The post about how long to leave a rifle loaded got a lot of response. Now I ask for actually real field experiences with misfires and what you did or did not do, that you feel caused them to happen.


1. Hunting with a T/C Renegade. Loaded fresh that morning. Hunting in snow and cold. Late that afternoon I had my first shot of the season. The cap went off, but no boom. Second cap... cap went off, no boom, buck ran off. Removed the nipple. Drizzled powder down the nipple hole. Replaced nipple. Capped. It fired. Reloaded... it fired again.

2. Hunting with T/C Black Diamond XR. Had hunted three days. Left the rifle loaded all three days. Powder was Triple Seven 2f. Sabot was XTP. Primer was Winchester. Changed primers ever morning. Used weather gear to protect the rifle. Never brought the rifle in at night, just stored it in the unheated woodworking shop. Fourth day of muzzleloader season, little three pointer finally appeared... primer went off... powder did not. Buck ran away. Came home, pushed out the powder and projectile. Powder was like a pellet when it came out. Somehow moisture got in there. No idea why or how.

3. Hunting with Knight LK-II. Powder was black powder. Cap was a CCI Magnum. Second day of hunting on same powder. Changed cap each morning. Small doe came out. Freezer filler I called it. Cap fired, powder charge did not. The rifle was stored in the wood working shop, unheated. Placed muzzle down in a corner on cotton cloth so any condensation would flow away from the powder. Picked the nipple. New cap... nothing. Picked the nipple again. Third cap... rifle fired but did not sound right. Swabbed the bore. Dry patched it. Fired off two caps. Reloaded. Fired fine.

4. CVA Staghorn Magnum. Loaded with Pyrodex RS. Second day left loaded during modern season. Had never seen rain or snow. Stored in the garage at night. Doe came out. Pulled the trigger and got a fud load... where part of the powder fired, but not all of it. Shot right under the does' belly. Swabbed the bore. Reloaded. Fired fine.

Never left a rifle loaded over night since. Never had a problem since. Example... fell in the creek with a T/C Renegade. Had weather gear on it. Walked home to change clothes so I would not freeze to death. At home, fired the rifle off as smooth as a summer's day on my range.