Dumb question??
 

I have a dumb question..i am going to get my first muzzleloader in a couple of months and i was wondering ..what do you do if you hunt and dont shoot it???Do you unload it..how??

RE: Dumb question??
 

Most of the time I just shoot mine when I know I am finished hunting or if it has been loaded for more than a couple of days. There are co2 powered devices that will unload the charge with a blast of co2 through the nipple where the primer goes. I have one of those but have never used it although I have heard that they work OK although you have to be careful where you point the rifle when doing that as it comes out with some force. It has been mentioned that there are no "dumb questions" on any of these sites. Keep asking and you will get good and probably multiple answers. We are all trying to pass on good information and help each other as much as possible. Sometimes we irritate each other but usually it is not on purpose. There is a lot of experience on the sites; use it all you can.

RE: Dumb question??
 

You could pull the load....I don't
You could shoot it out......I don't
You could leave it in........I don't
You could use a Co2 discharger......I DO!

They use almost a whole cylinder per use so figure that price first. I figure I will only hunt about 4 or 5 days total with my flintlock so buying one box of cylinders per year is not a big deal to me and well worth the convenience. I think it it much safer than any of the other alternatives. I did have one instance of a base of a powerbelt staying in the barrel once, so always check your bore before loading. I now put a tube sock over the barrel and collect the bullet for reuse. You can do that with Powerbelts because they come out looking the same as when they went in. Not sure if it is a good idea with other kinds of projectiles.

RE: Dumb question??
 

I safely discharge the rifle.

RE: Dumb question??
 

I am one that does not like to pull a projectile. I simply pick out a safe spot somewhere in the woods on the way out and shoot. This does a couple of things for me. One it tells me if I was able to weatherproof the rifle properly. It also tells me if the load is hitting where it should. Plus then I can start the next day on a clean rifle with a new projectile.

RE: Dumb question??
 

Just shoot it up in the air or at a neighbors cat...haha ( just kidding, dont try it;)). I just shoot into a hill or somewhere where nobody will be. I have heard of the co2 dischargers, but never used one. I leave the same load in my gun for about 3 days unless it has rained or snowed or anything like that.

RE: Dumb question??
 

I pull loads or blow them out with compressed air at the end of each day's hunt, patch wipe the bore, load fresh the next time out...so I have no loaded rifle to worry about, no rifle to clean, no gun shots to call attention to the area I'm hunting, no gun shots to make local residents nervous, no gun shots after dark to make game wardens suspect illegal shooting, etc, etc.
If compressed air is not available, I seal the nipple or vent, and pull the load with a puller made fror that purpose...there's no ignition source inside the barrel, and worse case, it's no more dangerous than loading the barrel in the first place...less actually as there's no compression involved.

RE: Dumb question??
 

Thanks guys I was wondering what you do...I figured that there was some high tech and in depth solution...now i know JUST SHOOT IT!!!!:D

RE: Dumb question??
 

If I'm hunting lets say an entire weekend and it hasn't rained, I'll just uncap at the end of the day. When the weekend is over, I shoot it out.

RE: Dumb question??
 

With my Traditions Deerhunter (.54 cal sidelock), I shoot it before I leave the field. With my .50 cal Remington 700 MLS, I simply remove the breechplug and, using the ramrod, push the bullet/powder charge out through the breech. Remington supplies a plastic tube that threads into the breech, so you powder will not spill loose powder into the receiver, but if you use pellets, that is not an issue. Of course, remember to remove caps/primers first!

Brian