do you leave your muzzy loaded overnight when camping?

Umpqua Hunter · Feb 5, 2016

I've started hunting a week here in western Oregon (quite wet) on a single load with a lot of precautions. The key is I waterproof everything, including taping the barrel, primer sealer on the threads between the nipple and breech plug and a very tight fitting cap that needs tapped on over the nipple. Before I was being so crazy cautious with all aspects of waterproofing, I was having issues with misfires.

Another thing to consider would be to use a powder like Blackhorn209. I don't believe it is a moisture loving as blackpowder and many of the blackpowder equivalents. Blackhorn is also cleaned with solvents rather than water, like most blackpowder equivalents are.

Finally if you use Blackhorn209, you could still fire your rifle regularly without cleaning between those shots and have far less concern with corrosion issues. It was claimed that it would not corrode your barrel. I can say from personal experience however that leaving it uncleaned for several months will ruin even a stainless barrel. I have often left if a week after firing and not had any issues, in fact I now always hunt on a barrel fouled with one fouling shot.

buckbull · Feb 5, 2016

Only takes one misfire at a nice buck and your kicking yourself for not changing loads that morning. Memory is still fresh even though it happened 27 years ago.

Dark Mavis · Feb 5, 2016

Unless you get into a major downpour I wouldn't worry about reloading every night. Just make sure everything is clean and sealed when you load up, and you will be ok. I always take extra care in making sure the nipple hole is cleaned thoroughly. I've have muzzleloaders loaded for a couple weeks in Louisiana humidity and have had no problems with them firing. The only time I've had issues is when my guns were actually rained on.

go_deep · Feb 5, 2016

The problem that your missing is the temperature swing from night to day. Your gun barrel gets down to say 25 degrees or even lower overnight, then up to 70 degrees plus in the sun during the day, what happens with that temperature swing on metal? It condenses outside and INSIDE the barrel. Might be okay for a day or two, but if it gets down below freezing and mildly warm during the day, your power will get wet. Been there, done that, had mine not fire, all on a hunt that it never rained.

outdoornut · Feb 5, 2016

I've missed some great deer over the years by leaving pydrodex pellets over night. It fired every time, but accuracy was impacted. I had solid rests and can shoot very accurately when changing pellets out before hand. Just my two cents.

Umpqua Hunter · Feb 6, 2016

Just a thought, but does anyone have a concern what shooting your muzzleloader every evening does to the deer behavior on a backcountry hunt?

Also to help alleviate concerns with condensation in the barrel, store the firearm with the barrel pointed down. The actual load itself (between the bullet and breech plug) contains minimal air, and therefore minimal moisture available to condensate. The other surfaces of the barrel are exposed to a constant supply of fresh air. Think of a well sealed load with a non-hydroscopic powder in terms of a centerfire cartridge, we aren't typically concerned with condensation inside the brass case as affecting the ability that it will go off.

Google the various types of powder (i.e. Blackhorn 209, Triple 7, Pyrodex) and the word "hydroscopic" and it will give you a sense which powders like water, absorb it well and clean up with water and which ones don't.

Finally, maybe it would be worth testing your set-up ahead of time. Load your rifle, leave it in an unheated space for a week, and fire it. Run the test a few times.

My personal experience is I have had no misfires since switching to Blackhorn 209. I'd be curious to know if anyone has had misfire/hangfire issues with that powder.

CoHiCntry · Feb 6, 2016

I leave mine loaded for several days and never had a problem. Of course the type of muzzleloader, powder and weather conditions could play a part. I usually shoot mine about mid week of a week long hunt if it hasn't been shot yet.

go_deep · Feb 6, 2016

I don't shoot mine every night, I pull the breach plug and remove the power, and then push the slug out.

Colorado Cowboy · Feb 6, 2016

go_deep said:
I don't shoot mine every night, I pull the breach plug and remove the power, and then push the slug out.

Thats what I do also. Save the powder & bullet to use again.

Ridgerunner · Feb 6, 2016

Great thread, I'm just getting into MZ hunting and have wondered this question myself as I'm thinking about a back country hunt with one in the near future.

buckbull · Feb 8, 2016

smartweed said:
Thanks for all the info guys. Guess i have some testing to do, hope I remember to post the results here of my loaded rifle tests this summer, when it is truly humid.

Sent from my SM-S820L using Tapatalk

my problems have always been related to condensation rather than just outdoor humidity. If you have a chest freezer, I'd load the rifle, freeze it for a few hours, take it out, freeze it again, ect. and see what the effects would be. The idea is to mimic rifle usage during the hunting season (hunting in cold, storing rifle in a warm cabin or tent).

Umpqua Hunter · Feb 8, 2016

buckbull said:
my problems have always been related to condensation rather than just outdoor humidity. If you have a chest freezer, I'd load the rifle, freeze it for a few hours, take it out, freeze it again, ect. and see what the effects would be. The idea is to mimic rifle usage during the hunting season (hunting in cold, storing rifle in a warm cabin or tent).

Good idea there!

95tigerbill · Feb 8, 2016

Don't take your muzzleloader from a cold outside into a warm moist tent. I hunt primarily with a muzzleloader in Michigan and keep it in the truck during the season when hunting from one day to next. When in Colorado left it under a tarp on the quad or in the truck at night. Having said all that I wouldn't go on a backcountry hunt without a means to clean the gun.

MOhunter28 · Feb 8, 2016

Safe thing to do like a couple other guys have stated is to pull the breech plug and empty it every night. In the Midwest a ton of guys go the entire muzzleloader deer season never emptying the gun. they take it out of the house, go hunt, put it in the truck, go hunt again, and at the end of the day it might make it back into the house but its usually sitting in the backseat of the truck. IMO a back country hunt on a tag you may draw every so often just take the extra time and empty it.

mallardsx2 · Feb 8, 2016

I reload mine every day.

wisconsinvette · Feb 8, 2016

Leave mine loaded from day one until I get a shot or season ends. Never had an issue.

ore hunter · Feb 9, 2016

ive hunted muzz now for many years when I can and have learned a lot the hard way.both an elk and a deer are very happy right now as they r not in my freezer because of miss fire!!!! depending on conditions,you may or may not want to leave your muzz loaded overnight.I would always recommend carrying a co2 muzz unloader at all times in your possibles,,,its saved me many times!!Barrel sweat from temperature change and humidity are the issues here..also don't forget about "reverse sweat"also.I know 777 is important to keep dry the hard way?dont know much about buckhorn 209 but u also need to see if that is a legal propellant in your particular area?Id say to always unload if in dought.a co2 unloader is great to use at night and also doesn't foul the barrel with more powder soot.good luck.

do you leave your muzzy loaded overnight when camping?

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