In From The Cold

Asked this on another site.See what we get here.

I have always heard that when you bring a muzzy in from the cold,condensation forms an deadens powder.I have left some in the truck over nite and some were brought in.
Doesn't condensation form when cold contact with warm air drawing the moisture from the surounding air?
How can this be if your charge is in the barrel sealed by a patched RB?
How is this different from bringing rifle ammo in from the cold?There is more air space in a centerfire cartridge than a seated blackpowder charge.
Things ya think of while waiting for a deer to show up

I dunno, I seem to get screwed either way so I always fire the load off, load a light charge the next morning and fire it in a tree and load for the day. Too many missed meals from mis fires.

Seal the nipple and no sweat. Been doing it for years. Look at my cappers and most of them have a 4" or so leather whang dangling from the trigger guard. Pull of the cap, drape the whang over the nipple, then lower the hammer.

Finter? That's why Santa's elves invented round toothpicks. :wink:

The PRB takes care of the other end on both of em.

use white teflon tape around the nipple threads to seal out moisture and when you come back into a heated place, use a cut section of an ear plug and put that over the nipple and let the hammer down.

You are correct if the charge is sealed,no moisture can condense. The trick is to make sure it is perfectly sealed off through the nipple or flash hole. Mike D.

410-er said:

How is this different from bringing rifle ammo in from the cold?

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For the most part cartridge ammo is sealed, the primer and bullet are installed with proper "sizing" of the cartridge's primer pocket and neck so the cartridge brass itself is under size to the components that fit in the case by a few thousands and with factory ammo the neck is crimped (squeezed) on the bullet itself after the bullet is seated.
The cartridges trapped air has only the moisture that it had when loaded.
Some of us are carefull with cartridge ammo too, condensation usually only happens when the temp swing is rapid, like -10 outside to 70 inside. An old rule is to keep guns cased and away from heat sources so they warm slowly.

That sounds about right! As I have mentioned the CO2 un-loader I just blow it out and wipe the bore out but do not re-oil the barrel if I am going to reload the next morning.

Geo. T.

Kentuckywindage said:

use white teflon tape around the nipple threads to seal out moisture and when you come back into a heated place, use a cut section of an ear plug and put that over the nipple and let the hammer down.

Click to expand...

I like the "earplug" idea. I have been using a small piece of leather and drop the hammer down on the nipple to seal. I may try the earplug idea'r.
:thumbsup:

condensation also forms inside the bore...if you load is not sealed tight..damp powder happens.
When hunting big game its a new load each morning..why chance it?

I use a tire nozzle cap on a leather string tied to the trigger guard.