Black Powder Question

[brewskzilla]

I know that black powder fouling can cause terrible damage to one's bore. What I need to know is this: Will keeping a black powder gun loaded for long periods of time do the same thing, if it has not been fired? Does unfired black powder or any of it's substitutes cause this? I ask because I may be going on a hunting trip, and dont want to fire and clean my rifle every night.

[Desert Rat]

Unfired balck powder is inert and in of itself won"t cause a problem. If however it absorbs moisture you could start having problems. Most folks I know will pull their loads to ensure a fresh charge at the start of each day to so the dreaded CLACK...... doesn't happen when you get your target in the sights. If you are using the synthetics you will should have less of a problem but pulling the charge still isn't a bad idea.

If you don't like to pull the charge look into the CO2 dischargers, quiet, very efficeint and safe.

[brewskzilla]

I pulled one charge. PAIN IN THE A$$! Long barrel, so I had to chew up my ramrod with pliers to get the ball-puller to bite. That and it took forever. The CO2 discharger is actually a good idea that I had forgotten about.

[Desert Rat]

I hear ya, I hate pulling loads to. Being a flintlock shooter I usually just fire the round out when I get back to camp. Course I haven't much luck in the field BP hunting but firing at dusk is probably the least of my problems.

[Sapheit warrior]

I was just thinking about how to keep the powder dry. Being that I have recently purchased so much for my muzzle loader I don't think the wife would sign off on a c02 de moisture thing. Has anyone ever put a few grains of rice in the powder charge? (maybe 3 to 5) do you think it would keep the powder dry like a salt shaker? do you think it would cause any problems? Obviously you couldn't do this with pre formed charges. I have never done this, i was just asking if anyone had ever herd of such a thing.

[Smokehouse69]

I think the thing to try is some of those desiccant packages that come inside of some products. We get a butt load of those in electronic and computer equipment at work. They come in shoes and all sorts of things. You can also take a couple teaspoons of rice and put it inside a square of old tee shirt and tie it up into a bag. Then pitch it into your powder tin. :thumbup:

[Sapheit warrior]

Thats a good idea... I will give that a shot. Not to sure just how dry my basement is. If I wanted to keep my Muzzleloader loaded for a while do you think I could add 2 or 3 grains of rice to the charge before I ram the load? I just want to keep it dry for like 3 days. Keep it by the back door in case a monster buck walks in the back yard.

[Smokehouse69]

I can't see how rice would hurt anything people use grits as filler in black powder cartridges all the time, but if you put a small lubricant soaked patch (crisco, bore butter or something like that) on top of the powder charge and under the bullet. I doubt much moisture or air could get to the powder charge.

[Sapheit warrior]

Wow, thats good to know... thanks. .:thumbup: