Unloading after the hunt

[Nevermoor]

The recent tragedy in Ohio where a guy fired his MZ into the air to clear it and may have killed a young girl makes me ask this.

I am new to muzzle loading. When I took the course to qualify the instructors made a big deal out of the need to fire 2 caps before loading.

I live in a city and can't fire before I leave home and I sure don't want to announce my presence when I get to the woods by firing caps. So I don't.

I also don't want to leave the Triple 7 pellets in the chamber at the end of the hunt for fear that they could cause corrosion. And I don't want to fire off a round every time I leave the woods, morning and evening. So I remove the breech bolt and drop the pellets out but the bullet and sabot stay in. I tried pushing them out but it seemed awfully tight.

the next time I go I can remove the breech bolt, reinsert the pellets and re-install the bolt. Then I use the ramrod to make sure the bullet is still seated all the way in. But now there is no way to fire off those 2 caps.

How do you other more experienced hunters deal with this?

[w8n4adeer]

not sure of the correct name but ill go with bullet puller lol. its basicly a screw on the end of a ram rod and it screws in to the bullet so it can be pulled out. also a co2 unloader works perfectly!

[grtwhthunter/fisherman]

the answer is you only have to fire the caps in a cleaned barrel. the caps r for blowing or burning out any oil in barrel from cleaning so powder dont get wet.if u load youre gun and plan on hunting a few days out of the week u dont have to take pellets out of gun everytime. they wont corrode barrel unless it get wet in there. but not good for extended times. still what youre doin is probly safer n no accidents can happen.

[55project]

I ALWAYS fire my gun after i'm done hunting, I never get into my car with it loaded, let alone take it home with a charge in it. But i'm shooting a Flintlock. Even though you guys are taking the powder out, playing around down that end after being packed would worry me.

Shot it, get home and clean it, Safest way out there. Then repac when you get to the woods for the next hunt.

Safe hunting.. :)

[The Ridge]

Firing off 2 Caps ? :huh:. Seems over the top.

I would never sit there and fire 2 pans with my Flinter.

Leave the gun loaded with powder and Sabot till next hunt. Like others said it will not hurt anything.

Powder only gets very corrosive once fired when the chemical composition changes it to a oxidizer.

Just fire at the end of the season a few weeks not going to hurt it.

A un primed 209/ #11 In line Muzzy or a Flinter with no pan powder is considered unloaded by law.

Just case it

My TC’s I can take the bolt out and breech plug and push everything out the breech if I wanted to. Flinter no way only way out is to shoot it.

[buckshooter59]

its not considered loaded unless it has a primer/cap

[Jimbo]

Someone was killed because he fired into the air. If you're going to shoot, put it in the dirt. Pulling a bullet is no more dangerous than pushing one down the barrel. Don't put your hand over the rod but along side.

[hardtime]

i usually fire it off before the end of the season,
but if not i remove the breach plug, shake out
the powder (i use lose) and push the sabot
out through the breech . yes it will be tight.
you can turn the rifle upside down and use the floor
to push the ramrod. then clean as usual. i never
fire two caps, one is sufficient. hope this helps.

[buckshooter59]

Someone was killed because he fired into the air.

i thought they said he didnt do it.