Muzzle Loader Questions

[TimeOnTarget]

I'm new to muzzle loaders and have a few easy questions for you vets. I picked up a CVA optima V2 while back. I'm really impressed with its accuracy using 100gr of 777 and 300gr hornady.

I'm sure I will go days or weeks without firing a shot.

What do you do with the load in the barrel?
How long do you leave it loaded?
How often do you replace the 209?

How often should the barrel be cleaned when shooting?

Anything else I'm missing?

Thanks Guys.

 

[chevyman181]

It's been a few years since I muzzleloader hunted so some things may have changed. I've had 2 muzzleloaders the first one I sighted it in a practices for. The season then cleaned it and fired 1 shot to foul it right before the season. Then left the powder and bullet in the muzzleloader for the season. Our season was only a week. I just pulled the primer between hunts.

The second muzzleloader I had. I cleaned every shot. That was the only way it shot consistently. I would leave the powder and bullet in place for the season and pull the primer between hunts like the other.

 

[Dave N]

1. I leave it loaded.
2. Until I need to shoot it.
3. Never.
4. I run a wet patch through with a bore brush after every shot, followed by a dry one and then reload.
5. Something to shoot at!

 

[SD_Prairie_Goat]

I have an inline, so I pull the breach plug to remove the powder and bullet every so often. Not usually in hunts unless I'm worried that the powder might have gotten moisture. That's always my biggest concern

 

[Addicting]

Moisture is the enemy, bringing it inside and the temperature change will cause condensation and ruin the powder overnight. Once you load it, leave it in the cold. Take the 209 primer out whenever you’re not in the field.

 

[pabearhunter]

When it is cold out DON'T lay your hands and or gloved hands on the hammer area or barrel. It will cause condensation getting the powder damp.

 

[MThuntr]

Unless you're in a wet/humid environment leaving it loaded for a bit isn't that big of an issue. 777 isn't as corrosive as Pyrodex and black powder. I try not to let the rifle change temps much...if it's super cold and you bring it inside you will get condensation which can lead to misfires, hang fires, or maybe nothing happens and gun goes off perfectly. I'd prefer to take that variable out of the equation so rifle either stays in the truck or garage.

 

[TimeOnTarget]

Thanks to everyone. Easy enough.

 

[buckbull]

Moisture is the enemy, bringing it inside and the temperature change will cause condensation and ruin the powder overnight. Once you load it, leave it in the cold. Take the 209 primer out whenever you’re not in the field.

This. i made that mistake. our muzzleloader loader season is only 3 days. on day three when i was finished hunting I shot and it sounded like a 22 short going off. powder definitely absorbed moisture from being brought into the warm cabin and then back out into the cold.

 

[Dave N]

I leave mine in the truck until I'm done hunting, then leave it in the case when I bring it in the house to slow down any temperature change. The primer is in the case unless I'm hunting.

 

[Addicting]

After you shoot for the season, boil soapy water and scrub it with that. Dry and put a light oil on it. No need for the chemicals cleaners.

 

[Dougfirtree]

My one addition to what's been said is that I'm still old fashioned about muzzleloader cleaning. If the rifle has been fired, it's going to get a complete cleaning as soon as possible. Period.

 

[MinnesotaHunter]

Concur with pretty much everything. The biggest thing is keeping it cold once it is cold.

Consistency is the most important thing in muzzleloading. Think about how meticulous you are when it comes to consistency in reloading for your rifles, try and be that consistent.

One thing I do after I zero that I have found really helpful in understanding my ML/load is this. Start from a clean gun exactly how you will start your hunt, and then shoot without cleaning until the accuracy is unacceptable at 100yds (or whatever range you want to be able to shoot). This will let you know how the fouling will effect your POI once the meat starts hitting the metal. With my setup I can get three shots with slight stringing up towards the 1-2 o'clock before I need to get significantly closer to potentially finish something off, or clean. Having said that it has never come to that, but I definitely feel like I know my setup better....

 

[grizzly63]

With the way hoodlums break into any vehicle with a gun in it, I have to bring it inside. I'm afraid of the moisture thing so every two days of hunting, I will pull the breach plug, dump the powder, push out the bullet and clean the bore all over again. I do not load it again until I'm going out. Sometimes, the powder does seem to clump a bit which makes me think it is gathering moisture.

 

[Hem]

My traditional I discharge at the end of every day. Seems wasteful but I have learned the hard way.
My in-line is bomber. Never had a problem with leaving it loaded for a week at a time.
I will say this year I killed a buck with my in-line that had been loaded for a few days, transferred from garage to truck. When I shot the buck the charge seemed flat, but I got a clean pass through at 50 yards. Temps outside were frigid, temp in my garage 50 degrees. There you have it.
Keep it cold, for sure.

 

[BrentD]

I do not unload my sidelock Hawken, nor my Flint for months, some years. They fire just fine using #11 caps. It's all about barrel prep before you load. The condensation thing is probably an issue for some, but not me (if it is unfired). I use only real black however. It's much better that way than Pdex. I know nothing of the other faux bps out there.

There are some things you can do for hunting in really wet or humid climes, if you are a sidelocker.

 

[DWarcher]

I do not unload my sidelock Hawken, nor my Flint for months, some years. They fire just fine using #11 caps. It's all about barrel prep before you load. The condensation thing is probably an issue for some, but not me (if it is unfired). I use only real black however. It's much better that way than Pdex. I know nothing of the other faux bps out there.

There are some things you can do for hunting in really wet or humid climes, if you are a sidelocker.

Brent, do you not have corrosion issues leaving BP in the barrel for months or years?

 

[BrentD]

Brent, do you not have corrosion issues leaving BP in the barrel for months or years?

No. Contrary to popular belief, black powder is incredibly stable and does not attract moisture. I had the prove the latter to myself, but there is no question about that. My Bill Large barreled Hawken is sitting right here in the shop. It's been loaded since mid October and it is just fine.

BTW, people have been killed by charges left in rifles for 100+ years. Which speaks to it being stupid to leave a rifle charged like that for ever. But I hate to load/unload and I had some dumb idea I was going to shoot a buck in teh backyard with my arm in a sling this week. Wrong.

Anyway, it works. You might google or search Dixiegunworks.com for the Kap Kover - It makes me feel better when hunting in the rain. But I don't have one on my rifles right now.

Sidelocks and flinters can be unloaded pretty darn quick with a screw-ball puller or CO2 discharger (both available from Dixie or Trackofthewolf.com). Probably works on inlines too.

If you aren't using real bp, you don't know what you are missing. Might as well get a sidelock to go with it

 

[Nick87]

Paging @Stocker

 

[Nick87]

Throw it in the dumpster. Sodder rings on a heavy contour barrel 7mm rem mag rifle and put the ramrod in said rings your welcome.