Loaded for 30 Years

[Rick J]

Decided to hunt the muzzle loader season in Oklahoma next year. My old Renegade got left is a basement we had that flooded years ago, so I got my dad’s Renegade out of the safe to get it ready to shoot. I was surprised to find I could not blow through the barrel. I removed the nipple that had some corrosion, ran a pipe cleaner into it and pulled a little powder out, ran the rod down the barrel and sure enough, dad left it loaded. I’m guessing 30 years. I managed to pull the ball and remove the powder and I am currently in clean up mode.
Question for you all, do you trust this rifle? Would you shoot it?

 

[Stykbow]

Sure would.

 

[deerstalkert]

if it was clean when loaded it could stay loaded for a century. Black powder is not corrosive until burned.
the first muzzleloader i ever fired had been left loaded for over a century. bore, breech etc was fine.

 

[S.Kenton]

It’ll be fine. I’ve owned. An original that was loaded for around 50 years. Pulled ball, cleaned and shot.. it fired off perfect and was pretty accurate as I remember.

 

[morehops52]

You said you're cleaning it up so it doesn't sound like it's a wreck. I wouldn't hesitate a bit to take it out and make smoke. Enjoy.

 

[yonderin]

Anything in particular bothering you? Or just cautious by nature?

If you have any concerns, put it securely in a rest and fire it at arms length or even use a lanyard.

Personally, I wouldn't be overly concerned about using it.

 

[BillRob]

Wow. I always put a cap on a gun and go out to my back yard and fire it at a twig or leaf before I go hunting to make sure the channel is clear - but I can't honestly say I put a patch through the gun every time before I do it. (These are my guns that I personally cleaned and put away.) But that said, I suppose I could accidentally put a loaded gun in the safe and then find out the hard way when I check for the clear channel. Good reminder!

To address your question - I would load the gun with a light charge and if all went well I'd just continue to shoot it.

 

[oldwood]

Iffin the bore will shine up......what's not to shoot it?

 

[TDM]

Yes, based on what you have said, I’d shoot it without hesitation.

 

[ElkStalker]

The only thing I’d be concerned with is making sure there isn’t a crud ring down by the breach. Not from being fired, but the possibility of moisture being drawn from the atmosphere. Even then, unless kept in a moist environment, rust is probably minimal due to have a bullet or PRB sealing one end and a nipple on the other. I’d just scrub the breach real well and enjoy a day of shooting dads gun.

 

[necchi]

muzzle loader season in Oklahoma next year.

First, Thank you for checking with us now for next season.

dad left it loaded. I’m guessing 30 years.,, and I am currently in clean up mode. Question for you all, do you trust this rifle? Would you shoot it?

Yes, with judicious cleaning, inspection and fresh lubrication these olde rifles can be and are resurrected to be in fine functioning condition 90% of the time.
As you progress with the project and find any concerns, check back here, you've found the right place to be, there's lot's of folks that can help with any questions you might have.

 

[toot]

not a problem! it was not left uncleaned after firing it for 30 years. now that might make a difference?

 

[Mousegunguy]

You’d be surprised.
Way too many of the used long guns I’ve bought have been left loaded.
The first thing I typically do is drop the ram rod down and check.
It’s usually easy enough to pull the ball. The one with the cleaning brush stuck in it was a PITA and we had to pull the breech plug to get it.
Once they were cleaned out they all function fine.

 

[OldSmoky1967]

Decided to hunt the muzzle loader season in Oklahoma next year. My old Renegade got left is a basement we had that flooded years ago, so I got my dad’s Renegade out of the safe to get it ready to shoot. I was surprised to find I could not blow through the barrel. I removed the nipple that had some corrosion, ran a pipe cleaner into it and pulled a little powder out, ran the rod down the barrel and sure enough, dad left it loaded. I’m guessing 30 years. I managed to pull the ball and remove the powder and I am currently in clean up mode.
Question for you all, do you trust this rifle? Would you shoot it?

Yes.

 

[user 48679]

FWIW, I had left my .45 T/C Seneca loaded at the end of deer season in Dec 2015, then went for open heart surgery soon after.

A few weeks ago, when going through my gun safe, I noticed the red "loaded" tag on it (that I added every time I intentionally left it loaded at season's end), so I took it outside, & capped it - it shot as normally.

 

[hanshi]

Shoot it, clean it and get it ready for the field.

 

[SDSmlf]

If your really nervous and concerned, run a borescope down the bore. Then shoot it… As others have mentioned, if the gun was properly cleaned before it was loaded by your dad 30 years ago, it will be fine. You may find some frosting and minor corrosion in the breech area, but it will clean up with normal shooting and cleaning.

 

[nhmoose]

Sad did you put your mouth around the muzzle to blow? Stick the ramrod down the bore next time to check.

 

[ord sgt]

I managed to pull the ball and remove the powder and I am currently in clean up mode.

You never mention which type of powder was in the barrel. Was it black powder or Pyrodex? If synthetic, there could be some corrosion from that. If you saved some powder, a burn test outdoors will help.