Call me paranoid!!!!

[GAHUNTER60]

This is how my Hawken sits in my safe.

 

[Hillbilly stalker]

Many a people been hurt by a double charge. I never leave mine loaded for over a couple days. But I also have my ramrod marked on all 7 that I own. If that works for you ain’t a thing wrong with it. A red ballon over the end might stay on there better for you and keep dust out.

 

[The Original Rooster]

Good practice to have right there. Nothing paranoid about safety.

 

[Nicodemus]

That`s a good idea. I unloaded an original one time that had probably been that way since late 1800s.

 

[snuffy]

Nothing wrong with that.

When I load mine put a piece of electrical tape over the muzzle and a folded patch between the nipple and hammer. With the hammer down.

I always pop a couple of caps before loading. So if there is tape over the muzzle DON'T POP A CAP.

 

[GAHUNTER60]

I always pop a cap, with the barrel pointed in a safe direction, before loading, also. Can you imagine the shock should I (or anyone else) forget that I put her away with a charge in the pipe?

I don't own enough hunting pants to afford to be throwing the ones I would be wearing away, as, most assuredly, would be required should there be an unexpected discharge (the rifle, that is. The other discharge would be totally expected!)

 

[jrickman]

An old guy I know used to leave his ramrod in the barrel with a little white balloon holding it in place.

 

[7Mag Hunter]

Hawkens, i pull bullet/powder EVERYDAY after a hunt...Always start with a clean barrel and fresh load..My inline, i will leave loaded overnight, maybe 2 nights, but simple to push out a 2 day old load, clean barrel /bullet and put fresh powder....

 

[flintlock hunter]

I have index cards with the necesary imformation on each and every gun in my safe. This includes perferred load, zero information, date cleaned, perservative in bore or no, any special instruction for first shot accuracy, and anything else I think might slip my mind over time. I write EVERYTHING down, and attach to the barrel with wire ties.

As for my muzzle loaders, putting it/them into a warm environment after spending the day afield in sub-freezing temperatures is inviting the barrel to sweat, and possibly dampening the powder charge. If for some reason the gun remains loaded, (by law it is unloaded if there is no cap on the nipple, or battery in the electronic ignition system, or no priming powder in the pan with a boot over the frizzen), it is double checked to be rendered unable to fire, then locked up either cased in the truck, or in a security cabinet in a locked out building.

 

[frankwright]

I tie a piece of red flagging tape on my barrel when it is in the safe. I leave it loaded for the entire season. and usually keep it in a soft gun case stashed in the garage ready to go and stable temperature!

 

[rosewood]

There is no such thing as being too paranoid when it comes to gun safety.

 

[Yankee in GA]

I agree. Safety is key and it’s brilliant how you mark your muzzleloaders. I never run into that issue because one of my favorite parts of muzzleloader hunting is that I get to shoot it at the end of the day/weekend.

 

[rattlesnake1]

Hawkens, i pull bullet/powder EVERYDAY after a hunt...Always start with a clean barrel and fresh load..My inline, i will leave loaded overnight, maybe 2 nights, but simple to push out a 2 day old load, clean barrel /bullet and put fresh powder....

How do you pull the bullet from a Hawken?

 

[Nicodemus]

How do you pull the bullet from a Hawken?

Ball puller on the end of your ramrod, and a T handle on the other end.

 

[HermanMerman]

That's just being cautious, not paranoid.

 

[rattlesnake1]

I've never seen one, Will it work for maxi balls ?

 

[Nicodemus]

I've never seen one, Will it work for maxi balls ?

I don`t know. Probably will though. All I have ever used is true black powder, round lead balls, and traditional flintlock and percussion rifles and pistols.


Over 30 years experience with what I mentioned above, and zero on the other stuff. I`m strictly pre-1840 on my muzzleloader stuff.

 

[Hillbilly stalker]

Yes it will work for maxi balls. It’s basically a coarse threaded sheet metal screw that you put on the end of your ram rod and then screw it into the bullet to pull it out. If you don’t have a T handle you can tie a constrictor knot with some para cord around your ram rod, then tie it to a tree or something and pull it out. It’s much easier to use one of those unloadeEd that shoot compressed CO2 thru the nipple. It takes one second with those and you don’t mangle your bullet.

 

[NCHillbilly]

I've never seen one, Will it work for maxi balls ?

Yep.

 

[flconch53]

Unless you have a good metal cleaning rod I would just shoot the ball out. Many of the ends on factory muzzleloaders are glued on.
Ok for pushing not so good for pulling. Pull the end off your rod down there and you are going to end up shooting it out anyway. Ask me how I know.