How long can i leave muzzleloader loaded?

[sharpshooter]

I am planning on hunting with my muzzleloader through the rest of deer season. If it hasn't been shot, how long can I leave it loaded before I need to worry about corrosion? I have a CVA Optima and I'm using triple 7. I am also concerned about condensation causing a misfire, but not as much as corrosion starting at the breach where the powder sits. I have left them loaded over the 2 weeks of muzzleloader before and have not had an issue, I'm just concerned leaving it loaded for longer.

 

[DaveTN]

That day.

How Long Can I Leave My Muzzleloader Loaded?

This is my favorite part...

No one makes you drain the gas out of your lawnmower or motorcycle at the end of a season, or makes you hit that idle snowblower with a trickle charger. Yet, the number of lawnmowers, motorcycles, and snowblowers that fail to start the next time are significant. "Jim Bob" has a snowblower that never has failed to start for him though, and "Jim Bob" has a muzzleloader that he thinks will be okay that he has kept loaded for a month. Heck, Jim Bob never has checked the air in his tires, or his engine oil. Everything "works for me," Jim Bob likes to say.

 

[sharpshooter]

Thanks for the link, very eye opening!! Guess I will just have to tell my wife I'm gonna have to buy a centerfire rifle!

 

[Antler Daddy]

My smokeless just stays loaded and fires every time with no delay

 

[wsm]

I unload and clean my muzzleloader when season is over.

 

[Carlos]

I'd recommend unloading and reloading after hunting in rainy weather for sure.

You never know if your next shot will be at the buck of a lifetime or not.

 

[Kelljp]

The only thing I've found that causes an issue is if you bring your rifle in the house where it's warm. After discovering this I leave it in the truck during hunting season. Been hunting the muzzleloader season since 1979 and no problems. Going from cold to hot temps will cause moisture in barrel. On another note I buy several muzzleloaders at estate auctions, about 10-15 % I find loaded ( presumably years in some instances) , on cap locks I remove the nipple and add a few grains of FFFG, with a couple of exceptions they have always fired.

 

[Carlos]

The only thing I've found that causes an issue is if you bring your rifle in the house where it's warm. After discovering this I leave it in the truck during hunting season. Been hunting the muzzleloader season since 1979 and no problems. Going from cold to hot temps will cause moisture in barrel. On another note I buy several muzzleloaders at estate auctions, about 10-15 % I find loaded ( presumably years in some instances) , on cap locks I remove the nipple and add a few grains of FFFG, with a couple of exceptions they have always fired.

I don't mean to sound like a know it all, but that's pretty dangerous.
You never know who loaded it, or if it could be double loaded.
Please keep this in mind.

 

[THE DUKE]

As long as it's in a controlled temperature it will be fine.

 

[Grizzly Johnson]

The shot that took my buck today was loaded from last muzzleloader season… I use Blackhorn 209 powder in mine. Leaving it in the case to allow it to adjust when going from outside to inside.

 

[MUP]

Heck I've forgotten and left my ML loaded from the previous year, with PYRODEX, and it fired, and was still on zero when I shot it. I for sure don't recommend that but any means, but as long as you keep it outside in stable temp it should be ok. I do leave mine loaded thru the season, UNLESS, I'm out in the rain with it, then I'll fire it after the day's hunt and reload for the next outing.

 

[jlanecr500]

When depriming for transport, install a spent primer to stop air and moisture from entering the breech.

 

[DoubleRidge]

When depriming for transport, install a spent primer to stop air and moisture from entering the breech.

Thats a good idea. Never thought about doing this.

 

[DoubleRidge]

I am planning on hunting with my muzzleloader through the rest of deer season. If it hasn't been shot, how long can I leave it loaded before I need to worry about corrosion? I have a CVA Optima and I'm using triple 7. I am also concerned about condensation causing a misfire, but not as much as corrosion starting at the breach where the powder sits. I have left them loaded over the 2 weeks of muzzleloader before and have not had an issue, I'm just concerned leaving it loaded for longer.

As others have mentioned I dont take my muzzleloader into the warm house on a cold day. I'll leave it in the truck to avoid big temp swings and condensation.
Also worth mentioning. After I confirm zero on my muzzleloader I clean it. So I'm zeroed on a clean bore and I'm sitting and hunting on a clean bore...sitting on a clean bore reduces your issues with corrosion.

 

[Brisco Darlin]

I unload and clean my muzzleloader when season is over.

Me too. I left a sidelock loaded till summer after last season and it fied right off

 

[Wobblyshot1]

If you put it up loaded just make sure you mark it some way to prevent a later surprise or dangerous situation. I drop a loading rod down the bore and flag it with a little strip of masking tape then mark it "LOADED".

 

[Iglow]

I left mine loaded for 2 years and shot one with it on the 3rd.

 

[Southern Sportsman]

I unload and clean my muzzleloader when season is over.

Same. I shoot it a time or two to check zero, clean i it well, load it, and it stays loaded until I'm done deer hunting. In good years, there will be a shot and reload somewhere in between. Though I try not to, I have left it loaded in the off season before with no issues. I would be more careful not to do that if I didn't have a stainless barrel.

 

[CHRIS WILSON]

Unless I get caught in the rain or pull the trigger on a deer, it gets loaded the night before opening morning and stays loaded until the season is over.

 

[Carlos]

This question can only be answered with an opinion, as it totally depends on how reliable you want your ignition to be when you pull the trigger.

You could leave it loaded for years, after hunting in the rain, etc- and it 'might' work out. It all depends on how much of a chance you want to take. I feel like a freshly loaded MZ is going to be more reliable than one that's 2-3 weeks old.
YMMV- again, this is my opinion.

Myth busters should do a piece on this. Of course they're way too girly for anything like that, lol.