leavng it loaded

[thumbs]

As longs as the rifle was loaded with the barrel clean, can it be left for a week or so without unloading it. Of course in a safe place without a cap on the nipple. The question is as long as the barrel is clean will the black powder harm the barrel or the breach if the barrel cleaned after the last time out?

thanks

 

[silly goose]

I've left my rifle loaded with a clean barrel from opening day of deer season until near the end. Approximately 20-25 days or so. The rifle went off like I just loaded it. I remove the cap and put a piece of leather over the nipple and lower the hammer. Have done that for the 2 seasons that I hunted with a percussion gun. I've left my flinters loaded for a few days with no issues and instant ignition also.

 

[thumbs]

Thanks, I always thought that unburned BP won't hurt anything and will not corrode the barrel. It's after the barrel is fouled is when the corrosion process begins. Is that correct? I just want to make sure. I'm pretty sure this is correct but not positive.

Oh on more thing how do you subscribe to a thread? I can't find a place to click on.

thanks

 

[Jason Lewis]

yes you are correct, so long as the powder charge is not exposed to excessive moisture, i.e. like goose, myself and i'm sure many others do. the powder charge will be just fine for the relativly brief hunting season. just make sure that you clean the gun after you discharge it at the end of the season. clean it the day you shoot it.

 

[ChrisLJ]

I'm wondering, what if you have a gun loaded like that and all of a sudden you die; will your family or heirs know about it? I've heard of people buying old or used guns only to discover they have a charge in them. This sounds to me like it could potentially lead to a tragedy somewhere down the line. Just speculating.

 

[George T.]

Yeah you can but I don't! Even when degreased well there is always the chance that oil will lurk behind. I use a CO2 un loader and reload the next morning. There is no reason to risk a misfire after going to all the trouble to get a deer in your sights.

Geo. T.

 

[Dave Marsh]

+1 I agree --- unload it and start fresh in the AM. May only get one chance at that big buck. Don't ask me how I know that.....

Dave

 

[Walks with fire]

Your right about passing away suddenly leaving a gun loaded. I have left it loaded for a weekend of hunting and it has always fired but I also hang a tag on it that the barrel is loaded just in case.

If the weather is not going to warm up enough for the barrel to sweat then it should be dry. I use track Mink oil lube and usually a wad of wasps nest under it. I don't worry about the lube dampening the charge. I keep it in a shed that's locked up. I don't worry about it firing. If I can't go out during the week I fire and clean it.

If your taking your rifle into a warm truck after a hunt and the barrel is charged (legal in PA)your much better off shooting it off and cleaning it right then. If it warms up from the cold you have condensation.

 

[cynthialee]

the loaded guns in my house are labeled with a piece of paper solidly taped to the gun that boldly proclaims the gun is loaded
I ain't leaving any troubles behind me once I leave the mortal coil.

 

[thumbs]

Ok thanks guys. I'll probably just blow the charge out with the compressor. Or just leave it for a day or so. Like you say nothing worse than not firing when it counts.

 

[ChrisLJ]

To "Walks with fire" & "Cynthialee":

Well tagging the rifle sure makes sense, too bad I didn't have the sense to figure that out for myself. :bow:

 

[hanshi]

If not fired mine stay loaded until they are fired. Just wouldn't use a lube containing water for that first load, however.

 

[thumbs]

I hear that. I used a very well known product from a very respected manufacturer that stated it could be loaded and left loaded for the entire season. I called said manufacturer to confirm what was stated on the jar. They assured me it was fine and it had been done for longer periods than just a hunting season with no problems at all. Ok great!! I tried it and in 3 weeks I lost the barrel to rust. I called them and they told me I must have done something wrong and would not replace the barrel. I sent it in anyway with a letter explaining what happened and they sent me a new barrel. So, yes , ya gotta be careful.

Hey what are you guys using for patch lube? I know there are a ton but something I can make or get locally that doesn't cost a ton.

thanks

 

[Dave Marsh]

Spit at the range and TOW's mink oil hunting.

Dave

 

[cynthialee]

If I am hunting (or developing my hunting load) and it will be loaded for awhile I use a near dry patch that has a small trace of castor oil on it.
When target shooting I use them pre-lubed patches.

 

[Billnpatti]

The tag on a loaded muzzleloader is a good idea but it has its flaws. After you shuffle off this mortal coil, will your heirs be careful to make sure the tag remains on the rifle or will they unload it? If they fire it to unload it, will they know to clean it or how to clean it to keep it from becoming ruined? Just thoughts.

I am one of those folks who inherited an old rifle from my brother-in-law. it was a very old middle eastern matchlock. No telling how old it was but it had obviously spent many years in storage in some warehouse. I have no idea of where all it had been nor how long each person had it. My brother-in-law had kept it in his gunsafe for many years before I got it. Then I had it for several years before thinking of checking for an old charge in it. Lord save us, it was still loaded for all these many years. I used a patch worm to dig out a bunch of very dry and crumbly paper wadding, then I dug into some greyish white crumbly stuff that turned out to be very corroded shot. That was followed by more crumbly wadded paper. Once that was out, I dug out some old black powder. No idea how old it was but it must have been well over a hundred years old. It could have been over 2 hundred years old, I don't know. Out of curiosity, I took the old powder out to my driveway and struck a match to it to see if it would still burn. It did.......in a big flash and a big puff of smoke. What if, in all those years, someone had been smoking while they were handling the gun and a spark from their cigarette or cigar had fallen into the pan? It was a tragedy looking for an opportunity.

That is why I never bring a loaded gun into the house nor transport one in my car. What if I had an accident and the person who was removing my things from my car didn't know that it was a loaded gun? I just prefer to have my gun unloaded except when I am at the range or in the woods. It is safer that way and I like for my guns to always look as near the way they did the day I bought them as I can. Yeah, I may be a bit OCD about my guns but that's okay. :hatsoff:

 

[RedFeather]

Transporting brings up a good point. I don't believe my state allows loaded firearms in the vehicle. Does an unprimed pan or uncapped nipple constitute an unloaded gun?

 

[cynthialee]

I don't know about your area, but around these parts if there is no cap on the nipple or charge in the pan it is not considered 'loaded'.

 

[nchawkeye]

In North Carolina it is considered unloaded it unprimed or not capped...

 

[Semisane]

Just returned home from the hunting lease, logged on, and saw this topic.

It just so happens that Saturday afternoon I shot one of my .54 round ball shooters that was loaded (as best I can remember) late last January - on a perfectly clean barrel, of course. The patch lube was Liquid Wrench. The load of 85 grains GOEX FFFg put the ball on the 75 yard target exactly where it should have. The barrel is just fine.

I often have two or three loaded guns sitting in my gun locker. But they are always - and I mean ALWAYS - flagged with Surveyor's tape on the trigger guard.