# Is accuracy affected from leaving loaded?



## BassHunter25 (Oct 16, 2019)

Got a new wolf CVA this past week.  Sighted it in on Saturday.  I have had muzzle loaders in the past but haven't used the new improved ones as much.  Anyway the sighting process went really well.  I had my 245 grain polymer tip bullets with 100 gr of pellets, hitting bullseye at 100 yards. I loaded it to hunt Saturday and never shot it.  I left it loaded in a soft case.  Decided to shoot it Monday for fun just at 50 yards. it was 7 inches left and 7 High.  I was in a rest and made a good shot.  I loaded it again and shot at 50 and hit bullseye then loaded again and shot at 100 yds and hit bullseye.  Now I'm wondering if I need to unload it and reload before I hunt again.  I'm almost out of bullets, so I dont' want to shoot it out? 

Any suggestions? did my barrel corrode and make my first shot a flyer ?  Can I swab barrel with load in there? or should I just unload and re load? My dad missed a hog with his the other day and he wants to throw it in the trash.


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## Mr Bya Lungshot (Oct 16, 2019)

Leave it loaded all season if you want.
Just cleaned mine extra good and put up till. I get one with a rifle then I’ll try again.
The main thing is don’t store it loaded too dang long.
As for your flyer, ignore it if your hitting bulls again. It’s not from storing a week loaded. I think it’s from storing a week dirty. I missed Saturday after sighting in a week prior. From now on Im hunting with a spotless barrel even though some say a fouled barrel is better for them not me. I like a clean shot and sight in to that so I can hunt with that.
I’ve left one loaded with powder for a year and it went off when shot but thats not recommended practice.
All season “4 months” is no issue unless it has been in major moisture or rain.
I got rained on pretty good so I cleaned and stored without a load.
Just depends but I think the powerbelt plastic melts and hardens or the triple seven hardens after a several shots and a week of storage so I wont do that anymore.
Just pull the plug and swab it every several shots.
If barrel was clean on the first shot and no rain then I’d leave it loaded till after the very last day of season or clean it again and store it. If it’s dirty I can’t leave it be.


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## NCHillbilly (Oct 16, 2019)

Leaving it loaded a few days shouldn't affect a thing. Bullet could have been funky or loaded a little crooked, or you got a little hangfire or something.


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## BarnesAddict (Oct 16, 2019)

DON'T leave it in the case.  Corrosion waiting to happen.


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## JustUs4All (Oct 16, 2019)

I wouldn't worry about leaving a Wolf loaded for a couple of weeks if it were kept in a controlled environment or if the breech plug was sealed so no moisture could effect the load from that end.

I have a Wolf.  At the end of the season last year the hammer would not hold on cock so I did not fire that last load, just uncapped it.  A month or so later, a friend and I went for a range session and I took it to shoot. We were shooting steel at 200, 300, & 400 yards.  The Wolf still would not hold cock.  From a bench with a good rest I held on the head of a 1/2 sized steel silhouette at 200 yards and shot it by slipping the hammer from my thumb.  We heard no ring and were not surprised.  Later when we went to re-paint the targets we found a 45 cal hole in the center of the 2x4 support post about 10 inches low of the silhouerre.  My friend was impressed.  I knew the gun had been a shooter but I was amazed.  Lots of cleaning and it is functioning fine and hunting again this year.


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## GregoryB. (Oct 16, 2019)

I have left mine in the safe loaded for over a year and it still shot dead center at 100 yards off a solid rest. Have done it with pellets and loose powder. Never had a issue.


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## Mr Bya Lungshot (Oct 16, 2019)

Its simple to pull the breech plug and push out the load. Just as simple to swab the barrel. If not today then tomorrow or next week. And/Or pull it or shoot it if no plug. Take care of your muzzleloader sooner and it will take care of you later.

A friend of mine left his with a load in it hanging on the camp wall for about five years. It was so trashed inside I told him he might as well just bend it at this point. He finally cleaned it up and gave it away. His buddy said it shot well.?


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## JustUs4All (Oct 16, 2019)

Pulling the breech plug is too simple and results in no good story to tell.  LOL


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## BassHunter25 (Oct 16, 2019)

Thanks for the advice.  I have had it in the case again since Monday.  It just sucks not knowing if I'm on or not.  I suppose reloading is pretty easy considering ill be putting it up in a few days.  Just hate wasting the powder.  But hopefully can reuse the powerbelt.  I'm tempted to shoot it anyway and just see what it does, though I only have two bullets left.


