Muzzle loading hunting questions...

jlovie

jlovie

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Hi guys, I bought a new .50cal muzzle loader a few years ago, shot it a few times, liked it but decided to stick with my 30-30 for deer hunting. Anywho, I've decided to shoot the blackpowder at hunting this year and I am wondering what I should do at lunch time and at night as far as unloading.

I come in off the stand for lunch with the rest of the gang, I was planning on removing the cap but leaving the powder, sabbot in the gun and leaving it locked in the shed.

I was wondering what I should do at night as I want to bring the rifle inside the cottage and lock it up in there. Should I completely unload the gun? I'm wondering if the temperature change will effect anything if I leave it "loaded" but obviously take the cap out.

Hope this made sense, thanks everyone.
 
I don't know if it's legal or not, but a friend of mine leaves his loaded ML, cap removed, in a locker in his garage with a trigger lock, overnight when he's done hunting for the day.

He *tells me* that he missed a big one a few years ago because he was bringing his ML into the house at night, and the cold/warm differences caused condensation, contaminating the the load of powder, causing it not to fire.

"I swear...it was THIS big..."
 
Black powder, Pyrodex or smokless?

Because it matters.....

Of course you would remove the primer cap, 209 primer, or priming powder (whichever it is you use).

Black powder is ok over lunch but you definatly want to unload it over night. Especially if its a bit moist.

Pyrodex is ok over lunch and over night, but I wouldnt want to leave it for a week or more.

Smokless..... I havn't a clue.....

With all 3 Moisture is your enemy, a bit of humidity is probably not goint to hurt anything, but if it is raining I would be unloading everything every night.

I was told by an 'old timer' that he once left Pyrodex in a ML for 4 months...... He said it touched off alright and seemed to hit paper about where it should, not something I would reccommend, but feasible I guess.

Cheers!
 
Well, I have routinely left my muzzle loader loaded with 100 grains of Pyrodex and a Hornady 240 grain XTP sabot for as much as 3 weeks over the last 12 years and it still shoots exactly to point of aim at 100 yards. I know this because I have unloaded it at the rifle range at a 100 yard target after sitting loaded for 3 weeks. I hunted almost every day with it but became nervous for the same reasons you are. Other times I have unloaded it at a deer. I have never missed one except for bad shooting! I always use a fresh can of Pyrodex for deer season. It does not store well and can seriously deteriorate past about 6 months in my experience. A week or 2 in your rifle barrel is no trouble at all.

Of course, you only apply a cap when you are actually in the field hunting. By definition the rifle is not considered loaded until you put a primer on the nipple. Therefore it is legal to transport and store.

I say leave it loaded and hunt with it. If it rains much, you may want to touch it off and clean it but if it is dry, leave it. Tape the muzzle with electrical tape.

I would not bring it in and out of the house if it was extremely cold (-20 or more) because of condensation but where I hunt in Sask, it is very mild out in MZ season. I have hunted in weather at or slightly below freezing and brought the gun in a t night with no ill effects.
 
I use platnum powerbelts and no moisture reaches the powder even when a full shotglass of water is poured down the barrel. I ran a couple dry patxhes thrwe n touched it off just fine. A unlubed condom over the muzzle works if u can find them. I leave my gun powder and bullet in all deer season never a problem I use 777 as well
 
Leaving a load in a ML...no problem, just remove the cap. My ML stays loaded from the night before the hunt until I get a deer/ end of season.(2 months)

Electrical tape on the muzzle is a good idea...not so much for moisture protection, but for snow/ debris.

Once your ML is cold, it should stay cold or you risk contaminating your load from barrel sweating.

I always use a fresh can of Pyrodex for deer season.
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I've never had a problem with Pyrodex or 777 deteriorating...I've shot 8 year old (already opened) powder...went bang every time.
 
beefman said:
I've never had a problem with Pyrodex or 777 deteriorating...I've shot 8 year old (already opened) powder...went bang every time.
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While the powder will still go bang, Pyrodex will deteriorate over time to the point that your impact will go off the 4x8 sheet of plywood at 100 yards. I have experienced this myself using a 2 year old open can of Pyrodex wondering why my rifle is suddenly so inaccurate. A fresh can of Pyrodex make it shoot right to point of aim again. Good thing I ran out of the old powder before I started turning scope knobs! I thought I dinged the crown or maybe the scope had died!

I have seen a trophy mule deer walk away from a 50 yard ker-plunk shot because the shooter would not buy a new can of Pyrodex and insisted on shooting his old stuff. "Aw, come on, it should still be good!" I watched the bullet hit the dirt under his belly. Later that day at the rifle range the shooter could not hit ANYTHING with that powder at 100 yards but when he loaded up from my fresh can his rifle was right back to zero.

You experience may vary, and I have had some very experienced shooters tell me I am wrong about this, but I can only go by what I have seen and experience myself. I never use last year's Pyrodex except at the range and I shoot a lot at the range so I am not guessing about how much Pyrodex will deteriorate over time. It is not absolute and I have had last year's powder shoot just fine. The funny thing is though, you can't take it to the bank. I would not ever again risk losing a trophy to old powder.

Just my 2 cents.
 
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