How long can i leave muzzleloader loaded?

[Wooden Arrow]

i always pushed a patch on my cleaning rod all the way in and then popped a cap. if you don't see a burn mark on the patch when you pull the rod out, trouble ahead.

 

[PillsburyDoughboy]

i always pushed a patch on my cleaning rod all the way in and then popped a cap. if you don't see a burn mark on the patch when you pull the rod out, trouble ahead.

Tony Knight may not have been the first to invent this idea but he was the first person to show me this back with the original MK-85 Muzzleloader I purchased from him. To this day after I clean I MZ and get ready to head to the field this is the first thing I do before I load it.

 

[Iglow]

I read somewhere several years after R.E.Lee died they fired his service revolver Colt Navy and all 5 chambers fired. It had probably been loaded at least 8 years.

 

[camoman270]

I unload and clean my muzzleloader when season is over.

Best practice for sure!!!!

 

[SeaBee133]

I am planning on hunting with my muzzleloader through the rest of deer season. If it hasn't been shot, how long can I leave it loaded before I need to worry about corrosion? I have a CVA Optima and I'm using triple 7. I am also concerned about condensation causing a misfire, but not as much as corrosion starting at the breach where the powder sits. I have left them loaded over the 2 weeks of muzzleloader before and have not had an issue, I'm just concerned leaving it loaded for longer.

From personal experience with a family gun, at least 90 years…
1870s or 1880s Moore and Harris double barrel caplock 12g, owner died in 1921. Father in law had it leaning in a bedroom corner of his, now our, 1840 built home. Barrels were full of spiderwebs and egg cases. So me being me, took it outside, capped it, and hit the trigger… My beagle headed for the orchard, twigs and leaves rained down on the driveway. I don't know what Tom used way back when, but in 2011, his powder was still dry.
Gun belonged to TN state senator TJ Watkins of Covington. My wife's great great grandfather. It is now in the county museum for conservation and eventual display.

 

[MUP]

That is cool!

 

[Carlos]

From personal experience with a family gun, at least 90 years…
1870s or 1880s Moore and Harris double barrel caplock 12g, owner died in 1921. Father in law had it leaning in a bedroom corner of his, now our, 1840 built home. Barrels were full of spiderwebs and egg cases. So me being me, took it outside, capped it, and hit the trigger… My beagle headed for the orchard, twigs and leaves rained down on the driveway. I don't know what Tom used way back when, but in 2011, his powder was still dry.
Gun belonged to TN state senator TJ Watkins of Covington. My wife's great great grandfather. It is now in the county museum for conservation and eventual display.

I would have probably used a 25ft string, pulled from behind cover.

 

[swampbadger]

I'd recommend unloading and reloading after hunting in rainy weather for sure.

You never know if your next shot will be at the buck of a lifetime or not.

This for me!!! I've left mine loaded for a few years now, not ideal, but it's an old raggedy ML that Won't ever be worth much money. I will take it out clean it and fire it next month to make sure everything is on the up and up and I'm confident in her ability before ML season starts.

I'm cool leaving mine loaded for a week or 3 as long as she hasn't been exposed to rain or high moisture. I typically pile up deer like cord wood as soon as ML starts. I've gotten many same trip doubles (buck and doe) with a ML those first two weeks of November. Deer better not look back, I'm sending lead and smoke!

 

[SeaBee133]

This for me!!! I've left mine loaded for a few years now, not ideal, but it's an old raggedy ML that Won't ever be worth much money. I will take it out clean it and fire it next month to make sure everything is on the up and up and I'm confident in her ability before ML season starts.

I'm cool leaving mine loaded for a week or 3 as long as she hasn't been exposed to rain or high moisture. I typically pile up deer like cord wood as soon as ML starts. I've gotten many same trip doubles (buck and doe) with a ML those first two weeks of November. Deer better not look back, I'm sending lead and smoke!

I need to test a pair I inherited last year. T/C .50 Hawken, Lyman .54 Great Plains. I know the Lyman is dead on. Have not shot the T/C, generally do cap and ball with a Ruger Old Army, deepened cylinder, .457 ball over 35-40gr of Fffg or Ffffg, Triple 7 or Goex.
Can find ,490 and .457 all day long. But caps and .530 are elusive this time of year locally. Neither Memphis Bass Pro had had them in at least a year.

 

[Gravey]

I typically unload it at the end of the season and clean it before putting up. Twice that I recall for some reason I didn't and sat for a year and fired just fine.