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## Nicodemus (Oct 16, 2019)

I`ve never noticed any difference in accuracy, but I don`t leave mine loaded for any length of time. But, I don`t shoot those inlines. Mine are either flintlock or percussion traditional weapons. You don`t pull a breech plug on them. I just use water to clean mine.


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## trad bow (Oct 17, 2019)

Two bullets left!! ? I can’t imagine not having at least a couple hundred if not more for all my firearms.


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## Esau (Oct 17, 2019)

I loaded mine Saturday and shot a doe Tuesday. It shot fine. It is a traditional percussion rifle shooting a patched round ball. I cleaned it good after shooting it and it should be good to go next time. I clean mine with hot water and lots of patches.


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## mallardsx2 (Oct 17, 2019)

For whats it worth (And I dont condone this) my father-in-law left his loaded for an entire year and it hit the bullseye at 100 yards.


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## sleepr71 (Oct 17, 2019)

Funny..I left mine loaded(minus 209 primer)..this morning. I put it in the truck wondering this very thing! As long as it’s sealed from moisture & the bore was CLEAN before loading...I can’t see what it would hurt?


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## Bowyer29 (Oct 18, 2019)

My Wolf has stayed loaded over a month after firing. Went from GA to VA to hunt the late ML up there. Killed a doe first shot. 
The Wolf, for an "affordable" weapon is a terrific ML. 
I understand the same can be said for many other manufacturers, I just really love my Wolf.


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## mallardsx2 (Oct 18, 2019)

Not to mention the CVA triggers are awesome. I love my CVA Accura Mountaint Rifle Nitride. I cant believe everyone doesn't own one. lol


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## northgeorgiasportsman (Oct 18, 2019)

mallardsx2 said:


> For whats it worth (And I dont condone this) my father-in-law left his loaded for an entire year and it hit the bullseye at 100 yards.









I left my TC loaded all year last year.  250gr TC Shockwave with Blackhorn 209.  Figured I better empty it and start fresh this year.  This is exactly where I left it zeroed last year.  50yds off my tailgate.  No, I don't normally leave one loaded that long, but stored properly, I don't believe it hurts anything.


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## mallardsx2 (Oct 18, 2019)

And I like the fact that you shot something made in china. lol


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## Twiggbuster (Oct 19, 2019)

Left my loaded and out of case 
All year 
Dead on when I shot hog yesterday 
For what it’s worth


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## Darkhorse (Oct 20, 2019)

I load my hunting rifles at the beginning of the season. They stay loaded until I get a shot at game, sometimes for a couple of months. I've been doing this since 1976 and my accuracy has never been affected. Neither will yours.


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## Darkhorse (Oct 21, 2019)

I want to issue a WARNING here. And this applies only to those shooting patched round balls. Your patch lube is very important here as some will cause a rust ring right at the patched ball.
My favorite shooting lube is Original LeHigh Valley, it is a slick liquid lube. It's great as a patch lube, cleans as you load, and shoots tight groups. But, unlike grease type lubricants the LHV dries out and causes corrosion. I believe it's called Galvanic corrosion.
Mr. Flintlock lube appears to be the same formula as LeHigh Valley. So I sent an email to Mr. Flintlock and asked him if his lube would do the same as LHV. I didn't get a reply so as far as I'm concerned it will cause that rust ring also.
If you leave your rifle loaded when using this stuff as a patch lube it WILL cause a rust ring in your barrel. Depending on weather conditions it may take as little as a day and a half to do the damage.
For this reason I load my first shot with Bore Butter as my lube. It will not cause a rust ring even after a couple of months. Another lube that is safe is Crisco. Track of the Wolf sells a product called Mink Oil which is a good cold weather lube that is also safe to leave loaded during the season. This Mink Oil is not the same thing as that which is sold for dressing shoes and boots. That one has many additives the Track of The Wolf product doesn't have.
So, yes I leave my rifles loaded until a shot is taken. But only with a patch lubed with a lube I know won't dry out and cause a rust ring. The only ones I'll use are Bore Butter, Crisco and TOW's Mink Oil. There are a lot of other lubes that work fine but these I've used for years and know they work.


