Unload and Reload?

[sneaky_pete000]

We're headed back up to camp for the last weekend before the long wait 'til October. However, here's a question I'd love to hear everyones opinion on....

My gun has 2 of the 777 pellets and a Barnes Expander in it. I loaded it last Friday night. Since then, it rained, it snowed, I fell in the snow, so on and so forth. I DID have some duct tape over the muzzle.

Should I unload it and put fresh powder pellets in?
If I do that, would you reuse the sabot, or give the bullet a fresh sabot as well?

 

[SportsmanNH]

Myself , I would unload it . The condensation alone from being out in the rain can make its way in through the primer hole not to mention going from cold and wet to warm inside. For the little bit of work to reload it its not worth the chance of a misfire . You can use the sabot again.

 

[Browseline]

I would unload it. You never know what might step out in front of you and if the rifle misfired, I probably could hear you swearing from my house.

 

[Flatlander]

Easy to unload . Just pull your breech plug , the pellets should fall out. Push the sabot out toward the breech.

 

[mbVT]

I would unload. I can take my breech plug out and change the powder without touching the bullet, so that typically stays, but if you have to remove the bullet, use that one for target practice and start with a new one.

 

[sneaky_pete000]

I hate being wasteful, but you're right. And Browse was the "most right"....He would definitely hear me....

 

[NY Hunter]

Easy to unload . Just pull your breech plug , the pellets should fall out. Push the sabot out toward the breech.

+1

I WOULD RELOAD WITH FRESH POWDER PELLETS, FRESH SABOT/BULLET, NEW PRIMER. Better safe than sorry.
You can use what you unload for target practice, if it shoots great, if not, no lose.

 

[outdoorsman]

As a frugall person myself, I would reload and justify the expense as how much would I be willing to spend after missing an opportunity because my weapon failed to fire? Positively more than the cost of two pellets and one sabot.

 

[bootstrap]

i would just go with it. unless i was on an out of state hunt or i was specifically looking for a racker. i would be more worried about the primers. or if it has a tendency not to fire. what model is it? mine was loaded for a long time in all conditions and fired just fine.

 

[longbow]

If you are going to unload it then please don't push the load out. Fire it! I gots to know! My money is on it firing!

 

[Sgt Mike]

Why not push the Sabot out?

 

[NH Hunter]

I was hunting with a group of guys first weekend of NH ML season. One of the guys had a giant 9 pointer walk right down the brook to him, stop at less then 20 yards. The guy had seen the deer coming, gun up, hammer back, ready to shoot. Squeezed the trigger and "click" , Yup click, Not "snap", certainly no "snap boom", just click. His primer didn't ignite. He never changed them out after being in his pocket hunting the day before in the rain.

When we got back to the trucks I gave him a fresh primer and talked him into seeing if it would go off. New primer = ed "boom". So far he has not tagged out yet, and I don't believe he saw another buck yet either.

I think you get one, maybe two chances in the northeast at a deer, you don't want sour powder when you get yours. Or a bad primer.

 

[Flatlander]

Yup , if there's any doubt change it out.

 

[Escout711]

Last year I loaded my CVA Optima V2 the first morning of muzzleloader season. I didn’t shoot anything all season, and on the last night I decided to touch it off before I left the woods. No bang. Changed primers to fresh ones, no bang. Just the click of the hammer falling, and it was barely denting the primers. Wound up having to take the firing pin apart and that fixed it. Glad I did not run into a buck, I’d have wrapped that muzzy around a tree if it hadn’t gone off!

 

[bootstrap]

usually they dont go off due to poor maintenance. i always tie my extra primers off in the end of a baggie and cut it off and keep them in my pocket that way. i often cull the loose one to the practice/snap pile and start fresh especially if it has been out in the rain. i always snap one or two into a freshly cleaned barrel before i load. look thru the breech plug hole and make sure you can see daylight. cant remember ever having a problem. bh209 best thing ever invented for MLs.

 

[Big D]

I just leave it in. I had a load in from 2017 season which was driving rain then fridged for 2 weeks. In and out of a hot camp every day. Finally shot it out bird season 2018. No issues. If you're not shooting blackhorn you ought to be.

 

[VTHunter08]

To me depends on your muzzleloader. 5-6 years ago I bought a nice expensive muzzleloader, and I've hunted in all kinds of nasty sh** in it, and literally never had a misfire. Before that with my cheaper muzzleloader I would shoot it off every 3-4 days. I also keep my primers in this https://www.homeshoppingmalls.com/209-flex-capper-t-c-accessories-35008007 Never had an issue with a primer not going off.

Now if I could just buy an expensive shooter that could put a sabot into a deer that would be worth it right now. Can you tell I'm a little sour and am glad deer hunting is over?

 

[bootstrap]

i almost bought something similar, but the t handle version but i read a review that said they were pushing the end of the rod thru the handle. anyone here use them?

https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1002290282/thompson-center-palm-saver-t-handle-bio-flex-red

i am glad it is over too. i hunted more this year than the last 5 years combined. i harvested 2 deer with my new ravin crossbow, lost one in ML. saw nothing to shoot at in rifle. never saw a really nice racked buck. saw a ratio of 10:1 does to bucks. now back to work and put the hunting stuff away and get ready for ice fishing.

 

[VTHunter08]

Yeah I have to push pretty hard on my ramrod to seat my sabot so I could see how you could push your ramrod through the T handle on that. My ramrod has a pivot on the end of it to make it into a tee handle.
https://accessories.tcarms.com/product/encore-muzzleloader-power-rod-ramrod/

yyeeaahh I killed a doe early in bow season, then slightly wounded another with my bow, mortally wounded another with my bow, missed 2 nice bucks in ohio with my bow, nothing in rifle, and missed 5 times with my muzzleloader JUST THIS WEEKEND! I don't know why but I severely struggled with target panic this year. Time to clear the brain, put this year behind me, work on some technique in the off season and hopefully back on a better foot next year.

 

[bootstrap]

the xtp load a lot easier in my impact than the sst. i load with the sst they are a bit more accurate. i use the xtp if i need a quick follow up shot. 82gr wt. bh209 and topped with a 3-9 nikon inline xr BDC it is a real shooter.

i too struggled with target panic this year especially when the deer didnt follow the script of what i had planned out in my mind. coming out behind me, seeing them on the way to the spot etc etc. buy hey i had a safe season, got some good exercise, had a great time with some friends and put a couple in the freezer so it is all good.