The one that got away......

[Loco Ken]

Had my Traditions Tracker misfire twice this last weekend while staring down a 5x5 bull elk.  Any suggestions on how I keep the moisture from building inside the gun legally and/or suggestions on how to keep this from happening again in the future?  I had the gun loaded from the day before so the pyrodex pellets were sitting in the barrel for about 18 hours or so.  Is it not a good thing to leave the gun loaded like this (without a cap of course) overnight because failure is more than likely gonna happen?

[whacker1]

I have discontinued use of pyrodex pellets for this reason.  I also unload and reload my muzzleloader every evening/morning to prevent condensation issues.  These muzzleloaders will draw moisture over time, changes in temperature, etc.   I noticed it getting in and out of the cold into a warm pickup and then warming up in a house and then back out in the cold again.

TripleSeven loose powder has worked best for me and I still try to unload/reload every day.

[jjhunter]

    I use triple 7 loose 3Fg and never had an issue.   Even on 7-8 day hunts in the snow, wind and rain.   The only hang fire I ever had was because of not following routine and not firing a cap after cleaning and before loading - the excess oil in the nipple got me.

[Loco Ken]

The only hang fire I ever had was because of not following routine and not firing a cap after cleaning and before loading - the excess oil in the nipple got me.

Yeah, I'm upset to say I didn't know you should do that.  Guess this was a learning experience and not a disappointment of a hunt really.  Thanks for the tip.

I have discontinued use of pyrodex pellets for this reason.  I also unload and reload my muzzleloader every evening/morning to prevent condensation issues.  These muzzleloaders will draw moisture over time, changes in temperature, etc.   I noticed it getting in and out of the cold into a warm pickup and then warming up in a house and then back out in the cold again.

TripleSeven loose powder has worked best for me and I still try to unload/reload every day.

My hunting partner has said he wants to move away from pyrodex as well and go to powder.  I think I might join you guys because I don't think I could handle another disappointment like this.

[PyroBlack]

Pyrodex attracts moisture more than most powders. Only one that might be more of a moisture attraction is American Pioneer/Shockey Gold. Plus, pellets must be kept in drier conditions than loose powder.

I fire three 209 primers before loading the first shot and I keep my breechplugs out of my inlines, while storing it in my gun safe. I even double the protection of not letting lubricant oil seep into actions and breechplugs by storing my rifles muzzle-down.

Once we get burned badly by a hang/misfire - right in sight of a nice buck, we all seem to learn our lessons, so it doesn't happen again.

[LDennis24]

A couple years ago I shot 4 caps at 2 different bulls and a cow elk over the span of a week and I got pretty frustrated as well. My problem wasn't my powder, it was the caps not being hot enough to ignite thru the short neck of the nipple to the powder. I found a #11 nipple that had a slightly bigger hole thru it and I started buying RWS primer's instead. Never had a misfire since. Not even last week after I pulled my gun out and found that it was still loaded from last winter's late muzzleloader elk season!  It fired no problem... I also quite using pellet's some time ago. Because they always seemed to have trouble firing after being loaded for a couple days in cool weather. After your first shot if you don't reload quickly your barrel will begin to draw moisture from the cooling down. Shot mine yesterday and in 2 mins the nipple area was very damp. It was 21 degree's out also. It still fired the second time 3 hours later, it didn't hit the spike bull I was aiming at though!  I get a little excited sometimes when I'm that close to an animal.

[pilebuck]

I leave my gun in the truck loaded with 777 always just don't bring inside it will sweat causing condensation.

[PyroBlack]

Dennis mentioned the need to have hot caps. I use RWS Dynamit Nobel 1075s. Those are hot #11 caps.  Another good one are the CCI #11 Magnum caps.

[LDennis24]

Yes but not the regular CCI caps. They are horrible...

[Loco Ken]

Thanks for the advice, guys.  I sincerely appreciate it.  Now to go back out there and find that bull again!

[Gobble]

I have discontinued use of pyrodex pellets for this reason.  I also unload and reload my muzzleloader every evening/morning to prevent condensation issues.  These muzzleloaders will draw moisture over time, changes in temperature, etc.   I noticed it getting in and out of the cold into a warm pickup and then warming up in a house and then back out in the cold again.

TripleSeven loose powder has worked best for me and I still try to unload/reload every day.

I do the same thing, you can put a round sticker like the ones you use for a garage sale over the end of the barrel to keep additional moisture out of the gun

[Labs07]

I have never had issues with my powder or primer.  I leave my gun in the truck w/o cap on it over the night.  I also put electrical tap over the muzzle.  I change the powder out after 2 days and clean the gun and then fire 2 caps to dry things out and reload.  I did have one issue this year though....the cap fell off while I was moving in on a cow elk and when I fried on her at 50yrds it went click.  I guess I need to crimp the cap a bit more from now on.

[JJB11B]

We all have at least one "One that got away". in my case I have one for each big game species...plus one more

[shorthair15]

get rid of the pellet's. i only use triple seven 3f in my inline goes off every time.

[Thehowler]

Never, ever had problems with pellets. Have friends that dump a little powder down, than drop there pellets down the pipe for a little added insurance. Couldn't  hurt.