How long can I leave the load in my gun
 

Today was the first day of our Black Powder season, and it runs for 3 weeks. Is it ok to leave the load in my gun for the whole 3 weeks, as long as I leave the gun in my truck, and not take it in and out of the heat. Or should I pull the load after the weekend? I wont be doing any hunting durring the week.

RE: How long can I leave the load in my gun
 

Its ok as long as you do your best to keep the weather out of the rifle.

RE: How long can I leave the load in my gun
 

this ismy post from a week ago or so; Not the report you all were expecting! The rifle has been loaded for 10 days. Temps from 40d to 12d w/wind up to howling. Put it in the hard case every eve. Its been covered w/snow, damp, wet, in the case wet. pulled the cap every eve. Noon today hit the stump where i was aiming!! brought it home and scrubbed it up!! Fill'er up in the a.m. Back at it!!

RE: How long can I leave the load in my gun
 

Sounds good, thanks guys.

RE: How long can I leave the load in my gun
 

I use a Dollar store balloon over the muzzle and NEVER bring the rifle into a heated space. Stays cold all season. I have left it loaded for days and never had a problem

Charlie

RE: How long can I leave the load in my gun
 

Well this isn't recommended but while I was up the camp this past week for bear, another guy had brought his percussion T/C Hawken. He claimed it was loaded for 2 years. He took it out before he came up to the camp, put a cap on the nipple and it fired without any hesitation. He cleaned it up and reloaded it.
I don't know if I could ever leave any ML loaded for that long.

RE: How long can I leave the load in my gun
 

I only have the guts too leave it loaded for two days. I want to know that it's going off when my only shot presents itself.I know people who leave it for a year with no problem though.

RE: How long can I leave the load in my gun
 

I left two of my caplocks loaded for 6 months one time, when I did shoot them both hit the same and fired like they were loaded that morning.

RE: How long can I leave the load in my gun
 

Maybe I'm anal but I unloaded mine everynightand reloaded every morning with fresh pellets and sabots. I don't have to waste them, I can always set them a side to use at the range. Now, during the day when I took a lunch break I just took out the primer and left it out on my buddies back porch in the cold.

RE: How long can I leave the load in my gun
 

my ML is always loaded and i have never had a problem with it, but i do try to fire it at least once a week, and it never leaves it case untill its about to be fired, cleanedor im in my stand. im very protective of my baby, its the only "real" gun i own:D

RE: How long can I leave the load in my gun
 

sjsfire, i must be anal as well, I always unload and recap every day that way i can say 100% if it's unloaded.

RE: How long can I leave the load in my gun
 

Well guys, didnt have to worry about keeping it loaded for very long.[8D] Ended up getting a doe the second day out, this is my first ML kill, and I am hooked! I will post later about the specifics of the hunt, along with some pics. I didnt get a pic of the doe, but I did recover the Powerbelt, and have some pics of that. What a great day in the woods!

RE: How long can I leave the load in my gun
 

What powerbelt/powder charge did you shoot?

Post some pics of the bullet when you can.

Congrats on the doe and be sure to clean the rifle!

RE: How long can I leave the load in my gun
 

CVA Wolf, with 80 grains of Triple Se7en loose powder, and a 295 grain Hollow Point Powerbelt. Hit high on the right side, about midway back. Angled towards left front. Punched a hole thru the ribs on left side, but didnt make it thru the hide. Made a mess inside, but she dropped in her tracks, and never took another step.:D I will post some pics later tonight when I get home from work.

RE: How long can I leave the load in my gun
 

looking forward to the recovered bullet. I havent tested powerbelts with T7 yet so this will help me out a lot.

RE: How long can I leave the load in my gun
 

FG, I if this works, here is a pic of the bullet. I am not real good at posting pics, so I hope this works. I took a few pics, but only 1 of them turned out. If you would like more, just let me know, and I will see if I can get some more.

RE: How long can I leave the load in my gun
 

that works just fine! Can you remove the gas seal and take a pic of the nipple area? Looks like it didnt even fragment which is excellent. Make a big hole in the deer on the entrance?

RE: How long can I leave the load in my gun
 

No the hole wasn't big at all, I was suprised.

RE: How long can I leave the load in my gun
 

Here is another pic. Didn't fragment at all, that I could tell.

RE: How long can I leave the load in my gun
 

That load looks perfect for the distance "What was the distance?" You shot the deer at. The base of the bullet isnt even folded in or crinkled at all. The Aerotip probably would have exited but i love being able to recover the bullets and look at them.

On the other pic it looks like theres a round circle of copper which shows me that it mushroomed right down to where it was supposed to and did not over expand or fragment.

Thanks for the pics! Thats great to see.

Just saw the other pics too!

That was the perfect load right there!

RE: How long can I leave the load in my gun
 

I thought of doing this, Do you shoot with the balloon on or do you take it off?

RE: How long can I leave the load in my gun
 

Glad I could help! She was about 40 - 50 yards away. I have shot the Aerotip also, and that bullet shoots just as well out of my gun. (at least it groups well, but I thought the Hollow Point grouped a little better tho). Should add, that I was using the Williams Peepsight. Note to self..... when hunting in hte snow, make sure that your peep is not blocked with snow.[8D]I got lucky, and thought to check this about 30 minutes before she came thru, and it was plugged solid.[&:]