Question for the "Nawtherners"

[Problem Child]

I'm in central MS and the temp is supposed to be about 13 Saturday morning and I'm crazy enough to go after hog and/or deer. Is there any thing I need to do different with the Muzzleloader in these temps?

 

[smoothy]

If you get a chance take a practice shot in the cold and see if it still hits the same.
Look at the post under flintlock rifles about shooting in the snow. There are some opinions there about what lubes you use at different temps. Changing lubes may also change your point of impact so you can't assume that it will be o.k.

I personally don't change my loading methods no matter the weather and have had successful one shot hunts the last 4 years with temps in the 20's and lower. Maybe it's lady luck.

 

[RC]

Make sure yer GLOVED finger will fit in the trigger guard!!!! other than that,,,cold is way better than damp for shootin,,,jus keep the barrel pointed down if you leave her loaded overnite keep it cool.. :wink: (an keep yer finger WARM! Numb don't feel!)

 

[Flint311]

Like the above said. I use a prelube patch, so a spit patch (freezing) is not a factor. My advise is to GO FOR IT! It's just temperatures.... but DO NOT touch your tongue to the barrel! :rotf: Not sure why you'd want to, but it will stick! Now that I said that and you think of it during your hunt, DON'T!, but have fun and get some pics to post. Good luck!

 

[dbutch]

If you can... shoot to see if the temps affect your patch lube.. Start each day with the cleanest barrel possible-tape the muzzle if its snowing- use a full length slip off gun cover... water proof if snowing. check your prime often..This has worked for me in the past. 100 % ignition at the end of shooting hours.

 

[Stumpkiller]

Great tip about the glove fit. That can be a problem. My two favorite m/l hunting rifles have single triggers for that reason.

Leave the gun outside if you intend to leave it loaded overnight. Changes from cold to hot will cause condensation to form.

I shot a buck at -15ºF which remains my record low. MAN that was a cold morning. The wind chill was something like -25ºF and it was seriously unpleasant.

Felt like I was sticking my hands in boiling water when I gutted the deer. But the pain soon faded. :wink:

I attended a "fun shoot" that was in the single digits and it can be a real korker trying to load from the pouch repeatedly to shoot gongs at those temperatures. Seperates the men from the men dumb enough to be outdoors muzzleloading in single digit temperatures.

 

[Trench]

If you're not moving, expect your toes to start hurting after about an hour of sitting still.

 

[Livbucks]

Avoid covering the lock with your hand, or your underarm. The warmth and escaping moisture from your body will grow water on the gun.

 

[Dave K]

I love those mittens that the top folds back on. You can ever wear them wool fingerless gloves in them or buy gloves with fingers and remove the trigger finger part and place all of this in that mitten. Works great. You can actually just kind of sneak just your trigger finger out of these kind of mittens. Don't forget the NON PC hand warmers. :thumbsup:

 

[Livbucks]

Don't forget the NON PC hand warmers.

I don't care what others think of me. Whatever keeps me out there, makes me happy. I use them. Mostly in my boots.

 

[bigbore442001]

Another trick with the Non PC chemical handwarmers is to place one at each part of the lower back by the kidneys. It will help you stay out there longer.

 

[hawk]

a big coat will also change your length of pull ...shoulder your gun in your winter coat to see how it feels.

knowin' a big pot of hot stew and a warm fire is back at the house helps me stay out till I'm good and cold....the warmin' back up is all part of the experence... oh there's also the fact that you stayed till the late light you did all you could do ....no regrets .

 

[Golfswithwolves]

Don't eat the yellow snow!

 

[doulos]

I love those mittens that the top folds back on. You can ever wear them wool fingerless gloves in them or buy gloves with fingers and remove the trigger finger part and place all of this in that mitten. Works great. You can actually just kind of sneak just your trigger finger out of these kind of mittens. Don't forget the NON PC hand warmers. :thumbsup:

those are the best I feel for hunting

 

[Stumpkiller]

Marketed as "Glommets" or other names. I have a pair of black ones knit out of aplaca wool (semi PC) that are thin but very warm and another pair lined with Thinsulate. Another great thing I carry is a fleece lined pouch I wear on my belt that I can stick my shooting hand in while sitting. "Fleece" as in outside covering of a sheep and not synthetic polar fleece. Mine was sold by Winona Camo (I think now sadly defunct) and originally was for bowhunting as you can't wear a thick glove (or any finger covering if you shoot with a leather tab as I do).

 

[RC]

ummmmmmmmmm.... :redface: it's saturday.......nite!
I jus reread all the posts :hmm: .....we failed to mention takin a "hot seat" you don't suppose "problem child" is still in the woods with his butt froze to a stump, do ya??? :shocked2: tony?? where'd ya go?? :idunno:

 

[Leon/Iowa]

I shot a deer last weekend with the temp at -8 degrees. The gun had been loaded since the 21st of December. The flintlock fired like I had just loaded it that day. Once loaded and hunting in the cold with the rifle, DO NOT take the rifle into any place that is heated. I have never found any difference in where the rifle shot in cold or warm weather. At least not enough for me to worry about. What I have found is that in very cold weather the fouling gets heaver and it helps to run a DAMP cleaning patch (or two) down the barrel before reloading. To keep from blocking the touch hole, I dump the powder in first then do the cleaning patches, then load the patched ball. Hope this helps you out. Leon

 

[Problem Child]

ummmmmmmmmm.... :redface: it's saturday.......nite!
I jus reread all the posts :hmm: .....we failed to mention takin a "hot seat" you don't suppose "problem child" is still in the woods with his butt froze to a stump, do ya??? :shocked2: tony?? where'd ya go?? :idunno:

I'm not frozen. :grin: Didn't see anything to shoot at except a paper-plate this morning and everything seems good. It was 13 here this morning with wind blowing.I have some pretty good wool so it wasn't that bad.Much better than hunting in 80 degree weather and skeeters.

 

[RC]

well, glad ya got out! :thumbsup: (an back in too!!) :haha:

 

[Vic Price]

Once loaded.......keep your rifle outside or "not inside where you are". This does not include cleaning the barrel after shooting. Changing temperatures from cold to warm could cause moisture issues in the barrel.