POLL - Why People Don't Unload a ML

[SgtSchutzen]

I voted "all of the above". I just don`t see any reason to remove the load if I haven`t been out in wet weather, and I plan on using the gun again in a day or two. I don`t like to leave one loaded more than a week or two though. I do put a tag through the trigger guard to remind me the thing is loaded.
Back when I used to shoot pyrodex I unloaded after every hunt though, because that stuff wouldn`t always go off if left loaded more than a day or so. Since I became educated on the benefits of "the real thing" my guns shoot every time I pull the trigger. Goex is my friend :thumbsup:.

 

[bucktales]

I'll be the first to comment. :wink: When I hunt a stretch of 3 days to a week I leave the gun loaded if I've been hunting in nice weather and there was no chance of wetting my charge. Otherwise why unload it? It should go off (and does) just as fast after a week in the barrel as it does after a day.
So, I voted "none of the above".

Like Mike said. If you do everything right in loading your gun to begin with, unloading is unnecessary every night.

Same here.

 

[Kentuckywindage]

why would i want to waste ball and powder when its a perfectly dry hunting season? :hmm: I dont fire until i see something or the season is over or if there is bad weather.

 

[MikeC]

I'll be the first to comment. :wink: When I hunt a stretch of 3 days to a week I leave the gun loaded if I've been hunting in nice weather and there was no chance of wetting my charge. Otherwise why unload it? It should go off (and does) just as fast after a week in the barrel as it does after a day.
So, I voted "none of the above".

What Mike said. I will go 2 to 3 weeks without unloading. I leave the gun in the shed cased, never bring it in the house. Never had a problem either.

 

[larry wv]

I load and hunt over a month or so in whitetail season. If it has been bad moisture wise I will prob shoot and do a quick clean job. When elk hunting I will shoot and give it a good going over 3 or 4 days into the hunt. I also leave it out side the entire season Larry Wv

 

[roundball]

Just for clarification, the opening back-drop for the poll was this:

"...vast majority of hunters who use modern rifles/shotguns for hunting, routinely unload them after a hunt.
By contrast, a large percentage of ML hunters appear to do the opposite...leaving their MLs loaded for various amounts of time during hunting seasons.
What are the reasons for doing that?..."

So far, a lot of responses by those who don't unload generally followed the theme of:
"there's no need to, its not necessary", etc.
And given the backdrop reference for the poll question, the conclusion is that all those who said it was not necessary to unload a ML after a hunt, means that the same group also doesn't unload their modern CF rifles & shotguns after a hunt and I'm surprised at that.

If that's not the case, then that group needs to rethink their answers as to WHY they don't unload a ML after a hunt...

 

[rabjr]

If that's not the case, then that group needs to rethink their answers as to WHY they don't unload a ML after a hunt...

:bull: Your talking about two very different animals here. It's a hell of easier to unload a CF gun than it is a muzzleloader and when I unload a CF I'm not wasting anything when doing it. There are certain steps I take to ensure my muzzleloader is reliable and in doing so there is no need to unload/reload everytime I go out.

 

[roundball]

If that's not the case, then that group needs to rethink their answers as to WHY they don't unload a ML after a hunt...

"...It's a hell of easier to unload a CF gun than it is a muzzleloader..."
"...when I unload a CF I'm not wasting anything .

No BS at all Swampy...you just named your reasons.
And there are two answer choices in the poll that relate to exactly what you just said...

 

[tg]

", the conclusion is that all those who said it was not necessary to unload a ML after a hunt, means that the same group also doesn't unload their modern CF rifles & shotguns after a hunt and I'm surprised at that.'

There is absolutely no connection between the two, when one steps into the world of ML hunting you can say that one steps back in time there are no centerfires, this is looking like a way to spin the question to justify a NEED for unloading the ML, the centerfire is unloaded mainly for safety and for wiping down, once you have neutralized the charge in the ML by removing one of the components and eliminating forgien sources of combustion we are back to having no NEED to completely unload the gun, in a centerfire you cannot remove a part of the charge, the entire cartridge must be removed, to neutralize the charge, you could remove the bolt then set the gun barrel down and you would have a safe loaded centerfire, unloading a gun everyday is likely something rather recent in the history of guns and was probably not thought much about even in the early cartridge days and not practical of good for ones health in the ML days. I just cannot see any way one can compare the twne cannot make the conclusion as stated above to have any meaning, I used to remove the chambered round at the end of the day and run a lightly oiled patch down the bore, now I remove the prime plug the vent and put the hammer stall in place and run a lightly oiled patch down the bore, this being a safety measure for both guns
if things were wet or either gun was fired then a complete unloading/cleaning would be in order for the centerfire and the ML.There is no "better" answer here it is still a matter of choice and conditions that dictates what one does, safety is a given whenever talking about guns, the above satisfies that requirement.

