Almost everyone has there own way of doing it. Here's mine. I believe that hunting with a muzzleloader is for the most part a one shot deal. The only time I've found a second shot neccesary was to either finish off a downed deer or to shoot a second if the chance arises. Which is rare but has happened. When sighting in all my shots are with a clean barrel. With a side lock three caps are fired to dry the barrel and the gun is loaded and shot, cleaned and repeated. Before hunting the same process is followed, three caps fired and then the gun is loaded for the hunt. With an inline it is a little different. No caps are fired to dry the barrel since you can dry the barrel and primer hole before loading without firing off primers. If you feel uncomfortable leaving your sidelock loaded for any period of time after having fired off caps before loading then you will have to fire the gun at the end of the day after and clean it that night. I don't do that. I leave it loaded for the next days hunt. Unless you have a bore light you'll never see the inside of the barrel, as I have never seen the inside of mine. I haven't noticed any ill effects as far as rusty patches to indicate any damage to the bore. And I have left mine loaded for days before shooting it. Good luck. I'm sure in time you will develope your own procedure. I give you mine just for some ideas. One day I should buy a bore light and drop it down the barrel of my almost 25 year old Hawkins to see what it looks like. No sweat, she still drops 'em.
Last edited by pluckit; 01-06-2011 at 05:37 PM.