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Interesting read on leaving your muzz loaded...

DannyBoy

DannyBoy

Well-Known Member
http://randywakeman.com/HowLongCanI leaveMymuzzleloaderLoaded.htm

I'm a big fan of Randy Wakeman. His sight has gobs of good info and maybe I'm wrong but he seems to be one of the few in the industry that gives unbiased/non-endorsed opinions.

I recall seeing this question on here previously: "How long can I leave my muzz loaded?" I for one, have been known to leave it loaded for a couple days at a time if I know I'm hunting consecutive days. Though I think the kind of conditions that could alter your powder burn or some other aspect that may result in an errant shot will not likely be encountered by most midwestern late season muzz hunters, I'd hate to find out the hard way!
 
I guess I'm just lazy sometimes and have left mine loaded for as long a a week or more and never had a problem. :D I do keep it cold in the truck in a case with the hammer down so if moisture could get in the barrel I would think it would have to be minimal at most if at all. I have never had a misfire or hangfire and shot deer at over a 100 yards and hit where I was aiming. I'm not saying there would not be problems leaving it loaded because I know there can be. I hear guys complaining about misfires all the time but most of it's because it was wet in the barrel fro moisture (oil ect.) or it was dirty blocking the primer from doing it's job. If I think there is ANY chance my barrel got moisture in it I change the charge, of course I'm shooting an old Knight though. :D This is only my experience and not to be considered gospel so do what you Jim Bobs want. :D
 
I usually don't even load mine until I see a buck worth shooting. Saves me from cleaning it everyday.
 
I have no problem leaving a muzzleloader loaded for extended periods provided it hasn't been exposed to moisture. IE....hunting in the rain or very high humidity such as fog. And I don't appreciate an "internet expert" as Wakeman calling people lazy for not emptying their gun every day.:mad: It's not lazy, it's called being frugal. Why waste powder?
If I'm hunting with the same gun for the entire season, once loaded it stays in the cold. I've had my percussion guns loaded from Dec. 1st to the end of late season, Jan 15 ! No trouble with them firing or hitting what I'm aiming at. Flintlocks the same only their prime gets changed.
Know your gun, clean your gun, enjoy the sport!:way:
 
I think the majority of us that muzzle load leave their guns loaded. I leave mine in the truck in the case. Never had a missfire because of it. I don't see the point in unloading and re-loading every time out. If I shoot the gun, it gets cleaned the same day, every time. I've seen how corrosive the powder can be on even the most expensive stainless guns.
 
Myself, my dad and my brother have always left ours loaded for the entire late season if necessary. We even take them inside at the end of the day. In, out, in, out. No problems. I agree with Shovelbuck, I'm not trying to be lazy and if I had lots of extra money and time laying around, I might empty it at the end of every day. Unfortunately that's not the case. Heck one time my dad left his loaded from Jan. 10 until December when he went out to site it in again. First shot, boom, hit right where he was aiming. That's a little excessive and it wasn't intentional, he just didn't get around to emptying and cleaning it after season was over.

On another note, I do enjoy reading Randy's articles. He is a VERY knowledgeable guy who has done tons of research. Definitely worth using as a resource for shooting issues.
 
G6 said:
I do keep it cold in the truck in a case with the hammer down so if moisture could get in the barrel I would think it would have to be minimal at most if at all.
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This is what I've done as well and have also never had a misfire. I've also taken some longer shots successfully. Heck I've only ever missed once with my muzz and that was about a 190 yard shot on a windy day before I knew just how much wind could drift a bullet....
 
BrewCrew said:
I usually don't even load mine until I see a buck worth shooting. Saves me from cleaning it everyday.
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Isn't it hard to load them in the dark or do you go ahead and use your spotlight? You guys sure do things different down where the coyotes pork the hoot owls... :D
 
I'm with everyone else, load it and leave it loaded until the season is over or it's been shot. I do leave mine out in the cold thou.
 
I left mine loaded since Sept. until about a couple of weeks ago when I took it back to the range, no problems at all. Powder was Blackhorn 209.
 
I have triple seven powder that's a year old, obviously it's in container BUT just left in my garage, is this ok to use?

Also, in the article, it says it's best to discharge your gun after EACH hunt, what in the world?!?! Why wouldn't you open the breach and take the powder/bullet out instead of firing it and having to clean it? Cleaning takes a while and discharging makes certain you have a limited time to clean the bugger out- risky, like several of my buddies who were lazy- discharged their guns after the hunt and forgot to clean. Sounds easier to just unload the gun without firing. Thoughts?
 
Sligh1 said:
I
Also, in the article, it says it's best to discharge your gun after EACH hunt, what in the world?!?! Why wouldn't you open the breach and take the powder/bullet out instead of firing it and having to clean it? Cleaning takes a while and discharging makes certain you have a limited time to clean the bugger out- risky, like several of my buddies who were lazy- discharged their guns after the hunt and forgot to clean. Sounds easier to just unload the gun without firing. Thoughts?
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Yea. I thought that comment was a joke too. So i'm going to hunt for 2 weeks strait in late season, so i should fire my gun 14 times!:thrwrck:
 
My gun is still loaded after my Illinois hunt in November...I probably ought to clean that sucker since it was shot but will wait to discharge it on a doe then clean it.
 
i leave mine loaded from opening day of late muzzle to the day after the last day of season.. i keep in the truck .... then i clean it right after i unloaded it even if i dont shot it
 
I always leave mine loaded until the end of season, I do swab the barrel after loading with a patch with a small amout of bore butter. In 2008 I hunted Early season Kansas and did not kill a deer and left my gun loader for late season, again did not kill a deer. It was so cold at end of season I didnot shoot it, didn't muzzy hunt next year. This year my brother wanted to barrow it for Kansas, I went out to sight in and realized it was still loaded. At 100 yrd, center punched a 1 in bullseye. I think if kept dry it is fine.
 
I guess I'll be the odd duck. I rarely leave mine loaded for more than a week, but I only hunt weekends. I don't shoot it to unload it though, I push the bullet out through the breech. It's a little messy since I use Blackhorn, but most of the powder is salvageable and so is the bullet. My thought process is that a replacement muzzleloader is expensive and all I'm out is a little time and a little powder. I'm in the car biz, so to me it's like changing your oil and filter in your truck--sure you can change your oil every 10,000 miles, but what are the long term effects? There's also a thread somewhere I just read, about some people that left their gun loaded and then had to deal with a pitted barrel.......I just prefer to air on the side of caution.
 
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