The Mother Of All Powder Questions

[Snuffy]

Thinking of purchasing a Pop-Up camper -- then using it for 3-4 days/nights of ML hunting this deer season.

Well my question relates to keeping the MLs firing during temps that range up and down - dry and wet. I need to keep my belongings -- including my MLs and accessories (including powders) in my nearby locked vehicle.

I will likely use the vehicle once a day for supplies or grub. The camper will only see heat when I return from hunting.

So my question is....
How do I keep my powder dry during this 3-4 day spell???

Thanks in advance! :v

 

[Bountyhunter]

Other than the small amount that you take out with you on your daily hunt, the bulk that is in the tightly closed original container in your vehicle should be just fine. I havent noticed that the powder in my horn has drawn moisture to any extent that it would affect the firing of my rifle or my accuracy.

 

[Lone Carabiner]

There are specially made seals for percussion caps available - you did not say if you have flinter or capper. I have capper and have used pipe dope (teflon) on the nipple 4 insurance in rainy weather. Just wipe a little around the nipple and seat the cap firmly. Keep your muzzle down also to keep rain out. If it's really bad put a balloon over the muzzle, or finger cut off a latex glove.

 

[CoyoteJoe]

I wouldn't take the rifle into the tent, cold steel will collect a lot of condensation from the moisture of your breath, whether or not you have heat. I always place my rifle in the car at night and take only my stainless steel revolver into the tent with me. Now if you get wet during the hunt, then I'd certainly want to clean my gun at night and you might do that in the tent with heat cranked up to dispel moisture. As far as powder in a horn or other container, of course you want that container to be waterproof. If water can not get in you will have no problem with damp air, powder will not suck moisture from the air, only powder residue, fouling, does that. :grin:

 

[chuck-ia]

I would simply pull the ball and powder, and reload the next day. flinch

 

[tg]

For many years I have hunted in wet weather and put my unfired gun in the truck overnight with a toothpick in the vent and wiped the surface down with a rag lightly coated with wd40 and ran a very lightly lubed patch down to the ball and it always went boom a day or two later, if everything gets really wet it may be a good idea to dicharge and clean and dry and reload, this is a judgement call by each individual as to when this is needed, same practice works for caplocks as well, this is in western Oregon in Oct/Nov when it is usually very rainy and high humidity if it is not falling out of the sky.

 

[musketman]

I will likely use the vehicle once a day for supplies or grub. The camper will only see heat when I return from hunting.

So my question is....
How do I keep my powder dry during this 3-4 day spell???

Thanks in advance! :v

As for the camper seeing heat only at night, you can augment that by painting the roof a dark color (during colder times), this will conduct heat from the sun and keep it all warm and toasty inside...

Addressing the powder drawing moisture issue, buy yourself some Desiccant packets and use them in your powder storage box to combat the unwanted moisture...

 

[LRB]

What TG said. Never had a problem. Your worst enemy for your gun and load is drastic temperature changes.

 

[Snuffy]

So from what I generated from these replies....

1. Leaving powder in the vehicle is fine - but putting the jug in a 2nd sealed container would be better.

2. When going to the city for supplies or grub, take the powder out and place it in the unheated camper - because the vehicle may endure temperature changes running the heater.

3. Pull or fire the load everyday - then I can bring the ML into the heated camper for swabbing that night and reloading in the morning. Otherwise, leave the ML outdoors or in the unheated vehicle/

Thanks to all...... :bow: :bow:

 

[Dayne]

As stated before, stay away from extreme temperatures with the gun loaded. Keep the gun in the vehicle overnight and it'll go off. Bring it the camper overnight and it might not because of moisture. I leave my gun loaded in an unheated garage everynight and have kept it loaded for over a week and never had any problems not firing. I used to discharge my gun every night and clean it but now I leave it outside in the garage with no worries.

 

[mowolf]

I too used to unload my rifle every night after a day of hunting, stopped that a while back, too much trouble. Have not had any trouble with the rifle(s) going off wven if loaded all weekend. At night they go in either the unheated garage or are locked up in the truck.

When I have been hunting in damp drizzly or snowy weather I have had no trouble, just keep the muzzle down and she should go K-boom every time. At least that has been my experience. Only time I cover the barrel is in heavy rain, at least used to, now I stay in :grin:

 

[Slake]

I use a plastic box with some dessicant packets in it. I've had it many years and carried it in many types of weather with no problems. In it usually are two cans of Goex and all of my giblets
I carry smaller batches of powder in a flask or when in the woods the quick loaders and I am proud to say I have never had a problem. Once I left said box open on a picnic table and it snowed in it {E GADS!} but it was very cold and when I returned I simply dumped it out and cleaned it up.I might have been in trouble if it was wet heavy snow. Goex cans seem pretty moisture proof to me

 

[Slake]

I stay in when it's raining heavy too...learned from my momma many years ago but it took decades to sink in