check those muzzy loads don't assume they are dry

[Westside88]

I've hunted some very wet days with my Knight Disc Extreme and always managed to keep my powder dry.
(gun went boom at the end of the day) While hunting elk this season, I had one day where it rained so hard my new Kuiu Yukon raingear soaked through within 5 hours (that's another story I'm not thrilled about) Anyway, I carry my rifle in an Eberlestock Gunrunner pack, barrel down. We figured leaving them in the packs until needed would provide the most protection from the rain. I didn't fire it that afternoon, but that night I pulled the breach plug and found a wet gooey mess. The water must have wicked in around the breach plug since it was dry under the nipple. Lesson learned, next time I'll wrap that area with saran wrap and also put a balloon over the barrel. I was surprised, but at least I didn't find out the hard way.

[bearhunter99]

 

That's a new one - never had an issue like that with my Knight but never been in that much rain either!

[Westside88]

That's a new one - never had an issue like that with my Knight but never been in that much rain either!

Yeah, when I’m hunting I check it every time I’ve there any rain involved. I think we greatly overestimated the protection the pack would provide. Rain like that in the future I may check it mid-day

[zwickeyman]

My first year with a muzzy I was 12 miles deep in the Pasyten during early buck. Rain, snow and sleet. I had a balloon on the barrel and tape over the breech. Seen some some small bucks but nothing I was after so no shots. As we were packing up I shot the muzzy and just the cap went off, same as yours, mush. Now if there is weather I either shoot it or load new every day

[wadu1]

I've hunted in downpours, hailstorms, snowstorms without any issues. I use a Hawkins Side lock, seal the cap with nail polish and a simple cork in the muzzle. Load once in the beginning of the season if no shots fired, I touch it off at new year's. 

[LDennis24]

Should have bought a Thompson...  Hunting in the rain with a muzzy can be a b*txh sometimes. My great uncle used to go buy unlubricated condoms and put one over the barrel every time he was out. It always kept his powder dry. I can't see that much water getting into your breech plug unless somethings wrong with your threads. Maybe you should have that looked at. I've never seen that much water in a muzzleloader before.

[huntnfmly]

I use Teflon tape on breach plug threads and muzzle condoms
So far so good

[bb76]

I used electrical tape on the muzzle and a rubber glove over the side lock of my TC Hawken. After 3 rainy days, it went boom when I emptied it. I kept my gun in its case in the truck at night.

Sent from my SM-G781V using Tapatalk

[bkaech]

After an all day rain during elk season this year I reloaded at night, powder was dry, but better safe than sorry. However, stupid me forgot to fire a cap before I reloaded... I ALWAYS (except this once) fire a cap or 2 before I load my muzzy. The next day I walked into a bedded bull at 30 yards in the timber (this day was completely dry) pulled the trigger and got a soft pop. I had water in my nipple area from the day before that I never got out. I hate it when my equipment functions as it should, but I make some bonehead mistake.

[elksnout]

I've hunted some very wet days with my Knight Disc Extreme and always managed to keep my powder dry.
(gun went boom at the end of the day) While hunting elk this season, I had one day where it rained so hard my new Kuiu Yukon raingear soaked through within 5 hours (that's another story I'm not thrilled about) Anyway, I carry my rifle in an Eberlestock Gunrunner pack, barrel down. We figured leaving them in the packs until needed would provide the most protection from the rain. I didn't fire it that afternoon, but that night I pulled the breach plug and found a wet gooey mess. The water must have wicked in around the breach plug since it was dry under the nipple. Lesson learned, next time I'll wrap that area with saran wrap and also put a balloon over the barrel. I was surprised, but at least I didn't find out the hard way.
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Looks exactly what I pushed out of my Bighorn last week after almost two days of dark to dark elk hunting in constant rain down at the coast. Black goo… barrel taped. Grease on breech plug. Gun carried upside down.

elksnout

[Westside88]

Should have bought a Thompson...  Hunting in the rain with a muzzy can be a b*txh sometimes. My great uncle used to go buy unlubricated condoms and put one over the barrel every time he was out. It always kept his powder dry. I can't see that much water getting into your breech plug unless somethings wrong with your threads. Maybe you should have that looked at. I've never seen that much water in a muzzleloader before.

After thinking about this some more I,m starting to think the bulk of the water likely found it way in the barrel and tracked down the rifling. I say this because the front end of the load was wettest. I don't think it would even take that much water to ruin the load. From now on I'll be covering up the barrel and breach even when in the pack

[Smokeploe]

Also never assume that your barrel is dry also!  I missed a 4 point buck a few years ago.  It was raining in the Central Valley of ca.  when I left home.  Got up in the Sierras and it was snowing, had the ML in the gun sack and in the cab with me, with the heater going.  Got up to where I was hunting, day trip, poped a cap the started to load.  Walked to my spot, there only 10 minutes and three bucks stepped out of the brush at 50 yards.  I shouldered the rifle aimed and fired, no bang just pop. Hang fire!  Kept the rifle shouldered and replaced the cap, deer still there.  Fired again, pop no bang!  Held still then it went off,  whoosh!  Started to reload after a wipe with patch, deer walked away back into the brush.  Warm barrel brought out into the cold air water condensed inside of the barrel. 

Smokeploe

[pilebuck]

Dont know why you worry about the barrel ? If water gets by the sabot then something is wrong......Thats a tight seal thik about it 

[LDennis24]

Dont know why you worry about the barrel ? If water gets by the sabot then something is wrong......Thats a tight seal thik about it 

The end of the barrel is the easiest spot for water to get your powder wet. The bullet or sabot does not form into the grooves of the barrel when loaded down into it. There are gaps where each rifling groove comes past the bullet or sabot. Not much, but there are gaps. I have never had a problem with moisture inside my gun unless I used pellets. If you use loose powder and your load is seated correctly you won't have air gaps for condensation to form. I had hangfires before. Then I quit using pellets and kept my caps dry and clean and it has literally never happened again. 

[NorseNW]

Westside88- I see Western WA as your location so I'm guessing you hunted through those 2 days just buckets on and off???  This was my first year muzzy hunting and I was worried about mine as well.  Thankfully mine went boom on the last day.  Knight UL with full plastic jacket primer system and electrical tape over the barrel.  Carried it muzzle up just slung over my shoulder most those days.  Sometimes when it was really pouring I move it to hand carry with a hand over the breach hoping it would help.

Were you using the FPJ deal on yours?  Just curious as I'm trying to learn as much as I can about what happened hoping I don't do it as well.  I've used Eberlstock packs in the past as well so I'm familiar with the setup.  I'm wondering if water ran down that sleeve on the pack and just sat on the back of the breech plug seeping it's way in?

Thanks for sharing your experience so others can learn!