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Post by brokennock on Nov 27, 2020 5:25:37 GMT -7
Opinions needed. I know mine but I'd like either confirmation or some reasoned opposing opinions.
Post cleaning, or loading at home for a hunt, in storage or transportation, I keep a small piece of flannel with a little of my beeswax and olive/coconut oil lube worked into it, balled up and stuffed just slightly into the muzzle. Mostly to keep stuff out and with the touch hole always plugged, help keep the bore sealed and protected. Also, before doing this I occasionally found a tiny accumulation of oil at the edge of the muzzle as the gun hangs on the wall slightly muzzle down.
Yesterday I hunted in some rather heavy rain. I used all the usual "keep your lock dry and muzzle down," methods. Including my new matchcoat (more on this elsewhere later). Let's face it, keeping the muzzle down all the time, especially when sitting, is pretty difficult.
This piece of flannel doesn't fit super tight, but snug, and with the slight bit of lube stays in place well.
The question is, if I were to leave it there in rainy weather and get a quick chance to shoot, will this cause an obstruction or will the air pressure of the ball and wads moving forward simply push it out of the muzzle like a modern hunter's tape? This is assuming temperatures above freezing.
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Post by artificer on Nov 27, 2020 7:17:20 GMT -7
Opinions needed. I know mine but I'd like either confirmation or some reasoned opposing opinions. Post cleaning, or loading at home for a hunt, in storage or transportation, I keep a small piece of flannel with a little of my beeswax and olive/coconut oil lube worked into it, balled up and stuffed just slightly into the muzzle. Mostly to keep stuff out and with the touch hole always plugged, help keep the bore sealed and protected. Also, before doing this I occasionally found a tiny accumulation of oil at the edge of the muzzle as the gun hangs on the wall slightly muzzle down. Yesterday I hunted in some rather heavy rain. I used all the usual "keep your lock dry and muzzle down," methods. Including my new matchcoat (more on this elsewhere later). Let's face it, keeping the muzzle down all the time, especially when sitting, is pretty difficult. This piece of flannel doesn't fit super tight, but snug, and with the slight bit of lube stays in place well. The question is, if I were to leave it there in rainy weather and get a quick chance to shoot, will this cause an obstruction or will the air pressure of the ball and wads moving forward simply push it out of the muzzle like a modern hunter's tape? This is assuming temperatures above freezing. Nock, After reading/hearing of more than one muzzle opened up like a banana peel and actually seen two muzzles of the same done by just snow in the barrel, there is NO way I would do that. One time in my youth when hunting with a modern shotgun, I tripped and the muzzle of the gun went into a snow bank. Fortunately I looked and saw snow in the barrel. Fortunately I knew how to take the barrel off the receiver. Unfortunately I did not have a cleaning rod. Fortunately I found some long dead cane like weeds near a stream and was able to use those to clear most of the snow out of the barrel, so I was able to finish the days hunt. Further, there is a way to cover the muzzle in rain or snow and NOT have to worry about shooting through it. During Viet Nam and probably earlier, they used condoms over the muzzles of M1 Carbines and M16's during monsoon season and just shot through them when needed. We did the same thing in Somalia and they have done it in Iraq and Afghanistan as well.
For a ML gun, you need to buy a large size condom to cover the muzzle.
Gus. |
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Post by Black Hand on Nov 27, 2020 7:25:14 GMT -7
Personally, I've never worried about it much as it is unlikely water will make it past a well-lubed patch in a snug load from the muzzle end. I do keep the barrel pointed downward as much as possible and use a cows-knee in really wet weather.
If you must, a piece of electrical tape over the muzzle should do the trick and won't impede passage of the ball in the slightest...
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Post by spence on Nov 27, 2020 8:10:10 GMT -7
The obstruction doesn't have to be deep in the barrel, or tight. No way to predict what your cloth would do. Here's what a lightweight aluminum bore sight does when left in the muzzle of a modern barrel.   I'll never put anything in the bore, but I've used masking tape to protect the muzzle and fired through it many times. Spence |
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Post by brokennock on Nov 27, 2020 9:45:51 GMT -7
Thanks fellas. I've felt it not worth the risk myself. But yesterday the temptation was strong.
Gus, I've done the condom thing on modern guns too. Doesn't seem right on a muzzleloader. If it were all I had to take a fight to an enemy, I wouldn't be worried about hc/pc stuff and would do just that.
Black Hand, I feel the same way about moisture making it past a well sealed load. Part of why I don't buy into the "condensation will ruin your powder charge," talk, when someone brings up leaving the gun loaded through a season. If it was loaded dry, and the load is tight and flash hole sealed when not primed, don't see how moisture is getting in the to condense. I've been out hunting in cold wet December weather and kept the gun in my bedroom between hunts, gun always went boom when needed.
But that is off the subject.
Spence, thanks for the pics. I may use them with educating some others.
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Post by Black Hand on Nov 27, 2020 10:24:43 GMT -7
On my current rifle, I had water sneak in from behind the lock after traveling through the barrel channel. I sealed the barrel channel with toilet bowl gasket wax (soft beeswax mix) and it hasn't happened since. The reason I used the gasket was its consistency - sticky, spreadable and soft. I didn't need to melt it or warm the barrel for the wax to stick - added to the barrel channel, pressed the barrel into place, installed the pins and cleaned the excess that squeezed out.
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Post by hawkeyes on Nov 27, 2020 12:12:05 GMT -7
Even with a ball I've never worried about water. Fact of life with a firelock, or any gun in adverse weather the elements will work their way in somehow. Best keep the muzzle down and continue on enjoying the hunt!
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