Cold weather barrel sweating.

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Idaholewis said:
Out all day, In my Warm house all night. I hunted 6 days last year in 5-10 degree weather, Not a problem :yeah:
Lewis can you provide a video of your storage habits
 
Most of the best muzzle loaders have some form of speed BP if you take the plug out and push the load through you can wipe the barrel and put a fresh load in in the morning. if you live in town and you don't want to spook the game in your hunting area this is a good answer.
 
I usually do that with an inline Lee. It saves the bullet. I was talking about a sidelock when I said shoot it out.
 
dwm said:
I can muzzleloader hunt the entire month of December and January, I often wondered about that, I leave my gun loaded until I kill a deer, some time that can be 2 weeks in and out of the house, never had a problem.between Christmas and new year I hunt every day,and never unload,that’s in and out quite a bit?
This is me. I've done this year after year and never an issue. I either shoot it out at a deer, or after the season is over. First Sat in Nov, through early Jan. I don't typically hunt in pouring rain so that's not an issue. If I thought the load was moist from weather, I would reload.
 
WV Hunter said:
dwm said:
I can muzzleloader hunt the entire month of December and January, I often wondered about that, I leave my gun loaded until I kill a deer, some time that can be 2 weeks in and out of the house, never had a problem.between Christmas and new year I hunt every day,and never unload,that’s in and out quite a bit?
This is me. I've done this year after year and never an issue. I either shoot it out at a deer, or after the season is over. First Sat in Nov, through early Jan. I don't typically hunt in pouring rain so that's not an issue. If I thought the load was moist from weather, I would reload.
Yes me too Mike.

It is hard for me to understand why these two old timers would think it is prudent to unload, and reload their hunting rifles each day. Perhaps it is because..................i don't really know so i won't hazard a guess.

Ever since the first year Blackhorn was available for purchase, i have used it hunting. Whenever i haven't gotten a shot, i have never unloaded my rifle at the end of the day; never, ever; never, ever have i had a misfire, or a delay, when carrying a good rifle. Hunting in the rain has me unloading, and reloading my rifle, as does the end of the day after i have shot, and reloaded.

No information has been provided that would change how i think, or hunt; i will continue on, the same as always. Typically my rifle is loaded the day before opening day, left loaded for as many days as it takes; reloaded once, when i shoot it, fired to remove the reload that night, and put to bed until the next year, or until i take it out to play.
 
Ron........It's because 99% of the time i'm using real black powder. Sidelock or inline. I've played with the subs and inlines but never hunted with them but once.
 
herschel conyers said:
I have a tube of BH topped off with water for hours and the particles of powder are still just as firm as when the water was added. I even shake it up occasionally, the water is still clear. Will see what happens after a couple of weeks.


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Well it’s been almost a week the BH has been soaking in water. The particles are still hard and brittle. IMO barrel sweating will not cause the powder to break down.


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That's good to hear. I'll be using BH and Barnes bullets for a bear hunt next year. It's a 30 day hunt and I wouldn't want to shoot out 30 loads of Barnes and BH. Kind of expensive when BH sells for $43 a jug here.
 
I built my own side locks and with an oil patch and waxing the nipple I never worried about them but with an inline with sabots there is always a gap between the sabot and the rifling where moisture can get in. I always reload when I have been out in wet conditions ; of course I do not bother to do so in dry conditions.
 
Well it’s been almost a week the BH has been soaking in water. The particles are still hard and brittle. IMO barrel sweating will not cause the powder to break down.


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. After 8 months of soaking the BH209, I poured the water out and laid the powder on a paper towel for a couple days then transferred it to a hard surface for a couple days. When it was dry I took it outside, mounded it in a little pile and put a lighter to it. It went up in a flash.
 
I left my Optima V2 rifle loaded with BH209 90gr./300gr. XTP from end of season (1st week of Jan.) till mid May. I never got a shot in the late ML season so wasn't worried about the gun, but curious about the powder. At the range the first shot went off just like it was the day I loaded the gun back in late Dec. I shot two more rounds (50 yds) to be sure an they all sounded the same with same recoil an POI.
I did discover (as others have mentioned) the smooth black sabot shot better than the crushrib sabots. However the smooth were very tight to load vs the crushrib. So I will just use the smooth for the first shot during hunting season an have speed loaders ready with the crushribs for a followup shot if needed.
 
Don't know if ya saw my pics but I had bad luck with the smooth harvesters. I'm crush rib all the way. I'm shooting a CVA Accura V2 with the nitride barrel. and a 300 gr Deep Curl. The sabot stuck to the bullet and hit the target. thumbnail_Picture0620191747_1.jpg
 
To turn BH into goo takes a solvent or oil / ! What did he have in the barrel to start with?
 
When hunting season starts and after the first day in the field the gun should "be cold". Keep it cold until you are done hunting for that season(s). Basically, get it cold, keep it cold.
 

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