# Keeping your muzzleloader loaded



## moabxjeeper (Dec 18, 2012)

I was lucky enough to pick up one of the few leftover ML tags for my area this year and as you may have seen from my previous posts, I've been doing some research to get ready for this year's hunt. I've read a few articles as of late and it's brought me to this topic. They seem to be a little conflicting on what the "right" thing to do is as far as keeping your gun loaded throughout the hunt or shooting it off each night and starting each morning with a fresh load.

I've read that condensation in your barrel will begin to affect accuracy and reliability of your ignition. Here in Utah, as you know, we sometimes get pretty drastic changes in temperature from morning to evening, especially later on in the year. But at the same time, it seems like kind of a waste of powder and bullets unless it was absolutely necessary to ensure consistency.

I'm curious in particular how well Blackhorn 209 holds us as this is what I plan to use hunting this year. Any experience from you seasoned Utah ML hunters would be greatly appreciated.


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## Critter (Mar 20, 2010)

My ML has been "loaded" since last fall. I'll take it out next week and shoot it a few times to make sure that it is shooting where I want it to. I have had no problems doing this the last 20+ years that I have been shooting one. 

If you shoot it to unload it in the field each night you should then clean it before you load it the next morning which also means popping some caps before you poor the powder in to clear the flash hole. Do you really want to do this before you go hunting? 

Now if I have been out in a rain storm while I am hunting then I might pull the breach plug and dump the powder and bullet out on my inline but then that creates a mess with powder getting onto the breach plug threads that need to be cleaned. 

You just need to figure out what works for you.


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## moabxjeeper (Dec 18, 2012)

Critter said:


> If you shoot it to unload it in the field each night you should then clean it before you load it the next morning which also means popping some caps before you poor the powder in to clear the flash hole. Do you really want to do this before you go hunting?


This is exactly what I've been thinking. Ain't nobody got time fo' dat! I could definitely see the importance of popping your bullet out and restarting with fresh powder if it was raining or snowing during the hunt. But that sounds like way too much work if it's mild weather out. I have a hard time believing your powder would be so saturated with those conditions that it would be rendered useless.

At the same time, I'm sure someone has the exact opposite opinion.


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## DallanC (Jan 13, 2009)

I purposely left an uncapped Hawkin barrel loaded for 10 months as an experiment to test the "Stale powder" theory (it was a pitted worthless barrel so corrosion wasn't a concern). This went through multiple high / low humidity periods during that time. I took it out to the range finally, put it on a rest and test fired it. It went off with zero discernable ignition delay, and was within expected accuracy performance.

I also took that same barrel and ran a waterproofing test, using 1800's techniques. I submerged the loaded barrel for 15 minutes in a large tub of water, an exposure exponentially more than someone would expect hunting in wet conditions. Again the rifle fired immediately and within expected accuracy norms.

I'll load up a rifle and hunt the whole week with it without a concern. 


-DallanC


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## DallanC (Jan 13, 2009)

Critter said:


> If you shoot it to unload it in the field each night you should then clean it before you load it the next morning which also means popping some caps before you poor the powder in to clear the flash hole. Do you really want to do this before you go hunting?


I never pop caps. I completely disassemble my rifle prior to the hunt and hand clean every part including the nipple making sure it's clear, dry and oil/lube free.

I reassemble and load the rifle right then so its ready to go in the AM.

-DallanC


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## Critter (Mar 20, 2010)

DallanC said:


> I never pop caps. I completely disassemble my rifle prior to the hunt and hand clean every part including the nipple making sure it's clear, dry and oil/lube free.
> 
> I reassemble and load the rifle right then so its ready to go in the AM.
> 
> -DallanC


I had a friend do that on a javelina hunt in Arizona with his Hawkins replica. He was anal about cleaning his ML every night and he did it the same way as you. He used welding tip cleaners for the nipple and flash hole. After a few days he got into the javelina and took a shot, all that was heard was the pop of the cap going off with no boom.

For what little they cost I'll pop off a few caps on my side lock or a couple of primers in my inline before I load it up for the season. I also make sure that when they go off that they are pushing air out of the barrel.


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## muddydogs (Oct 7, 2007)

Critter said:


> I had a friend do that on a javelina hunt in Arizona with his Hawkins replica. He was anal about cleaning his ML every night and he did it the same way as you. He used welding tip cleaners for the nipple and flash hole. After a few days he got into the javelina and took a shot, all that was heard was the pop of the cap going off with no boom.
> 
> For what little they cost I'll pop off a few caps on my side lock or a couple of primers in my inline before I load it up for the season. I also make sure that when they go off that they are pushing air out of the barrel.


I would think that this wasn't a flash hole issue if your friend truly made sure the channel was clear before loading.

I don't pop any caps before loading either as I take the time to clean everything up and inspect the flash channel before the rifle gets loaded. I load my rifle the night before opening morning and will keep it loaded until I shoot it at game or things get wet. I might push the ball out half way through a 2 week hunt just because and drop a fresh charge in the rifle to make myself feel better.

I usually never shoot my rifle to clear it as shooting the charge just makes a bigger mess to clean. On inline's I pull the breach plug and push the powder and bullet out, with mattock rifles I blow the ball out with a CO2 deal.

In 25 years of hunting off and on with a muzzy I have never had one not go off when shooting at game animals, the only time I have had a misfire has been at the range when I am pushing the load count and either don't swab the barrel or swap to much and don't run enough dry patches through the barrel.

Most guys that watch me prepare my muzzy for a hunt think I'm a tad anal with my pipe cleaners and welding tip cleaner.

These https://www.walmart.com/ip/Water-Grenade-Fun-Pack-36-Pack-Party-Supplies/49130848?wmlspartner=wlpa&selectedSellerId=2419&adid=22222222227036683756&wl0=&wl1=g&wl2=c&wl3=80261368594&wl4=pla-184205851474&wl5=9029824&wl6=&wl7=&wl8=&wl9=pla&wl10=113134491&wl11=online&wl12=49130848&wl13=&veh=sem make great muzzle covers.


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## moabxjeeper (Dec 18, 2012)

muddydogs said:


> These https://www.walmart.com/ip/Water-Grenade-Fun-Pack-36-Pack-Party-Supplies/49130848?wmlspartner=wlpa&selectedSellerId=2419&adid=22222222227036683756&wl0=&wl1=g&wl2=c&wl3=80261368594&wl4=pla-184205851474&wl5=9029824&wl6=&wl7=&wl8=&wl9=pla&wl10=113134491&wl11=online&wl12=49130848&wl13=&veh=sem make great muzzle covers.


That's good to know! I was going to make a different thread about covering your barrel. I've heard balloons or electrical tape work well and you just shoot right through them and it won't affect anything.


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## DallanC (Jan 13, 2009)

moabxjeeper said:


> That's good to know! I was going to make a different thread about covering your barrel. I've heard balloons or electrical tape work well and you just shoot right through them and it won't affect anything.


There are pressurized gasses escaping a barrel long before the bullet actually reaches the muzzle, this blows off any tape or balloon.

-DallanC


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## utahbigbull (May 9, 2012)

As long as there is not inclement weather I have been out in during the hunt or bumped the gun and need to make sure the scope is still on, it stays "loaded" the whole hunt. The only think I mess with is taking a primer in and out. 

I rob our first aid cabinet here at work and use those little finger tip condoms and just roll over over the barrel end to keep any water or debris from entering. They are thicker making them less prone to tearing.Never had an issue with doing that because as stated, the expanding gasses pop that thing off before the slug ever reaches that point.


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