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Discharging at the end of the day.

5K views 21 replies 19 participants last post by  mossie 
#1 ·
Tomorrow will be my first time hunting with a ML. I bought my ML in the spring and can't wait to get out with it. Is it common practice to discharge the weapon into the ground at the end of the day (if you don't get anything), or do you just remove the primer if you are going again soon?

Thanks for any help in this matter.
 
#2 ·
You don't have to fire as long as primer, cap or flash pan charge is empty. You mentioned primer so I assume you have an inline. Just make sure your powder chg is keep dry.

BTW, if you have a removable breech plug you can save the bullet by just pushing the load out the breech...bullets are costly.
 
#4 ·
i shoot my off when done at the end of the day but mine is a flinter. to be perfectly safe, i would do the same with an inline. when you get home, pull the plug and run a couple patches of bore cleaner and then dry patches until dry. that way you're sure of your shot next day too.
 
#7 ·
Yes,if your not gonna discharge it leave it in it,s case in an unheated locked safe storage area.I have a friend who is an older gentleman who doesn,t have to worry about kids etc.,and he hunts everyday in the flinty season.If he doesn,t shoot it during the season he won,t shoot it off till the last day.He keeps it locked up in his unheated garage.If you take precautions to keep your powder dry and keep your rifle tuned it won,t let you down.It hasn,t let me or my friend down yet.
 
#10 ·
I also like to unload my flintlock after hunting for the day. But I don't shoot it. I bought a CO2 discharger which is, for me, an indispensible tool. I remove the powder from the pan, put the adapter in the touch hole and press the handle on the CO2 discharger. The CO2 gentlly pushes the powder, patch and ball out the muzzle. Then I run a few patches of my lube of choice down the barrel and I am done. I don't have to worry about cleaning the barrel and lock like I do if I fire the gun. This method also lets you look at your patched ball ( as long as you follow it with your eye) just to be sure the patch has not been cut when loading. This method also has eliminated my need for a ball puller in case I didn't put any powder in for my main charge. The CO2 discharger is about 20 bucks from Cabela's and the small cannisters are pretty inexpensive. I've never tried it on a maxi-ball or mini-ball so I couldn't tell you if it works with them. There may be too much friction. But the compressed CO2 works great with a patched round ball.
 
#13 ·
I like Satche,s way.I didn,t know they were that cheap.I do all of my huntin on the home farm so I don,t have to travel so I keep mine loaded durin the season untill I have a shot present itself.I keep it inside a case locked in an outside garage.I don,t see any reason though to keep it loaded from the previous year like TusseyMtman.
 
#15 ·
I shoot at end of hunt. I have two little ones at home. While I have taught them safe gun rules, kids will be kids. I have many other kids running around our house and I don't leave a loaded weapon in the house. I have taught many how to shoot with arhcery and our various air rifles. It seems when we are out back the local kids all find thier way over. I enjoy teaching them.

I don't mind cause I love shooting my ML guns.
 
#16 ·
if you hunt in the rain i'd recommend shooting it off at noon and the end of the day. i've seen many balls having to be pulled because the powder got wet through out the day of hunting. if it doesn't discharge at noon or the end of the day chance are it wouldn't have gone off at the deer when you wanted it to. on cold crisp days (non rainy days) i just empty the pan. if you have to take the ml inside just swab the barrel for any moisture and store it upside down.
i also stick a pick through the touch hole to see of the powder is dry. you can feel the crunch of the powder if its dry. no cruch if its wet.
 
#18 ·
On my small bores, if I place a plastic shopping bag over the muzzle before I CO2 it out, I get back the ball,patch and powder...it's all there in the bag.
The powder I pour out into a special can and use it for plinking ect.

On my 54 cal, the ball will go through the bag. Need something heavier. Always wondered why someone didn't sell a device to capture the "ingredients".
 
#19 ·
I leave mine loaded for the season. If it is still that way at the end I pull it with a bullet puller. I save the damaged bullet for the next go around fouling shot.
 
#22 ·
While it is legal to leave the barrel charge in I never have been comfortable doing it. I will leave it charged if I can leave it in a locked shed or garage overnight but I still tape a sign on it that it is loaded. I much prefer to shoot it and start with a clean rifle every day. There is just too much that could happen with a charge in the barrel if someone handles it and doesn't know it's charged. I don't take chances with stuff like that.
 
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