Confederates attempted to shoot but only the cap fired. The powder had gone bad. Thousands were captured including two generals.

The scenario is vastly different from being at home and keeping it loaded and over the entranceway like the frontier settler did.

 

[musketman]

Is this a wise thing to do considering how corrosive b/p is?

Black powder in it's unfired state is safe enough for your barrel...

The real danger is someone handling your load gun without your permission, even if its just to move it out of the way...

For that reason I say, always tag your loaded guns as loaded, this way, everyone knows...

A simple tag could save someone's life...

 

[Stony]

I would no more leave a ML rifle loaded than a cartridge rifle loaded. The question of safety is the reason. The only weapon I leave loaded is my Glock, in a safe and locked place. (one of those "finger unlockable" safes) It really doesn't take that long to clean the rifle and I'd rather spend the extra minutes cleaning than the rest of my life regretting what happened. nuff said.

 

[roundball]

:thumbsup:

 

[paco97]

I'v hunted BP for 6 years now and have yet to harvest a deer. I've had a couple of opportunities, but both times I had a misfire. I believe it was caused by 2 problems. First a cheap gun, CVA Bobcat Percussion was the culprit. Second, both times I left it loaded overnight. 1st I left in truck till next day, 2nd I brought in the house overnight. Now I got me a flinter and hope to harvest my first BP deer this year. I will never, ever, ever, for no reason ever leave a BP gun loaded overnight in truck or house. I don't ever want to risk losing a BP deer again. My new policy is fire the weapon before leaving the stand.

 

[roundball]

My new policy is fire the weapon before leaving the stand.

Paco, there's an alternative that is far easier than firing off the ML, which forces an unnecessary cleaning chore...you can just pull the load with a ball puller, or blow it out with compressed air...no noise, no cleaning chore, etc

 

[paco97]

Yeah, I know. I tried to pick up a CO2 discharger last winter but they were already sold out by the time I bought my flinter. I'll get one this year though for sure.

 

[roundball]

Yeah, I know. I tried to pick up a CO2 discharger last winter but they were already sold out by the time I bought my flinter. I'll get one this year though for sure.

Just a reminder, keep the muzzle in a safe direction when you blow it out...shocking how much force they can come out with.

At the beginning of the season each year, I set up a cardboard box in the garage with a few old soft towels loosely thrown in with one draped across the top like a hammock...use air to bloop the whole load out into the towel...pick out and save the patch & ball for use at the range...dispose of the powder, then run a lubed patch downbore and set the rifle in the house.

 

[sidelock]

Read my post "she went boom" . I have hunted for up to a week in pouring rain every day without reloading ( or without firing off my cap lock ). A little care and good components makes it unnecessary to fire off or pull every day. Just think --- would L&C have wasted a shot every day???? :thumbsup: