When you are hunting and shoot an animal you reload for a second shot. I lick a patch and run it down the barrel then turn it over an run it down again. Then I put the premeasured Triple 7 powder in the barrel and load the sabot for a follow up shot. My question is how long can the rifle stay loaded before the barrel starts rusting. My rifle is stainless steel.
When to clean your rifle when hunting ?
- Thread starter goex
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If you are going to get more shooting that day I wouldn't worry about it. If you are going to hunt the rest of the season,a week or more, I would unload/discharge the gun,and clean it. A spit patch works well,but not for long term loading. When you get back to camp(or home) that evening you can do a "field" cleaning,and reload your gun. Powder is about all you would waste,and it's allot cheaper than rusting up a fine barrel. If I'm hunting in "wet conditions"for more than one day,I allways discharge/unload my ML at the end of the day. You may get the shot of a lifetime,the next day,and for me it's not worth taking a chance on having a "bad load/dud missfire". 
