- Joined
- Nov 24, 2022
- Messages
- 172
- Reaction score
- 319
keep your powder dry! Not sure where to put this, but figured it would be appropriate here, but as a fail. Had a buddy call me earlier, furious. Was out deer hunting with his Hawkens today, in an area where we have both seen a decent amount of activity. I have mainly hunted the area with my bow, having just started with my first ML a few weeks ago. Each time I have been out, I've had deer come through the area, but always just out of bow range.
Anyway, he's set up on a ridge waiting, when he sees what he thinks is movement in the distance. A few minutes later he has three doe in sight, but a bit out there. They eventually make their way in and get about 30 yards out where one presents a good shot. He raises his rifle, thinks the freezer is getting some meat, pulls the trigger and pretty much has the equivalent of a cap gun ! To make it more frustrating for him, the doe move a little, but stay right in the area until he finally gets up and walks off, not too happy.
He certainly has more experience with MLs than I do, and told me he cleaned it good after the last time he used it, ran some bore butter through it and stored it away until this season when he loaded it a couple weeks ago. I asked him if he cleaned the barrel and ran dry patches through it, blowing off a cap prior to loading it, which he said he did not. My very limited assumption is the oil seeped to the breech of the barrel and seeped into the powder, or the flash hole was clogged, or a combination of the two. At least there will be some deer left for me tomorrow .
Anyway, he's set up on a ridge waiting, when he sees what he thinks is movement in the distance. A few minutes later he has three doe in sight, but a bit out there. They eventually make their way in and get about 30 yards out where one presents a good shot. He raises his rifle, thinks the freezer is getting some meat, pulls the trigger and pretty much has the equivalent of a cap gun ! To make it more frustrating for him, the doe move a little, but stay right in the area until he finally gets up and walks off, not too happy.
He certainly has more experience with MLs than I do, and told me he cleaned it good after the last time he used it, ran some bore butter through it and stored it away until this season when he loaded it a couple weeks ago. I asked him if he cleaned the barrel and ran dry patches through it, blowing off a cap prior to loading it, which he said he did not. My very limited assumption is the oil seeped to the breech of the barrel and seeped into the powder, or the flash hole was clogged, or a combination of the two. At least there will be some deer left for me tomorrow .