Procedure question

[aarolar]

I discharged my hawken this afternoon, took out a nasty coyote, reloaded and finished my hunt. Didn't see any deer I'm planning on going again in the morning, should I pull the load and clean the gun or should I just leave it loaded and hunt tomorrow I'd certainly pull or shoot and clean tomorrow.

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[M-Tecs]

What powder? Real black I would not clean, however, Pyrodex would get cleaned ASAP.

[aarolar]

What powder? Real black I would not clean, however, Pyrodex would get cleaned ASAP.

Goex

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[Standing Bear]

Goex

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What lube? If a water based lube pull or shoot it and clean. A grease based lube like mink oil will be fine. You can run a few damp patches down to the ball then a rust preventative if it makes you more comfortable.

[aarolar]

What lube? If a water based lube pull or shoot it and clean. A grease based lube like mink oil will be fine. You can run a few damp patches down to the ball then a rust preventative if it makes you more comfortable.

Using my own rendered pig lard, should I swab with that or something else alls else I have is bore butter which I've purty near swarn off.

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[idahoron]

If it were my rifle and I was using black or subs I would pull the round and clean.

[Outpost75]

For many years I have used what the hillbillys around here call Confederate Army Lube, equal parts by melted volume of Goya manteca (salt free, filtered, refined lard) and beeswax. Works fine for muzzleloaders, BP cartridges and smokeless with plainbased bullets, rifle and revolver.

[OnHoPr]

If you discharged it during the hunt that day I would discharge or pull and clean no matter what powder I used, except for maybe that BlachHorn 209, but I have never used it.

[mooman76]

A day or two would be ok but not much more. You could swab the barrel with your lube. That will help keep corrosion down and wipe the outside of residue and lube a little. You don't want to get lube in the firing channel at this point. Could cause a misfire.

[aarolar]

Too late now I'm leaving it until after tomorrow's hunt. I did swab it with a dry patch both sides then run a patch lightly coated in my lube down it.

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[rodwha]

Once I spent far too long shooting several BP guns. Decided to leave the muzzleloader too morning as many claimed it was no issue. Had shot Pyrodex through it and had one heck of a mess the next day. Later I was told if you can't clean up that day to use an oil such as Ballistol that will soak into the fouling leaving no room for moisture. I tried this leaving my revolvers in the hot and humid garage for a couple of days and found no issue at all.

[M-Tecs]

Had shot Pyrodex through it

Pyrodex is far more corrosive than real blackpowder.

[Smokepole45]

I'll put in my $.02 on your question just to relay my concerns on your hunt. I would not be too worried about the bore on your rifle sitting dirty overnight especially since you used an oily patch lube. It will clean up fine the next evening when your hunt is done. What you need to be concerned about is the nipple and the ignition channel leading to the main charge. Unless you're hunting in an area of very low humidity ( desert?), black powder fowling will attract moisture overnight, and conditions that cause condensation only makes it worse. To demonstrate this, fire your rifle one day and then set it aside in your camp, garage or outdoors without cleaning and wiping down the hammer, lock, breach or nipple. By the next day you might see a slightly moist sheen on all the parts that were slightly fowled. In another day or two you'd have rust.
Now back to the reason why I decided to answer you. That barrel can be cleaned after the hunt particularly if you used a greased patch with the ball. I'm more concerned about your next days hunt and a potential misfire resulting from moisture in the nipple and inside the breach. In 50 years of muzzle loading I've learned that lesson the hard way at least once. Now my possibles bag has a small rubber vacuum line plug that looks like a long percussion cap you can place over the nipple to exclude moisture and "safe" the rifle at the same time. Take a spare nipple with you to the auto parts store and they can probably fix you up with one that fits. There are many other ways to to do this but this one is easy. When you finish a hunt and can't or don't want to clear that rifle just clean the outside, plug that nipple and leave it on until you're ready to put on a new cap.
This little trick might appeal to you in a fog or drizzle too. It's always best to practice those procedures like organizing your gear and trying greased patched balls in your loading block for that quick reload while you're at the range before that hunt.Good luck and Keep yer powder dry.

[rodwha]

Pyrodex is far more corrosive than real blackpowder.

Indeed. I've seen a test where it was compared to BP and T7 and Pyrodex was horrible. Even the BP portion cleaned up OK after a few days in a humid garage in comparison.

I still have some of that Pyrodex I was given. I used it to break in a new barrel but still have some left.

[rodwha]

I'll put in my $.02 on your question just to relay my concerns on your hunt. I would not be too worried about the bore on your rifle sitting dirty overnight especially since you used an oily patch lube. It will clean up fine the next evening when your hunt is done. What you need to be concerned about is the nipple and the ignition channel leading to the main charge. Unless you're hunting in an area of very low humidity ( desert?), black powder fowling will attract moisture overnight, and conditions that cause condensation only makes it worse. To demonstrate this, fire your rifle one day and then set it aside in your camp, garage or outdoors without cleaning and wiping down the hammer, lock, breach or nipple. By the next day you might see a slightly moist sheen on all the parts that were slightly fowled. In another day or two you'd have rust.
Now back to the reason why I decided to answer you. That barrel can be cleaned after the hunt particularly if you used a greased patch with the ball. I'm more concerned about your next days hunt and a potential misfire resulting from moisture in the nipple and inside the breach. In 50 years of muzzle loading I've learned that lesson the hard way at least once. Now my possibles bag has a small rubber vacuum line plug that looks like a long percussion cap you can place over the nipple to exclude moisture and "safe" the rifle at the same time. Take a spare nipple with you to the auto parts store and they can probably fix you up with one that fits. There are many other ways to to do this but this one is easy. When you finish a hunt and can't or don't want to clear that rifle just clean the outside, plug that nipple and leave it on until you're ready to put on a new cap.
This little trick might appeal to you in a fog or drizzle too. It's always best to practice those procedures like organizing your gear and trying greased patched balls in your loading block for that quick reload while you're at the range before that hunt.Good luck and Keep yer powder dry.

Rather interesting. I hunt in central Texas (usually around Doss) and it's humid regardless. However I've yet to use my muzzleloader which I've also yet to completely work up a load for. I hadn't considered plugging up the other end.

[charlie b]

I will put in my 2cents as well.

I would pull and clean. Just because I've had problems with ignition when hunting due to problems listed above. Despite hunting in NM (usually dry), much of the time I was out on rainy/misty days when moisture would be a problem. Have experienced several misfires, one costing me a very large mule deer that I had stalked for two hours.

[jonp]

Too late but whenever I discharge a black powder firearm no matter the powder I clean it. Run some Ballistol/water in it or Windex.

[jonp]

Pyrodex is far more corrosive than real blackpowder.

I found that out the hard way by ruining a BP rifle

[rfd]

why take a chance? i'd discharge. or pull, clean, lube. better safe than sorry, no matter if black or that sub junk.

[OverMax]

Following the procedure of cleaning & lubbing after shooting has always been a good Rule/practice to follow. As with anything temporary (swabbing) there might be consequences when such practices are accidentally left long term.