MUZZLELOADER HUNTING

[COPPERDOG]

What is the recommended way to handle a loose powder/sabot load in the barrel at the end of the day if you did not have the opportunity to shoot?
1) Remove the primer and leave the load for the next day
2) Revome the primer, unscrew the breech plug to remove the loose powder then push the sabot out the end of the barrel
3) Just shoot the ML

Just looking for the best option.

[johnny2]

If you know your going out hunting tomorrow or the next day
remove the primer and thats it..No need to unload,unless
you think the load is wet or something.Just make sure the bullet is still
sitting on the powder charge..Sometimes if you happen to
bang the barrel on a tree or from a rough ride in you truck-car
whatever the bullet may slide off the charge creating an air space...

[cayugad]

Copperdog... it really is all a matter or your own personal preference. I know people, and there are those on this forum, that leave their rifles loaded for weeks on end. And they report they have no problems with ignition when they need it. I personally have never been that lucky.

With traditional rifles, I shoot them off on my way out of the woods.
With inline rifles, I remove the breech plug, dump the powder out the breech side, and then with a strong range ramrod, push the projectile out the MUZZLE end of the barrel. I just have a thing about pushing lead or any projectile for that matter, over my breech plug threads.

I do not use that bullet the next day. That is a later down the road, emergency bullet or a range bullet. Actually one year I saved four of them like that and then shot them on the range. Even though they were marked up a little, they shot fine.

After you have dumped the powder and pushed the bullet out, I then swab the bore with solvent, a couple dry patches and then finally an oil patch. I then leave the rifle disassembled. Then next morning I swab the barrel with alcohol, and then some dry patches to remove the oil, and then assemble the rifle and load it like normal.

If I have been hunting with a projectile all day in the wet/snow weather, I will sometimes shoot it off on the way out of the woods. I like to pick a spot on a stump or tree, and then shoot at that spot. I then can tell if my ignition was good, and was the bullet accurate. Did all the rotten weather effect the shot. But if I do shoot the rifle I at least swab it good when I get home if not break it down and clean it.

[Indiana SmokePole]

CDog

Any of the 3 ways will work that you have listed , I personally take my gun and lock it in the truck the night befor then load it the next morning . Then after that days hunt as long as it is not damp or rainning I just uncap it leaving it loaded and lock it back up in the truck that night ready for the next day. But if it is damp or rainning I will shoot it off clean it and start all over . also I will shoot it off at the end of the second day , just don't feel good about leaving it longer than 2 days straight with out a fresh cleanning and fresh load every 2 days.

[falcon]

If you know your going out hunting tomorrow or the next day
remove the primer and thats it..No need to unload,unless
you think the load is wet or something.

+1
If it is wet the gun gets shot off or unloaded at the end of the day: Otherwise,i leave the gun loaded.My guns have have sometimes beenloaded for acouple months at a time. Presently two of them are loaded, one since June. Zapped a coyotelast weekwith a CVA that has been loaded for nearly a month.My gunshave always gone bang when they were supposed to.