I shoot mine off every night and clean the rifle. Then I start with a fresh, clean, charged rifle the next day. I want to know at the end of the day whether my weather proof tactics work, and whether the rifle would have fired. If something does not work that evening, I have all night to figure it out and fix it.

I admit there has been a few times where due to circumstances I could not fire it off. Usually the next morning when I hit the woods I shoot it off and reload the rifle. Believe me, when you keep it loaded for a couple day and it goes off, where I live with the cold wet hunting conditions I usually face, you're never sure it it will go off. The last thing I need is spend all day stalking a deer only to hear the cap pop when the final moment comes.

I will spend the extra time at night cleaning the rifle. The ten minutes it takes to clean the rifle gives me a time to sit, relax, have a cup of coffee, and think about what I did today that might not have worked finding a deer and what I can do tomorrow to increase my chances for a shot.

If you shoot it you have to clean it. Black Powder and its substitutes are not forgiving when it comes to attacking the metal in the barrel. If you can not clean it after shooting it, swab it real good with some wet patches, then some dry patches, and oil the barrel. That will keep you safe for a little while. Then be sure to remove the oil with some dry patches the next day before loading. The rifle will still be dirty, but it should not have rusted....