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## NCMTNHunter (Nov 1, 2019)

Did you clean it good between sighting it in and loading it to hunt?  If so I would bet it shoots different poi depending on if the barrel is clean or dirty. My encore shoots exactly 3” lower with a clean barrel than it does with a dirty barrel every time.


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## Nicodemus (Nov 1, 2019)

Darkhorse said:


> I want to issue a WARNING here. And this applies only to those shooting patched round balls. Your patch lube is very important here as some will cause a rust ring right at the patched ball.
> My favorite shooting lube is Original LeHigh Valley, it is a slick liquid lube. It's great as a patch lube, cleans as you load, and shoots tight groups. But, unlike grease type lubricants the LHV dries out and causes corrosion. I believe it's called Galvanic corrosion.
> Mr. Flintlock lube appears to be the same formula as LeHigh Valley. So I sent an email to Mr. Flintlock and asked him if his lube would do the same as LHV. I didn't get a reply so as far as I'm concerned it will cause that rust ring also.
> If you leave your rifle loaded when using this stuff as a patch lube it WILL cause a rust ring in your barrel. Depending on weather conditions it may take as little as a day and a half to do the damage.
> ...




I wonder if pure bear oil that you`ve rendered yourself would leave a rust ring over a period of time?


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## Darkhorse (Nov 2, 2019)

NCMTNHunter said:


> Did you clean it good between sighting it in and loading it to hunt?  If so I would bet it shoots different poi depending on if the barrel is clean or dirty. My encore shoots exactly 3” lower with a clean barrel than it does with a dirty barrel every time.



Of course I did. Not to mention that it could be weeks or months between  sighting in and going on a hunt! My rifles are always cleaned the same day they are shot. I don't do a 10 minute cleaning job either, it takes me about a 1/2 hour to clean one rifle to suit myself.
All my hunting rifles, but one, will put that clean, cold bore shot to Point of Aim. That one rifle is a 300 Win Mag and it takes 4 fouling shots before it begins to shoot to POI.
As for the flintlocks I do a lot of load testing and by changing lubes or patching material I've never had a problem getting that first shot to hit dead center. For instance, my deer load is 70 to 80 grains 3fg, .530 round ball wrapped in a .018 thick patch lubed with Bore butter. The follow up shots are 70 grains 3fg with a .015 patch lubed with canola oil. This load also shoots to POI.
Truth is, I don't consider it a problem, at least one that some load development won't cure.
Which one of these shots is the cold bore?


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## Darkhorse (Nov 2, 2019)

Nicodemus said:


> I wonder if pure bear oil that you`ve rendered yourself would leave a rust ring over a period of time?



I really don't know  if it would or not. But just thinking about it....blood has salt in it, does fat also contain salt? If it does a patch lubed with rendered bear fat just might cause some rust in the barrel. I don't want to find out in one of my rifles.


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## The Original Rooster (Nov 2, 2019)

I've always used bore butter so I'm relieved to hear that it doesn't cause any corrosion over time.


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## NCMTNHunter (Nov 2, 2019)

Darkhorse said:


> Of course I did. Not to mention that it could be weeks or months between  sighting in and going on a hunt! My rifles are always cleaned the same day they are shot. I don't do a 10 minute cleaning job either, it takes me about a 1/2 hour to clean one rifle to suit myself.
> All my hunting rifles, but one, will put that clean, cold bore shot to Point of Aim. That one rifle is a 300 Win Mag and it takes 4 fouling shots before it begins to shoot to POI.
> As for the flintlocks I do a lot of load testing and by changing lubes or patching material I've never had a problem getting that first shot to hit dead center. For instance, my deer load is 70 to 80 grains 3fg, .530 round ball wrapped in a .018 thick patch lubed with Bore butter. The follow up shots are 70 grains 3fg with a .015 patch lubed with canola oil. This load also shoots to POI.
> Truth is, I don't consider it a problem, at least one that some load development won't cure.
> Which one of these shots is the cold bore?



I should have been more clear. My question was for the OP. I was wondering if he sighted in by reloading a dirty barrel then cleaned it after sight in and reloaded for the hunt. After the hunt fired a shot on a clean barrel and was seven inches off. Then after a another shot or two getting back on zero with no adjustment.


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