At the risk of sounding to preachy. I would be careful when shooting a muzzle loader that has been loaded for a while. I hunt late muzzle loader season in Iowa, the weather is terrible, I consider 20 degree days a heat wave. A few years ago I didn't unload my Knight muzzle loader like I normally would. I just put in my closet, intending to unload it the next day. I forgot about it for asix months, untill one night I hit me like a bolt out of the blue, I forgot to unload my muzzle loader. The next morning I totaly dissasembled the gun, remove the breach plug and tried to push the bullet out with my ram rod. It wouldn't badge. I squirted ungodly amounts of PB blaster penertrating oil down the barrel and let is sit muzzle up over night. The next day it still wouln't budge. After trying everything that I could possible think of I wraped a towel around my barrel and put it in a vice. I then beat the bullet out with a 3/8" steel rod and a ballpen hammer. Even with a hammer it was a struggle. I thank god that I did not follow my first instinct and try to shoot the bullet out. A muzzle loader can be left loaded for long periods of time and be fired without a problem but belive me I wont be pulling the trigger or even standing next to the person that is. Saveing yourself a few minutes or a little powder is not worth the risk of haveing a gun explode in your face.