Hunting with a MZ questions

[Hammer49]

1. Do you unload every night? If so, and you're using loose, how do you go about unloading?

2. If you don't unload and you have popped a primer to dry out the plug, do you consider the primer charge necessary of cleaning down to the load? I fired the round off every night to clean since I had fired the primer and was concerned with it rusting.

Thanks in advance.

[cherokee75]

I do not unload every night. I have kept a load in all weekend a few different times with no problems. I do not fire a fouling shot so I can't answer that part of your question.

[cayugad]

1. Do you unload every night? If so, and you're using loose, how do you go about unloading? The easy way is as you walk out of the woods shoot it off somewhere. A stump, dirt mound, what ever. If you can't do that bring it home, spread news paper on the floor and remove the breech plug. Then tilt the rifle back and with a long ramrod, push the powder and projectile out. Some push them back through the muzzle, others push them out the breech end. Just do not use that projectile the next day. The news paper will catch the powder and you can save that in a bottle or something and shoot it off on the range. But after you have the rifle empty, clean the threads like you normally would. With a dry patch, patch the barrel clean and dry. Then, Re-grease the breech plug, and install it again.

If it is a traditional rifle you can use a bullet puller and pull the charge. Then dump the powder. Swab the bore clean. Dry patch it. Oil if if you like. And wait until the next day to load it.

Or you can do a full cleaning job whether it is an inline or traditional and load fresh. I personally unload every night.


2. If you don't unload and you have popped a primer to dry out the plug, do you consider the primer charge necessary of cleaning down to the load? I fired the round off every night to clean since I had fired the primer and was concerned with it rusting. I don't consider the primer charge as something to be concerned about as far as rusting. I have had bad luck leaving the charge in the rifle. Others on this board have no concerns what so ever by doing this..

[Semisane]

I load on a squeaky clean barrel for hunting, and leave the charge in the barrel until I shoot at game, or until the end of the season. If I don't take a shot I remove the primer/cap at the end of the day and, for a caplock, I put a folded up patch on top of the nipple and lower the hammer and leave it like that until I cap it for the next hunt. On an in-line, Isticka piece of patch material in the primer hole and close the action, then pick it out when I'm ready to reprime. I've left loads in a barrel like this for months (squeaky clean barrel only) and have never had a load fail to fire when I set it off and never had a barrel rust. I don't pop a cap or primer before I load for the hunt, but I know my barrel/nipple/flash channel is clean, dry and clear.

[FG]

Same as Semisane, Load on a clean barrel and leave it in until i fire it at game.

[falcon]

Same as Semisane, Load on a clean barrel and leave it in until i fire it at game.

Works for me.

[Hammer49]

Thanks guys!