Muzzle loader question…

I started with a clean gun the first day of the season, had good dry weather every hunt and leave my gun in a cold area after every hunt(I dont bring it inside where it would form condensation).
How long will you leave a charge in your muzzleloader before discarding it and reloading a fresh charge? …a couple days? a week? …the entire season?

If I know my gun is going to sit for more than 2 days, I’ll pull the breech plug and push out the charge. That’s just my personal preference.

Since your gun hasn’t been shot, it may not be too much of an issue. Personally, I’m not one to take any chances. Especially if it’s been shot. The last thing you want is rust setting in. I keep my Encore as clean as possible.

It is a stainless Omega, but I think I might reload today before this afternoons hunt anyway….as you said, I dont want to take chances – since you only get one.

Or the way things are going for me, none

I too have the the TC Omega in stainless. I do not leave a charge in it for more then a few days. The charge it self would be ok but I do not want to take the chance of it rusting the gun. I love my TC to much. Plus it only take a few minn to clean it.

I agree with Blue. Although last year I thoroughly cleaned my Knight after a successful days hunt in preparation for the next day. I loaded it and left it outside, as a deterrent to moisture (condensation). Well I was not able to go out again and the gun sat loaded until just before season this year. I went to the range to check zero and decided to shoot the old load to see what would happen. It went bang just fine. I am not saying I would have hunted with this load, but it did fire. I pulled the breech plug and checked the barrel and chamber for corrosion, and found none. I would have never done this with a dirty bore though. I can say that I will hunt with the same charge in the gun for 2-3 days if the bore is clean.

OK…..unloaded, cleaned, dryed and reloaded. Ready for tomorrow morning!!

Good luck!

Blue, I too will take out the breech plug and unload that way. I have TC Omega. Is there any chance of creating a spark, while turning the plug, and setting off the charge ??? I never thought of this before, until I did it sunday night. Will stainless throw a spark ? I don’t know, just don’t want to find out the hard way

big g

Mark
Dont make the same mistake i made last week, I cleaned mine then reloaded for that evening huntbut forgot to fire a cap through it first to dry it out all the way. My pellets absoarbed the moisture and cost me a doe that afternoon cap fired and did not ignite the powder

that stinks. Do you think it was from moisture in the internal passage of the breach plug? It seems to me that it is the hardest place to get clean and dry. I should be Ok, I cleaned it with the plug out then let it dry for about an hour before putting it back together and reloading…..
Hopefully I will find out one way or another this morning-

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Blue, I too will take out the breech plug and unload that way. I have TC Omega. Is there any chance of creating a spark, while turning the plug, and setting off the charge ??? I never thought of this before, until I did it sunday night. Will stainless throw a spark ? I don’t know, just don’t want to find out the hard way

big g

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Should not be a problem if you used lubricant on your breach threads when you put it in.

I agree, when you clean your gun and reload, make sure you give it time to dry before reloading.

I do use the grease they supply, on the plug. I also fire a primer, after cleaning, then immediatly swab with the jag and a dry patch I just switched from 209 primers, to the ones, designed for muzzleloaders. I cannot tell yet if it is any better, as far as the ring around the barrel I only shot it once, with them.

big g

Before loading your muzzle loader you should always run a dry patch down your muzzle and fire a couple caps to ensure all moisture and oil is burned up, pull the patch out and load. I leave mine loaded the entire season if it is not fired. If you fire your gun and reload in the field then it is a must that you clean your gun(unload by breach or fire the gun before going home). Black powder isn’t that corrosive unburned that it can’t sit in your gun for a week.

My 2 cents Whatsa