Will keeping a muzzleloader loaded cause any problems?
10-15-2008 | 12:07 PM
#1
Thread Starter
Giant Nontypical
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 6,486
Likes: 1
From: Huntsville Alabama
Will keeping a muzzleloader loaded cause any problems?
What do you guys think ...will loading a muzzleloader and keeping the same powder and bullet in it for over a week cause any problems when it comes time to fire it?
dd
dd
10-15-2008 | 12:20 PM
#2
Nontypical Buck
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 3,050
Likes: 0
From: North Louisiana
RE: Will keeping a muzzleloader loaded cause any problems?
Good question. I really don't believe it would hurt at all. I do it quite often. Then again, I use pellets instead of straight powder. I have never had any problems by doing it. A few years ago I accidently left my ml loaded after the end of the season. When I took it out to make sure it was still on, months later, I discovered that I never shot it at the end of the previous season. I know it was a stupid mistake. I just forgot to do it. I had to shoot the gun. It shot fine. It was dead on. I just put a 209 primer in and it shot like I had just loaded it. Other than a primer in, it was loaded and sitting up for 8 months.
10-15-2008 | 12:33 PM
#5
Thread Starter
Giant Nontypical
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 6,486
Likes: 1
From: Huntsville Alabama
RE: Will keeping a muzzleloader loaded cause any problems?
Yep will be in the woods Sat. and Sun. .....never have hunted much with a M/L cause when I was in Alabama there was no season JUST for m/l ....thanks guys.
dd
dd
10-15-2008 | 12:57 PM
#6
Nontypical Buck
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 2,949
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From: Orange county, NY
RE: Will keeping a muzzleloader loaded cause any problems?
Actually it can be a problem, temperature changes can create moisture inside the gun. BP and BP substitutes are orthoscopic, meaning they soak up moisture, causeing ignition failure. Its happened to me in the past, which is one of the reasons I bought a Savage(smokeless). You will more than likey be OK if your shooting an inline 209 w/ BH209 or 777 but BP and pyrodex is very sensitive to moisture and#11caps might not be hot enough ,if powder was exposed to moisture at all. If you dont want to take a chance, you might want to fire it at the end of the day and load it fresh every morning, to me its a little extra effort well spent. If not ,you might want to at least aviod drastic temp. changes like bringing it inside or in your car w/ the heat on.
10-15-2008 | 01:52 PM
#9
Nontypical Buck
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 3,050
Likes: 0
From: North Louisiana
RE: Will keeping a muzzleloader loaded cause any problems?
ORIGINAL: DeerandbearhoG
Actually it can be a problem, temperature changes can create moisture inside the gun. BP and BP substitutes are orthoscopic, meaning they soak up moisture, causeing ignition failure. Its happened to me in the past, which is one of the reasons I bought a Savage(smokeless). You will more than likey be OK if your shooting an inline 209 w/ BH209 or 777 but BP and pyrodex is very sensitive to moisture and#11caps might not be hot enough ,if powder was exposed to moisture at all. If you dont want to take a chance, you might want to fire it at the end of the day and load it fresh every morning, to me its a little extra effort well spent. If not ,you might want to at least aviod drastic temp. changes like bringing it inside or in your car w/ the heat on.
Actually it can be a problem, temperature changes can create moisture inside the gun. BP and BP substitutes are orthoscopic, meaning they soak up moisture, causeing ignition failure. Its happened to me in the past, which is one of the reasons I bought a Savage(smokeless). You will more than likey be OK if your shooting an inline 209 w/ BH209 or 777 but BP and pyrodex is very sensitive to moisture and#11caps might not be hot enough ,if powder was exposed to moisture at all. If you dont want to take a chance, you might want to fire it at the end of the day and load it fresh every morning, to me its a little extra effort well spent. If not ,you might want to at least aviod drastic temp. changes like bringing it inside or in your car w/ the heat on.
10-15-2008 | 01:54 PM
#10
Nontypical Buck
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 2,445
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RE: Will keeping a muzzleloader loaded cause any problems?
Years ago I hunted with a group of 5 other guys. We would take stands and do drives. I saw more than one hangfire and even mis-fires (caps only) that were the result of a guy shooting his gun, reloading, and then keeping that load in for a few days before shooting again. The fouling and primer residue from the first shot sucks moisture out of the air, just like BP or Pyrodex will.
For those that hunt with fouled bores, I would say discharge and clean every day.
For those that hunt with fouled bores, I would say discharge and clean every day.