yeoman

Question: shooting a CVA percussion cap rifle, how do you guys feel about my pulling my T/C 370 maxiball, dumping powder out of the barrel, and forcing air through the bolster screw hole to blow out residual powder,on days when I do not fire the gun, then reloading fresh for the next time out? No soap/water cleaning 'till season's end or gun is fired. Think I run substantial misfire risk or corrosion risk over a 10 week period?

cayugad

If you don't fire it, there is no need to clean it. Pulling the load and starting fresh in the morning is a good way to do things. Just make sure you pop a couple caps through the rifle each morning checking to make sure you have a good fire spark making it through the channel... Youshould be all right.

Personally it would not hurt if you ocassionally after dumping the load, swab the barrel out with some alcohol and maybe run a patch with some oil down the barrel. Just to make sure all is staying well in the barrel.

sabotloader

yeoman

I see know problem with that - I think I still might run a patch down through the barrel and make sure you are able to force air out of the nipple.

Heck, I really do not even unload mine it might remain loaded for weeks - unless I think I might have contaminated the load some how with with water or moister.

Are you using real BP or a sub?

I hate to tell you this but this old old timer that I met NEVER unloads his unless he needs to it stay loaded all year in and out of the house - swears he has never had a problem. He uses real BP - now I gotta tell you this guy has been doing this probably for 60 years now and has a ton of experiance with ML's. The only powder he changes with any regularity is the pan powder. He uses a really old flint lock. I should tell you - I would not do this myself - I would worry to much

yeoman

Sabot, I use Pyrodex RS. I know water is attracted to it which is a primary reason to unload the gun. I wonder if the old timer you know has greased his barrel by using bore butter or another lube. I've heard a gun can be "seasoned" that way. After all, it seems unlikely our frontiersmen unloaded their guns while in hostile indian territory or grizz country.

Cayugad, it's comforting to hear you condone this procedure for unloading. I'm going to post a couple of other questions now.

cayugad

The main thing to remember when unloading a rifle, stay out of the path of the muzzle of course, and make sure the cap is off and the hammer open. After all the rifle is loaded and we want no one hurt. With the hammer open it allows the barrel behind the projectile to draw some air and helps the projectile come out easier. Then just dump the powder (I dump outside in the snow or on the ground) and wipe the barrel clean...

Triple Se7en

Folks that do not have any problems bringing loaded MLs indoors and outdoors everyday must keep their home or gunsclose to the same outdoor temperature (or) live/hunt in a very dry climate.

Otherwise moisture/condensation forms.
No.... ifs -ands - buts - about it!!!!!!!

It gives me the heevie-geevies just thinking about pulling a live load every day -- without soaking the powder first with water.

Always think safety first! Best to invest in $50 worth of CO2 equipment - than lose a hand or foot to a freak shooting accident that may of been set-off by some unknown kinetic energy.