leaving a smokepole loaded

[nocklehead]

I searched on here but didnt quite find an answer::

How long do you leave a smokepole loaded?
Assuming youre hunting everyday but not shooting, whats youre routine?
Do you like to shoot it out and re-clean?  Pull it out? Out the breech end?
Do you re-use powder youve poured out or unloaded?
Also, if you just got home from hunting, its 9 or 10pm, and youre going out again at 5am, do you unload/clean?

[baldopepper]

Kind of depends on the weather with me-cold, rainy I shoot it out at the end of the day.  Dry and warm I'll go a couple of days, but it's pretty cheap insurance to just go and  shoot it off at a target rather than have a "plink" on a good animal.  I just find a good sight- in target and shoot, clean the barrel and start from scratch. I never take a charged weapon home.

[Mfowl]

While hunting I will leave a load in for 2 days. If I don't have a chance to shoot I 'll fire it at the end of the seccond day, clean and reload. I don't like to leace it in too long because when your out hunting the conditions are much more adverse then at the range. I mean you have more opportunity to get moisture down your barrel or in your breach. To be on the safe side I don't like to leave a load in too long. However I've heard others say on this site that they have left a load in for an entire season and had no trouble. For me I wouldn't trust that. I don't try to reuse the bullet/load, I just fire it off and start over.   

[TommyGun496]

I unload it through the breach every night.  I would never reuse the powder.

[washelkhunter]

My knights been loaded for the last year. I dont use blackpowder tho. I load it at the start of season, tape the barrel and thanks to a tip from a member here seal the nipple with nail enamel. Pretty much watertight. I only reload after a shot.

[nocklehead]

My knights been loaded for the last year. I dont use blackpowder tho. I load it at the start of season, tape the barrel and thanks to a tip from a member here seal the nipple with nail enamel. Pretty much watertight. I only reload after a shot.

You seal your primer cap onto the nipple?

[washelkhunter]

Yep!

[Sitka_Blacktail]

Then you are illegal when you drive home.

[Sitka_Blacktail]

On the wet and humid wet side of the state we always shoot our guns off every night. Black powder is like salt, it attracts moisture. The act of warming up and cooling down also attracts moisture to the metal of your gun. Fresh powder is cheap insurance if the opportunity for a shot arises. A misfire or hang fire is no fun, and then you may have to deal with getting the slug out to reload.

[JLS]

Then you are illegal when you drive home.

  = loaded firearm in a vehicle

[CedarPants]

Then you are illegal when you drive home.

  = loaded firearm in a vehicle

I assumed he meant he had the cap sealed while hunting and removed it afterward, in which case he'd be perfectly legal while driving home.

I could have assumed wrong though 

[snowpack]

maybe he doesn't have to drive to his hunting grounds.  I would leave the muzzy loaded and just grab it as I walked out the door and down the road.

[JLS]

I could have assumed wrong though 

As I could have also.....

[grundy53]

I unload it through the breach every night.  I would never reuse the powder.

sent from my typewriter

[nocklehead]

Then you are illegal when you drive home.

  = loaded firearm in a vehicle

yeah I have to drive to hunt, so having a loaded .50 cal in the car aint gonna work for me I like the idea though, do you shoot through the tape or take it off to shoot?

.....hmmm I guess I could try to conceal it?