muzzeloading in rain...need some advice, please?
 

I've been muzzeloading for 5 years now and in that time I've only had to hunt in the rain once, but rain is predicted for opening day this season. The year it rained on me, when I got back to camp I decided to see if my gun would fire, but when I pulled the trigger I got nothing. When I checked the cap it was smashed and the powder inside was no longer powder, but wet and mushy instead. I replaced the cap and tried again and the gun fired, so I know my powder was dry..the problem was the cap. I have a Remington 700 ML, which has a bolt and weather shield. On top of that I took extreme precautions to keep water out all day...I think the problem was humidity. Here is my question: Does anybody have any new tricks that have worked for you to keep your caps dry? I dont want to leave it off and be forced to try to put one on when I have a deer approaching...besides that, without a cap I think my powder could get wet throught the nipple. Help?

RE: muzzeloading in rain...need some advice, please?
 

I have no in-line. I use a sidelock, and the trick I have used for years is to cover the cap with a piece of Handi Wrap. Enough to cover the cap and nipple, and let it cling around the base of that real good. The gun has always fired the cap with the plastic on. I also cover the end of the barrel with the plastic wrap, and then hold it in place with a small rubber band. Once I am out to the stand, I keep the cap area dry by setting some waterproof leather over that area, and if I have sat there for more then 4 hours, I replace the cap with a fresh one. So far, so good... It has always went off. I am not sure how you could apply this to an in-line unless you wrap the cap area... perhaps you can figure it out... Good luck hunting...

RE: muzzeloading in rain...need some advice, please?
 

I use a side-lock too and what I do is seal the cap to the nipple with nail polish, also I seal the nipple threads the same way.

RE: muzzeloading in rain...need some advice, please?
 

Hey...those are some great ideas I can use. I think the nail polish thing may do the trick for me. I can seal the cap to the nipple before I screw it into the breech plug. Thanks!!

RE: muzzeloading in rain...need some advice, please?
 

Wrap the breech section with plastic wrap. You can also drip hot candle wax on the capped nipple to seal in around the edges.

Keep yore powder dry!!

RE: muzzeloading in rain...need some advice, please?
 

If you seal the cap with fingernail polish before you screw the nipple into the breech plug, make sure all excess gun oil is out of the breech plug and nipple first. The saran wrap on the end of the barrel is a good idea. I have a Knight. Last year I sat in a pretty good rain for 1 1/2 hours before I shot a doe that came along. I just had the cap on the nipple and covered the end of the barel. You might carry along a piece of plastic to drape over the breech plug area to direct water away while you are sitting in the tree stand. Have fun.

RE: muzzeloading in rain...need some advice, please?
 

I also have been using the cling rap on my side lock for about 25 years and had good luck with it. I seal the cap with a rubber band also if it is real humid I will do the same thing On those rainy days of hunting I usually will unload my gun when leaving the woods then clean it good and oil it before reloading. One thing I also do is fire a couple of caps through it before reloading. Out of all the years I have only had a time or two that it did not fire when I needed.Practice and Be SAFE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

RE: muzzeloading in rain...need some advice, please?
 

There are little red rubber band type things made specifically for sealing out the rain on a standard nipple and cap. Basically you put the cap on and then slide the ring over the cap and nipple and it keeps the water out. On the muzzle try electric tape stuck right on the barrel, a little more convienent than plastic wrap.

RE: muzzeloading in rain...need some advice, please?
 

All those sound like good ideas, but how about a flintlock?

RE: muzzeloading in rain...need some advice, please?
 

On a flintlock, I seal around the edge of the pan with a thin bead of candle wax or beeswax, wrap the plastic wrap around the lock section, then seal the muzzle with plastic wrap or electrician's tape, just like a caplock.

Keep yore powder dry!!

RE: muzzeloading in rain...need some advice, please?
 

I too have a 700 MLS with a weather shroud. I close my bolt and put a line with a pencil on the bolt in the receiver then install the shroud so the hole is lined up with the pencil line (it should be just above the receiver in the closed position to allow smoke to escape) If it is really wet, I will replace the primer often and dry the nipple. Carry my capper in a sealed ziploc. Another thing I found that works well is a wool sock over the breech area if stand hunting, replace as it becomes saturated.

If it is wet, snow, high humidity, etc I always tape the barrel with electrical tape, it does nothing to the POI or Ballistics. The gas will blow the tape before the bullet. I took 3 animals with the taped barrel, no problem the bullet went where it was suppose to.

I install the breech plug & nipple with teflon tape (pink plumber style) to prevent moisture from the breech area.

Whatever you do at the end of the day fire it and clean it very well when it is damp outside.

RE: muzzeloading in rain...need some advice, please?
 

Hey, all..wanted to come back and give you a report. Great advice here. I wound up sealing my cap to the nipple with findernail polish, then wrapping the receiver with cling wrap. I then used camo tape to cover the cling wrap (it was too shiney and reflective for my tastes). Finally, I put a piece of cling wrap over the muzzle and help it on with a rubber band. It worked great. It rained for a solid 12 hours on opening day here and was humid as heck. I hunted out in the pouring rain all day...didnt see the buck I'm after but I tried it when I got back to camp that night and it fired perfectly. The cling wrap on the muzzel was a bit tough to keep on, so I'm liking the electrical tape idea for next time. Also, my cousin uses a T/C side lock so he just sealed the nipple with nail polish and put cling wrap over the muzzel. When he test-fired it failed! He replaced the cap it fired. Side-lockers ought to keep spare caps and nail polish in a ziplock and change every couple of hours in the rain, I think. Thanks everybody!