Keeping Your Powder Dry

[Huckleberry Finn]

Can someone remind me which order it goes? I know that once your loaded muzzleloader is cold, it should never get warm (go inside) again, but am I safe loading cold power into a cold gun? Or just keep everything warm...

:smiley_confused_vra

 

[cotty16]

I always thought as long as the temp changes occur naturally or gradually it's ok. A quick change causes condensation and wet powder.
I don't see why loading a cold gun is an issue.

 

[matt hougan]

Load it cold and keep it cold...

 

[CJD3]

As you suggested, the gun should cool. I leave mine in the garage the night before. In the morning I will snap off a cap or two before loading to dry out the chamber. (because thats how I was taught many years ago.) As far as the powder goes, some times I leave the bag with the gun in the garage and sometimes I leave it inside. I have never had a load not go off weather it was just in for a day or 4 days in either the in-line or flint lock so in my experience, warm or cold powder does not matter. I feel there is to much steel around the 90-100 gr. to cause condensation and that the powder cools with no problems.

Keep it all cold and you'll be fine.

Now. Keeping rain and snow out of the pan on a flint lock... That is a whole nother matter

 

[Huckleberry Finn]

As you suggested, the gun should cool. I leave mine in the garage the night before. In the morning I will snap off a cap or two before loading to dry out the chamber. (because thats how I was taught many years ago.) As far as the powder goes, some times I leave the bag with the gun in the garage and sometimes I leave it inside. I have never had a load not go off weather it was just in for a day or 4 days in either the in-line or flint lock so in my experience, warm or cold powder does not matter. I feel there is to much steel around the 90-100 gr. to cause condensation and that the powder cools with no problems.

Keep it all cold and you'll be fine.

Now. Keeping rain and snow out of the pan on a flint lock... That is a whole nother matter

Then it's all going out in the garage a few days before. I thoughts that what I had done, but I couldn't remember and figured that there were others that could benefit as well. I've never heard of snapping a cap or two before to dry it out, that's an idea that I might do!

 

[hickslawns]

Mine has been loaded (minus primer) in the garage since the bonus weekend. Will need to fire it some this week anyhow. Then it will remain loaded in the garage until I use it this weekend. After that, it will be emptied, thoroughly cleaned, and stuffed back in the safe until next season.

 

[cotty16]

Mine has been loaded (minus primer) in the garage since the bonus weekend. Will need to fire it some this week anyhow. Then it will remain loaded in the garage until I use it this weekend. After that, it will be emptied, thoroughly cleaned, and stuffed back in the safe until next season.

Same here... Mines been in the garage ready to go.

 

[CJD3]

Best of luck to you guys!