Up until this hunting season, I unloaded every day. Then this past year, I read several reports staing how hygroscopic 777 was - how blackpowder was so much better.

I loaded in the wee hours of Wednesday (Opening Day) - hunted all day with a mix of rain, fog, drizzle and about two hours of sun before dusk. Never touched the barrel - just put it back in the hard shell gun case & kept in the back of Chevrolet Colorado Crew Cab 4X4 Z71 with cap.

Next day (Thurs) was virtually all rain - mixing between medium and light - very seldom stopping until after lunch. Then a off & on drizzle and damp. Again put the ML back in the pickup and came home. Kept the ML in the pickup cap Friday and Saturday... more of the same ugly weather -- mostly drizzle and fog with high humidity and 45 degree temps all week.

Took it to the range today with more drizzle overhead- & it fired instantaneously - just like I just put fresh powder in it from a jug at home. I then fired both spare 80 grain loads I kept in my Possibles Bag all this time. Those fired without a hitch too. All this time, I never covered the muzzle. Just kept the muzzle pointed downward while sitting and stomping thru the woods.

Next year, I'll try it with one of my percussion sidelocks. That one may see one of those plastic sleeves that slip over the #11 cap for weather protection -- may also see a muzzle mitt - only because I don't use a tight-fitting sabot.. instead using looser-fitting conicals. I will likely prime below the nipple too - to seal any air space from creating moisture there.

I feel 777 powder is 2nd best (real blackpowder #1) with keeping good ignition in bores during prolonged hunting seasons where folks do not unload. I would never of tried such a damp testing using powders like Pyrodex and the APP family of powders. Iwon't include Black Mag 3 into this mix - simply because store availability is almost non-existent. Won't buy any Black Mag anyways to try-- not at that high jug price.

Of course not...I never leave any hunting weapon loaded all the time.

Nice ride.

I like black powder best also. It always seems to fire and works with any quantity i want to use. It's major drawback for me isn't it's cleanliness, its the lack of availability locally.

No kidding, i have to drive 2 hours to buy blackpowder. Its okay though, i love the store where i buy it. all mountainman stuff, rifles,bullet,ramrods,clothing.. pretty much anything you can think of. Wish i had money falling out of my a$$ so i could buy everything in the store.

FG,

Something tells me that we buy our blackpowder from the same shop in Manitou Springs. When I am there, I make a point of buying other things. My wife likes to buy the frontier books. Its important to support the dwindling number of vendors (the only vendor I actually know of anywhere close) who are willing to carry it.

Phil

LOL. You hit he nail right on the head. The mountain man. I love that store! What part of colorado do u live in? Im west of trinidad.

I live around an hour north, so its about an hour's drive. I know what you are saying, I'm like a kid in a candy store when I go there. That my wife also enjoys it is a bonus that means I don't have to beg to make a detour to get there.

Thanks everyone. Great responses as expected.

Tom

I unload with a C02 discharger after each hunt.

How loud are those CO2 Dischargers?

I was looking at them in Cabelas.
You buy the discharger
You buy the adapter for 209 primer
You buy the adapter for #11 cap
You buy a multipack of cartridges

Comes out to around $51 plus shipping& handling.

Thinking about adding this to my Christmas Wish List.