 

[RC]

+it's illegal to transport a modern firearm loaded..whereas a ml it is not..
and I can honestly say none of the reasons you gave are the reason I don't unload my ml....I don't unload after EVERY hunt because I think it's unnecessary,,if I thought it was unsafe (in my position) or that it effected the guns ability to fire or damage it then I would..

 

[Dave K]

In my state of Ohio, a ml'er is considered unloaded if uncapped or no prime is in the pan. Technically, an uncapped gun is about as likely to go off as is a shell laying in the drawer. Now on a flinter, I agree that extra precautions should be done, as I have had one fire as well without prime in the pan from dry firing. But a tooth pick in the vent or a frizzen stall should take care of that.

 

[rabjr]

And given the backdrop reference for the poll question, the conclusion is that all those who said it was not necessary to unload a ML after a hunt, means that the same group also doesn't unload their modern CF rifles & shotguns after a hunt and I'm surprised at that.

The point is the two are very different things and why you would assume we would leave CF guns loaded after a hunt is beyond me. Thats a whole different discussion and has nothing to do with the poll question.

 

[Roy]

+it's illegal to transport a modern firearm loaded..whereas a ml it is not..
and I can honestly say none of the reasons you gave are the reason I don't unload my ml....I don't unload after EVERY hunt because I think it's unnecessary,,if I thought it was unsafe (in my position) or that it effected the guns ability to fire or damage it then I would..

:thumbsup: my thoughts exactly.

 

[Roy]

And given the backdrop reference for the poll question, the conclusion is that all those who said it was not necessary to unload a ML after a hunt, means that the same group also doesn't unload their modern CF rifles & shotguns after a hunt and I'm surprised at that.

The point is the two are very different things and why you would assume we would leave CF guns loaded after a hunt is beyond me. Thats a whole different discussion and has nothing to do with the poll question.

nor does it have anything to do with a Muzzleloading forum

 

[tg]

"...I don't unload after EVERY hunt because I think it's unnecessary"

I don't know if that was for me, but my reasons for not unloading a ML are because it does not need to be done, I was just comparing the safety issue with both types of guns, and in a way we have partialy unloaded the ML's does anyone leave their ML loaded without removing cap, prime lock out/tagout or whatever other thing we do for what must be safety concerns?, I hope not so it could be said we completely unload our centerfires and partialy unload( neutralize possibilty of discharge) the MLs

 

[Kentuckywindage]

Also forgot, the lead balls i use are made from the bullets i shoot out of my other faster twist muzzy and those cost $1 per bullet. Damned if im gonna throw money away!

 

[RC]

No TG,,,,"...I don't unload after EVERY hunt because I think it's unnecessary"

I don't know if that was for me, but my reasons for not unloading a ML are because it does not need to be done,

we was both sayin same thing.. :thumbsup:

and YEA!I sure do hope everyone removes cap/prime when they're not with the gun... :thumbsup:

 

[roundball]

nor does it have anything to do with a Muzzleloading forum

Good gracious Roy, that's a bit of a stretch :grin: ...it was just an example buried in text to try and draw a comparison, etc...posters do that all the time. And this isn't a poll to try and GET anybody to unload a ML...I could care less if you or anybody ever unload their MLs...I just put up a poll trying to see what the specific REASONS might be that some people don't unload them.

To say something "isn't necessary" is a high level summary statement, not a specific reason...this would be a specific reason: "the ML is not capped and the nipple is covered so its not unsafe"...THEREFORE "it's not necessary" to unload it.

If pressing for that kind of detail makes some people uncomfortable, then my apologies of course
:thumbsup:

 

[RC]

how do you "detail" unnecessary????
the gun still shoots, the barrel ain't hurt, an in my case safety is not a bigger issue than normal ..(ie no kids, all (both) guys know it's loaded..)??

 

[sniper68]

I'm confused!! Kinda like watchin msnbc..

I think what we have here is a classic case of "Malus Pumila VS Citrus sinensis".