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| One of Us |
This is gunna be my first season out in the woods chasing bambi with a smoke pole. I've been hunting my entire life with bows, handguns, and rifles, but I was wondering if anyone had some tips specific to muzzleloading. I've been out to the range extensively with my T/C Triumph w/ peep sigts. I'm sighted in for a 150 yd zero w/ 250GR Barnes TMZ's and 100gr of Black horn. Shooting around 2" groups @ 100yds. I'll be hunting northern Wisconsin in early December, which will usually be in the 30's (if I'm lucky) and colder. What effect does the cold have on the powder? Some smokeless powders are temperture sensitive, does Blackhorn have similar issues or ignition problems? I usually leave my rifle outside during the hunting season to keep from sweating. Do I need to clear the powder charge and primer at the end of every night, or will the powder be fine in very cold temps for long peroids of time? Thanks for any help! | ||
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I dont know about bighorn powder,but pyrodex had trouble igniting when It was very cold,so I switched to genuine blackpowder,and have no more ignition problems.I leave my gun outside all season in my truck ,and dont change the powder charge or clean until I fire,or the end of the season,with no trouble,but that is with blackpowder.YMMV ****************************************************************** SI VIS PACEM PARA BELLUM *********** | |||
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one of us |
You are far ahead by using an inline type muzzleloader. Most of the problems I used to have resulted from fail to fire. Can be expected in sub zero weather with snow and ice all over the #11 cap. If you have the gun out in weather--- leave it out. As moving inside and out may get some condensation working and get your powder damp-- causing misfire. Keep it loaded for the season and you should be fine. I remove the cap for safety each evening. I use the pyrodex pellets and have had no issues with variations if velocity --- but again, Ohio's season is in january and its always between 0 and 20 degrees. | |||
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Moderator |
If the weather is icky remove the peep sight aperture and just use the threaded ring. I'd tell you to do this anyway if you are planning on shooting at less than 100 yards, but best thing to suggest is to just try shooting a group with the larger aperture and you'll probably notice you can see better and accuracy doesn't drop much if any. for every hour in front of the computer you should have 3 hours outside | |||
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| one of us |
With the Blackhorn, you should be using a regular 209 primer and should be fine. I left mine loaded (no primer) on the covered porch during a June rainstorm in Florida while hog hunting and the humidity didn't bother it a bit. The point of impact between 60 degrees when I loaded it and the 100 degrees when I shot it did not change. Larry "Peace is that brief glorious moment in history, when everybody stands around reloading" -- Thomas Jefferson | |||
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| One of Us |
Yep, thats the first thing I did after installing the peep. The "Ghost" rear sight is excellent in low light w/ the fiber optic front sight, and perfect for bambi rush hour traffic times. I haven't found any loss in accuracy for target shooting, maybe just a wee bit more time making sure everything is lined up even. Do most of y'all use the little plastic single shot type reloaders (w/ the slug in the bottom and powder on top w/ the primer), or is there something quicker out there? | |||
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| one of us |
I use the TC magnum type that puts the bullet and sabot below the powder charge, but not in with it. This type also does some initial bullet starting as well. I keep the primers in a separate gizmo (technical term) because I have lost a primer when keeping them in the loader. Larry "Peace is that brief glorious moment in history, when everybody stands around reloading" -- Thomas Jefferson | |||
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| One of Us |
Good luck,so far hunting in Northern Wi. sucks this year.I use triple 7 loose powder and triple 7 primers.I like to use power belts as they are easy to load and shoot about 2-3" groups with my Encore and peeps at 100yds.Never fail to go off. | |||
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| One of Us |
We hunted northern MN this weekend. My son was using an Encore 209x50 loaded with two 777 pellets and a Great Plains 385 gr conical. I carried my .54 Lyman GPR flintlock loaded with 90 gr of Goex 3f under a .530 patched ball. We left the guns outside Friday and Saturday, lows in the 20s highs in the 40s. I put new prime in four or five times, my son just removed and reinserted the same primer. The deer didn't cooperate but both guns shot just fine come quitting time today. I've had the same experience at -10f but that was with real blackpowder. Haven't used Blackhorn but inlines are pretty simple. Leave your loaded gun outside. Keep your primer someplace dry. You should be all set. | |||
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| One of Us |
I've never had any difficulty with ignition in the winter, hunting down to -56 (coldest) with either cap-locks or flintlocks. We use black powder only, not one of the phony BPowders. I would never use a percholate powder in any barrel I valued. The fouling itself is corrosive and contrary to all advertizing, is actually difficult to remove entirely. Daryl S. | |||
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| one of us |
-56! Is that wind chill, or actual temp? you must be hungry to be out at that temp.  ****************************************************************** SI VIS PACEM PARA BELLUM *********** | |||
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| One of Us |
Guess folks in B.C. don't hunt deer in July...  | |||
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| one of us |
The coldest Ive ventured out is the -10 to -20 range.That will remain to be the coldest I have gone out,I wont be trying to set a new personal record low anytime soon. ****************************************************************** SI VIS PACEM PARA BELLUM *********** | |||
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| One of Us |
I always put electrical tape over the end of the barrel. I put one or two pieces over the end and then wrap another piece around the barrel several times to hold the piece or two over the end in place. It doesn't affect accuracy any and it keeps snow, dirt, leaves, etc. out of the barrel. steve nelson | |||
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I was out this past weekend at -10 f. No fun to be had. ****************************************************************** SI VIS PACEM PARA BELLUM *********** | |||
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| One of Us |
The secret is keep it capped once loaded until you fire it .also keep it in the truck.In and out, warm to cold creates condensation.that's bad news for any powder but especially so for muzzle loading propellants.The best of these in the cold by the way is plain old black powder.Above 0 I use pyrodex or triple7.Below that I use fff. "Back off man.I'm a scientist." | |||
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I was going to say make sure your flint is sharp and you have a few extra ones in your bag, then realized you are an ersatz ML shooter. Ah, me... enjoy your day. Rich | |||
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| One of Us |
The Sharpshooter is right, I always start the hunting season with a sharp flint. Since I keep the rifle loaded all season(3 wks.)or until I shoot at a deer, when I put the powder down the barrel, I then put a dry patch on top of the powder to keep the grease from the PRB from soaking into the powder. Here in Pa. we have an after Christmas flintlock season and I we usually have snow and cold temp. and the woods to our selves. Only 8 days to go. | |||
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how cool will that be? I always figured nipples belonged on a woman's chest, not a man's rifle!! I got a new .40 Early Lancaster ordered from TVM. Should be here in two to three weeks. I am thinking it needs to go to to RSA with me in April if I get time to shoot it a little. Woo-Haw!! Rich | |||
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