# Leaving a muzzleloader loaded( for how long)



## j_seph (Oct 13, 2011)

If you go on a hunt and gonna be there for 4 or 5 days do you unload the powder and bullet every evening or leave it in for the entire hunt (if you don't shoot something of course)


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## Nicodemus (Oct 13, 2011)

I start each day with a freshly loaded rifle.


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## the r.o.c. (Oct 14, 2011)

ive always unloaded just before going home. reload the next morning.  but i plan on hunting4 or 5 days this week, so i will only take the cap off. white hots and sst's are expensive.


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## Big Doe Down (Oct 14, 2011)

Never been to much of a smoke stick shooter, but do own a few and my dad does it every once in a while and I believe that he starts with a fresh load every hunt.


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## Buford_Dawg (Oct 14, 2011)

*I leave it loaded for several days at a time myself*

Such as a weekend hunt.  I think less than 4-5 days is ok, but would definitely unload it after that period of time and start fresh.  I have killed deer with it being loaded on day 2 (numerous times) and once on day 3.  Obviously the gun is not capped  while not hunting.


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## Nugefan (Oct 14, 2011)

wouldn't leave it in long will start rustin' inside of your barrell ...


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## kingfish (Oct 14, 2011)

I will go the weekend and then fire and clean Sunday p.m.
I use clear box tape over the barrel and on the side where the bolt slide and breech plug are to keep the moisture out.


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## NCHillbilly (Oct 14, 2011)

I've left one loaded for nearly a year before and it still went off fine, and didn't rust the barrel or otherwise hurt it. Powder isn't corrosive until it's fired, then it'll eat your barrel up if you don't clean it. If it's been raining on me all day or something, then I'll usually shoot it out, clean it, and reload it before going out the next day.


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## Dutch (Oct 15, 2011)

My Hawken I either fire or draw the load and start fresh each day. 

My Inline I load and leave loaded till the end of the week....209 primers have enough fire to set it off unless damp/soaking wet.


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## GA DAWG (Oct 15, 2011)

I dont just shoot mine for the sake of cleaning it lol.. Mine will stay loaded all week this week unless I shoot at something. If I dont. I'll simply pull the breach out and unload and run a patch or 2 threw it till next year.


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## bull0ne (Oct 15, 2011)

209 charged guns will be fine charged with powder pellets and a projectile for a week. It's just best to not put the weapon through extreme temp changes,to prevent the barrel from sweating. 

If I feel it's questionable, I'll shoot it, spit patch it and reload the next morning after popping a cap on an empty barrell. { Plus using a flashlight to make sure the breech plug isn't fouled }


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## Garcia Mitchler (Oct 15, 2011)

Don't you have to use an auger to grab the ball and pull it out? Wouldn't this damage it?


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## Bernard goldsmith (Oct 15, 2011)

Yep it sure will, i have plenty of them!!!


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## tv_racin_fan (Oct 15, 2011)

You should see what a 50 cal "screwball" will do to a hard drive.


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## rutandstrut (Oct 16, 2011)

NCHillbilly said:


> I've left one loaded for nearly a year before and it still went off fine, and didn't rust the barrel or otherwise hurt it. Powder isn't corrosive until it's fired, then it'll eat your barrel up if you don't clean it. If it's been raining on me all day or something, then I'll usually shoot it out, clean it, and reload it before going out the next day.



I agree with this! If you are Hunting for a weekend or a week. I leave the Muzzleloader loaded and remove the Primer when done hunting for the day. I reprime the next morning and head to the woods! If it rains of the Muzzleloader gets wet I will fire the Gun, clean it and reload for the next Hunt! I have heard of people leaving one loaded for a whole year and fire the Gun to unload it, no worse for the wear! I don't recommend leaving one loaded more than a week to 10 days without firing, cleaning and realoading it!


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## mossyoakgangsta (Oct 17, 2011)

I'd say a week is perfectly fine. Mabye longer if moisture is not a factor. I would remove the cap after the hunt and re cap. Triple Seven is expensive, and Winchester SXT's are hard to come by. I've only got about 8 left. Trying to find a replacement for them... mabye .44 cal xtp or something of the sort.


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## ETK (Oct 17, 2011)

I just take my breech plug out and drop the pellets out and then push the bullet out on my Encore. I have left mine loaded for several days with no issues using Pyrodex pellets.


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## Lorren68 (Oct 18, 2011)

I leave my hawken loaded until I shoot a deer or it gets wet, The deer I shot this morning was from a charge from three days ago.  As long as the barrel was clean and free of oil when it was loaded, baring getting rained on or such it should fire with no problems.   I also do not "pop a cap" before I load, when I pull the rifle out of the safe the night before a hunt(if its not already loaded) I run several clean dry patches through the bore before I load it.


