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Leave it loaded vs. new charge daily?

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I've seen this topic come up a couple different times and was hoping to get a sense of what people do at the end of a day's hunting.

Do you leave your rifle loaded or blow off a "practice shot" at the end of the day and start fresh? If you leave it loaded, do you have limit to the number of days you'll do so?

Personally, I unload daily when I'm deer hunting with my Dad in Nebraska in mid-January mostly out of habit but also because of the huge temperature swings from outside to the truck to the house. When I'm backpacking in Colorado in September, I leave it loaded for up to 3 days but change the cap daily.
 
I should add that up until a few nights ago, I have always used T7 powder and just switched to real BP. Curious if this changes the thought process.
 
If you move it from the truck to the house every night, the temperature change causes condensation and the probability of rust and powder contamination. I leave my gun loaded for as long as I get a decent shot, perhaps to the end of the season if I don't get one. But, I leave it in the cold, either locked in my truck or shed. Keep yer powder dry.........robin :hmm:
 
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I've got a slightly different view on this, and if I'm going to hunt and then have to drive many miles home between hunts during a long season, and there can be a temperature change from outside temps to those inside a vehicle, as for storing your rifle in an outside shed, that can be good if it's just for overnight, but it won't matter if you keep your rifle inside your home in a controlled environment during the season, especially if you are going back and forth.
I'll usually just run a lightly oiled patch down the bore of a charged barrel, especially if there is a lot of humidity or temperature changes.
I've left my rifle loaded for an entire season with no ill effects.
Leaving your rifle charged, you also want to use a patch lube like Mink oil or something that isn't water based for obvious reasons.
I'll also store my rifle muzzle down, and before I place another cap on the nipple just before the hunt, I'll tamp the ball with the rod to make sure it's still seated.
 
I've left them loaded for months without a problem. Real BP, clean barrel, run a protective patch down the barrel after loading, keep gun dry(if it get's rained on I would reload.) replace the cap every day you hunt, if uncapped place something over the nipple I use leather held by the hammer.
 
dsayer said:
Both using real BP I assume?

As long as you keep the powder dry it doesn't matter what you use, and why I like to keep my rifle stored muzzle down between hunts, so any moisture/oil trying to creep into the powder charge goes toward the muzzle instead.
 
I hunted Nebraska and left the rifle loaded the whole season then would shoot a doe the last day. The law requires the cap be removed for transport so a new cap each day, just lower the hammer on the nipple for me. A hard case kept it cool and dry were ever it needed to be between hunts. Now in Colorado I follow the same routine except in a high country camp the rifle stays capped till shot and have no issues. I’ve always used black powder. A wipe down when needed and a dab of oil is as fancy as I’ve do for the maintenance.
 
Just a thought: What would be wrong with placing a leather square over the nipple - hammer down to seal that end and then one of those little rubbery-plastic muzzle rain-guards over the muzzle end? Sealed on both ends to keep anything out.
 
DarrinG said:
Just a thought: What would be wrong with placing a leather square over the nipple - hammer down to seal that end and then one of those little rubbery-plastic muzzle rain-guards over the muzzle end? Sealed on both ends to keep anything out.

I don't think there's anything wrong with that approach. I don't know that it would stop condensation, however, and a quick lightly oiled patch down the barrel might still be a good idea. :idunno:
 
I lube with mink oil for the hunting woods. If no shot is taken it stays loaded maybe to the end of the season or longer. I just blow out the prime and put in a toothpick.

Hunting last fall in WV was chilly though not especially cold. Still, after a day in the mountain bush the rifle spent the night in a small shed outside.
 
I routinely will leave a rifle loaded from the end of the season until the next year when I take the rifle out to make sure it is sighted in.

The rifles always go off without hesitation.

I use swiss 2F.

I leave my rifle in the cold and dont bring them into warm cabin/house.

If in doubt I will dump the load at the end of the day.

If it is dry you should not have any issues.

Fleener
 
Mine stays loaded as well, but as it's a flintlock I dump the prime and place a rolled up piece of paper towel in the pan, jammed in tight, when not in use.
I do bring mine in the house, and it can get real furry with frost, but no harm comes to the powder. (black 2F) I stand it on the muzzle and then lightly oil it. Patch is lubed with deer tallow and if I intend on leaving it loaded, I put a bit of wasp nest down on the powder before the patched ball, as insurance against powder getting greased.
Done this for maybe 25 years and no bother.

Best,
Richard.
 
Leave it loaded and keep it cold.
Plug the hole after dumping the pan. If its a capper, cap off and cover the nipple with a scrap of leather.
I never cover the muzzle. Don't want the air restricted from circulating and taking the moisture away.
The barn or an unheated attic work for me.
 
RJDH said:
Mine stays loaded as well, but as it's a flintlock I dump the prime and place a rolled up piece of paper towel in the pan, jammed in tight, when not in use.
I do bring mine in the house, and it can get real furry with frost, but no harm comes to the powder. (black 2F) I stand it on the muzzle and then lightly oil it. Patch is lubed with deer tallow and if I intend on leaving it loaded, I put a bit of wasp nest down on the powder before the patched ball, as insurance against powder getting greased.
Done this for maybe 25 years and no bother.

Best,
Richard.
A gun left loaded in the States must be ok but here in the UK it would not be tolerated more so if it was carried in a public place or on the high way .
Feltwad
 
I got into the habit of unloading at the end of each day. For a while, here in the People's Republic of Maryland, there was a huge question of if the cap is removed, or the pan empty, is the muzzleloader "unloaded" or does the main charge in the barrel = "loaded"? I knew two DNR officers who also shot BP and they would cide with the former, and a bunch of younger officers that didn't know BP rifles, and didn't care to know..., and they would cide with the latter. Plus the county LEO's don't know black powder at all..., in my 1100 person department there's like 12 of us that shoot BP and only three that do flinters.

So great, you win in court in March, when the judge agrees with you..., but since your rifle got impounded and you were cited in October, you had to make do with a different rifle or your season was ruined, and what you'd get back after you win in court would be a rusty mess...so I unloaded, and still unload at the end of each day.

I have a stump in each of the areas where I may hunt that I unload into. Every few years I dig out the ball, and recycle them with my Lee mold.


LD
 
Dave,

Up here in Alberta, a M-loader is deemed "unloaded" if the cap is removed, or for flint, if the flint is removed from the jaws of the cock. I think it is very nice to have these Fish and Wildlife regulations in print, even if I do not agree with the flint removal bit!

Feltwad,
the above may answer your statement about things over here as opposed to the UK.
Most of this is academic to me, as I only hunt on the farm, so no regulations actually apply .

Best,
Richard.
 
I unload, usually just pull the ball and charge. For me it is not a question if it will go off or not, but for safety reasons. Most people don't know how to tell if a muzzleloader is loaded, (unlike modern guns).I just feel better going to sleep at night knowing the gun is unloaded, (should I not wake) also feel more confident the next day with a fresh charge. flinch
 
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