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? 

[MountainDevil54]

most places consider it unloaded as long as its unprimed " flintlock" or uncapped.

[nocklehead]

most places consider it unloaded as long as its unprimed " flintlock" or uncapped.

yes, exactly....we were talking about driving with a cap glued to the nipple and the gun loaded

[Sabotloader]

I am shooting T7, just so you know - I leave mine loaded for months or if I think the load may have been compromised, then I will shoot it or pull it...

[oneshot12]

once i load up for Hunting  season my rifle stays loaded until i ether shoot at something or it has gotten so wet i need to clean the gun up   i have left my 45 cal  Ruger  pistol loaded for two or more years before shooting and then cleaning  it back up  as long as you keep the powder dry it should be ok for a good long time   

[Bean Counter]

stupid question time: do i assume correct that once you load a muzzy that the only way to get that round out is to fire it?

[CP]

stupid question time: do i assume correct that once you load a muzzy that the only way to get that round out is to fire it?

No:

you can pull the bullet with a screw puller (traditional ML)
You can remove the breech plug and push the load out (in-line)
Some people like the compressed air method through the nipple (both)

[lostbackpacker]

The compressed air way is how to do it. 

[D-Rock425]

Last year I left mine loaded a good week before I shot it.

[Sabotloader]

stupid question time: do i assume correct that once you load a muzzy that the only way to get that round out is to fire it?

Not necessarily... if it is an inline pull the BP and push it out...

[oneshot12]

  like sabot loader said the inline  you can push out pretty easy,  the side hammers  i like the  CO2 extractor  method   works well just swab the barrel a few times and your ready to reload and shoot after you  the charge out of ether  weapon

[Natas5150]

I don't leave powder in my muzzy at the end of the day. I empty and clean even if I have not shot. I may even pick a target before heading home such as can or something and shoot. I then take it home and clean it. I am picky about my muzzleloader I keep it super clean. You have to remember black powder and black powder substitute are corrosive and let alone if moisture gets to the powder and having a misfire, thank but no thanks. Clean and empty always for me.

[Wose]

This will be my first muzzleloader season.

I don't want to hear the second loudest sound in the world when squeeze the trigger while aimed in at a deer, so I was planning on changing my load after each day fo hunting.

I'm also a cheapskate, so I was planning on setting the "used" T7 pellets in an airtight box, and using them for next years practice.  I've also got extra Sabots for the projectiles.

[Wose]

Oh, and I'm shooting an inline.

[oneshot12]

  its all up to each shooter how long  they want to keep their gun  loaded ,as I said during hunting season it is loaded until I ether shoot at a critter or its got really wet from  being over here in the west side during later season   .Most important thing is to have a good dry charge in the gun or it just isn't going to go off  when it is time to take down a critter