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## Trad (Oct 18, 2011)

*Keep it loaded*

I dont mean to sound like a know it all, but I have shot flintlocks in competition  for years and one of the posts is correct. Those of you that are discharging and cleaning after a few days or a weekend of hunting are totally wasting your time and wearing your barrel out!
As he stated, black powder is not corrosive until it burns. Why do you think it came in cans for years and Goex still comes in cans.
I leave mine loaded all season and it always fires when I do shoot it at the end of a season. I have all kinds of bore lights,etc and have never seen rust.
Y'all are worrying about the wrong thing.
What's important is the patch lube. If it is too wet it will saturate the powder and it will not fire. Use something like bear grease, mink oil or even bore butter patches work well when the gun is loaded for extended times.
Don't waste your time!


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## Larry Young Jr (Oct 18, 2011)

My dad shoots a flintlock and he will leave loaded for more than 2 weeks and he has never had a miss fire. He use a round ball, patch and black power. OLD SCHOOL


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## Okie Hog (Oct 18, 2011)

What Trad said.   My gun stays loaded until it gets wet or until fired at game.   Sometimes it's loaded for months.   It always goes bang when its supposed to.


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## EDH (Oct 20, 2011)

I shot a deer yesterday from a load I put in Sunday and it went off fine.


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## Johnbob_3 (Oct 20, 2011)

I have left it loaded for over a week at a time.  Since mine is a TC Black Diamond inline and I took the scope off, it is really easy and not that inconvenient to remove the breech plug and dump my Pyrodex pellets and push the saboted bullet out the breech with my ram rod.  Between shots I run a patch with TC bore butter on it, but do clean it that night if I shoot it.  I also oil the inside of my barrel heavy to keep rust down and have found it useful to shoot a 209 primer or two before loading the first time of the year....prevents misfires from the oil accumulating on the nipple or soaking the Pyrodex pellets.  Now it always goes "BOOM!"


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## trial&error (Oct 20, 2011)

loaded last friday and worked fine wed night made meat with powder over 3 years old.  was test fired cleaned and dried  properly the week prior just to check it all out.


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## TJay (Oct 24, 2011)

I have left mine loaded for several days with no ill effects except this week.  I loaded my Omega with BH209 on Friday night before the ML opener.  I left it loaded til the gun opener and went to fire it Sat morning and no joy.  Tried several caps.  I pulled the breech plug it is open and clean.  So, for me anyway, I won't leave it loaded for more than a day or two.


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## pine nut (Oct 24, 2011)

Jim Chambers, maker of Jim Chambers Flintlocks killed a mighty nice mule deer with a load that he put in his flintlock FOUR years before!  He told me that he and a couple of his buddies did he same thing and all killed deer on that hunt.  I hunted Colorado for elk in a thunderstorm every day and when I unloaded to come home it fired fine.  Several got it right IMO.


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## GGALVIN (Oct 24, 2011)

*how long to leave loaded*

j
I loaded my TC Renegade 50 cal. on Oct. 14 and left it loaded until killing a deer Oct. 22.  I'm in Iowa and it gets chilly now at night, so I left it in the truck OUTSIDE the garage.   If you bring it in, it collects moisture and won't fire - I learned the hard way years ago.   My #11 cap set off the 90 gr of Triple 7 without hesitation - luckily the Power Belt did the job and the deer drt.
Hope this helps.


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## Supercracker (Oct 24, 2011)

Over the weekend I started the clean up/resto on a percussion shotgun made around 1840. It wasn't loaded but the dry crud I pulled out from under the nipples and in the breech sparked when I put a lighter to it. 

I doubt that the powder had been in there 100 years, but it probably had been in there for 50 or 60 years. Powder, if dry, stays good a loooooong looooooong time


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## TBear2 (Oct 24, 2011)

I've built, hunted and competed with M/L's for 35 yrs.. I am also the founder of The Ohio M/L Association.

Depends.... If it's dry outside you can keep it loaded for a week or so if you keep the M/L at the outside temp. Maybe store it in your vehicle trunk or another secure place. If you store it in a heated area you will have condensation and the potential for misfire or a poor shot! Could you store it inside or go beyond a week and still fire? Sure..... but I wouldn't chance it. 1 shot, 1kill.  A good rule is... if it's been in dampness, rain or in and out of heated areas. Unload it, clean it thoroughly, then reload. Also.... many misfires are the results of a common loading mistake. Not getting the barrel completely dry! We often store guns standing up.... barrel oil then runs to the breech!  Swab the barrel thoroughly, fire several caps or primers. Make sure that barrel is dry. You don't just want a shot, you want your best shot every time!


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## Flintrock (Oct 24, 2011)

I normally leave mine loaded until I kill a deer.Sometimes that may be a several days or weeks.

Loaded  Flintlock last Saturday the 15th.Left it loaded  and killed a deer This Saturday the 22nd...no issues.
.
I probably would not do this with a caplock. I dont trust them to
go off after several days. ...I never took to the new technology of using a cap.


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