Hunting Washington Forum
Big Game Hunting => Muzzleloader Hunting => Topic started by: MountainWalk on November 05, 2012, 10:42:48 PM
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Was hunting early season and didnt't have a problem with caps coming off or wet damp weather, but got to thinking come Nov. and Dec. it will surely dump cats and dogs. I sure don't want a damp wet charge. So thinks I, maybe nail polish around the bottom edge of the cap may seal things up a bit. Good idea? Already thought of? Something better? I am benchpressing a 50 cal Hawken. Thanks. Of course nail polish would be clear or orange.
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I'd be interested to hear some feedback on this as well.
:bumpin:
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I've used 2 things to accomplish this with limited success on both. First is clear nail polish. Yep, it works. Plain and simple: better than nothing. 2nd was Uncle Mikes red cap covers. Not better than nail polish, but they work too.
Biggest problem in not getting a muzzleloader to go off is drawing in moisture to the powder charge. This happens because the barrel is colder than the dew point of the area it is stored. The way to avoid this is to not bring the gun into the tent at night or not put it into a warm pickup overnight if the barrel has been cold throughout the day. The dew point inside your warm truck may be at 65 degrees, and a 40 degree barrel temp will guarantee it won't go off in the morning.
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Think I'll be ok then.
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If you use Uncle Mikes red cap covers, does it still leave the cap exposed to the weather.
I use musket caps and have never had them come off, even in a down pour.
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Keep the lock under your armpit while carrying it in the rain. The cap fits pretty tight and it would be a feat of physics for the powder to suck enough water from the air up through the space between the cap and nipple. If it gets soaked the cap could get wet though but that takes a lot of rain too. I've never had one not work, even with a flintlock. On the caplock, if you put a piece of leather under the hammer and press it down on the nipple at night when it's being stored there's no way moisture can get to the powder no matter what the temperature difference is. Many times I've left them loaded for a week or more, fired every time when I asked it to. I still recommend keeping it in the truck overnight if possible as was mentioned above.
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I used to get an occasional hang fire in the heavy rains on my sidelock. I now put bullet primer sealer around the base of nipple and cleanout screw, use a snug fitting cap, and put duct tape on the muzzle. fires every time. I also empty gun and clean after every day in the rain. Those shots at game are to hard to come by not to have the gun fire!!!!
