How long do you leave your muzzleloader charged during season?

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How long do you leave your muzzleloader charged during season?

  • Never - Fresh every day

    Votes: 3 21.4%
  • 1-2 days

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • 3-4 days

    Votes: 1 7.1%
  • 5-6 days

    Votes: 1 7.1%
  • 1 week

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • 2 weeks

    Votes: 2 14.3%
  • All season

    Votes: 7 50.0%

  • Total voters
    14
  • Poll closed .

KurtK

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Just curious. I have seen a few post on this subject. I thought this would be a good way to get a good idea statistically.
 
I used to leave them loaded numerous days but after a few misfires, I went to shooting it off, cleaning it, and loading fresh every morning.

I think a lot has to do with the climate we hunt in, and weather conditions we encounter. Also the kind of rifle. For instance an inline is more forgiving in the ignition department the say a flintlock or percussion cap rifle. But I always say, do it as long as you are comfortable with the rifle working fine the next day. If you have doubts, clear it and clean it.
 
I leave mine loaded depending on weather conditions. If outdoor temps remain fairly constant I will leave it loaded. It we get a big swing in temps I shoot it and reload after cleaning.
 
My dad shoots Whites with Pyrodex

I shoot an Encore with Black Horn

My brother shoots an Omega with T7

We check zero a few days before season, leave them dirty. Load them the night before season and leave them loaded the whole 9 days of season unless we shoot a deer with them. Not ever had a problem.

I did some research about it and it is recommended not to subject the gun to changing temps. Leave the gun out in the cold in the garage. Do not bring them in and out of the heat. The temperature change will exaggerate the moisture they draw.
 
Thats great advice there Gm54, and it didnt cost a cent.
 
I didn't vote, the poll was closed. I load mine up on a clean dry barrel at the start of the season and leave loaded all season or until I fire at game. Never had an issue using pyrodex and BH209. I once left a gun loaded with pyro rs (by accident) on a clean dry bore for over a year with no issues. In fact, when I did finally shoot it I killed a nice 9pt.

If I shoot, I clean as soon as I can. Leaving fouling in your rifle for more than a day or two is not a good idea imo. BH209 is more forgiving, and so is a quality stainless barrel.
 
As I only shoot black, it depends on which rifle and the weather. My blued Black Diamond will not be loaded more than 5 days. Less if the humidity is up. My stainless 45 I have left for 2 weeks.
Pyrodex is murderous on steel even compared to black.
I have left charges in my blued rifle for longer than 5 days, but pulling the charge revealed some staining of the bore corresponding to the powder charge. Black will cause mischief even unfixed. Ever notice that in the days of steel powder cans, the spout and tops always seemed to get rusty if there was some powder lying there?
Why take chances?
Don't forget that even if you pull the charge, you still need to clean her well to avoid problems.
 
Yes, conditions factor in heavily, plus whether you shot it or not, then what propellant you're shooting?

If dry out & I haven't shot a load off, I'll go for a fair amount of time, maybe weeks. If it was shot I'd clean sooner. If shooting anything EXCEPT B209 I will clean the eve of shooting it.

With B209 powder I will clean within a few days of shooting the gun, like after. 3-day hunt or so.
 
GM54-120 said:
Pyrodex fouling is VERY corrosive, probably more corrosive than real black powder. Leaving Pyrodex fouling in a bore for even a couple days is a very very bad idea.
Agree 100% of all the guns I have seen pitted an rusted all of them were shot using Pyrodex an were not cleaned ASAP. Darn shame too!!
 
Here I am seeing this 9 months late. My vote is all season, unless I shoot, then I pull the bullet/charge reload at end day, swab bore and reload for typical cold 1st shot as I practice. Of course it's been SML since 2007. I've left a SML charged all year and shot moa when 1st range trip for POI check 9 months later. Part of reason why I SML. W
 
I shoot a knight wolverene 50..... I have left it loaded for 9days. At the end of the days, I place a piece of leather where the nipple was.
 
For me it depends on the weather conditions. I've left my rifle loaded for a week, or only a day. If I thought any drops would water went down the barrel, I'd fire it and put a fresh charge in.
 
A week at the most since I usually shoot on Sundays (No gun hunting on the Sabbath). My muzzleloader season runs from late November to mid February.
 
Mine is loaded from Nov 10 to Jan 5 . Our gun season in Michigan starts November 15. I go out a few days before and shoot a few to confirm my zero. Season lasts until November 31. The muzzle season starts the next Friday and runs for 3 weekends. Usually right up to within a few days of Christmas. After that its doe season until Jan 1. This is the reason I feel I need to swab my barrel clean between shots for practice and hunting. Just don't want to leave my barrel dirty for that long.

I figure the sabot pretty well seals up the bore end of the gun and I put a rolled up piece of napkin in the primer pocket and close the gun to store it for the next hunt. I always leave it in the garage (not heated) so it doesnt condense moisture. When I used my sidelock I put a piece of cardboard on the nipple and let the hammer hold it in place.
 
I never leave my CVA Kodiak Magnum charged. And I clean/lube it the same day. Bullets are cheap compared to a corroded barrel.
 
I fire a squib load opening morning in the dark, and usually leave it loaded until I find something to shoot at, or 3-5 days, whichever comes first. I’ll discharge it, and clean fire another squib and reload it.
 
I load a Clean Dry Barrel and Hunt with it until i fire the Gun, Be it that Same Day, or til the Season ends. I clean a Rifle the Same Day i Shoot it

When at all possible, I follow this advice should I leave with the gun un-loaded after firing. I can harvest two deer and if I shoot in the morning will reload for another deer. If this load goes unfired that day or a few days that's fine weather permitting, but if the weather has been wet or snowing or super high humidity after that first shot I'll likely knock the load out and give the gun a light cleaning that night, then run a couple primers thru to lightly foul the barrel and reload for the next day. If the hunting weather is bluebird I will leave a second load in the gun until I am finished hunting.
 
As many others have stated, it depends. I foul my barrel before loading. If the weather is sunny, I will leave it loaded about 3-4 days. I always put folded dry patch over the exposed nipple when I leave the field. After a few days I will discharge my rifle. I will then run a couple of dry patches down the bore. I then load for the next hunt. If it is rainy or snowy, I will likely discharge at the end of any given day. This policy has worked well for me.

Another thing I do is leave my rifle in a cold place. In the garage or my unheated sun room. I have never had a condensation issue, but I am just being cautious.
 
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