How long will a load last??

Joined
Nov 30, 2012
Messages
1,264
Location
Northern Idaho
While hunting how long will you guys go until you fire your load and start fresh? Or will it last a while? I just worry about the moister getting in and hearing the ear shattering "click" on the bull of a lifetime. What steps do you all take to keep your loaded gun dry? Tape over the muzzle? What about the cap hole? Also, I assume going from a warm tent to outside would cause condensation to build? Just several questions on this. Sorry.
Thanks

I have left loads in and even tested some loads that have been in for 3 months and i think I have developed a method that works for me. But I must throw a word of caution in.. Corrosion with any BP sub even BH-209 is always possible.

The following test was down doing most of the normal things incorrectly - so read it with caution if you choose to even read it.

Just some history... And most of it was not done according to hoyle...

The rifle is an Knight Mountaineer - 50 cal, on October 5th I ran to the farm with the rifle and shot 3 shots to check POI and to fire foul the barrel. I brought it home, ran one moist windex patch both sides. Dryed the bore with fresh patches.

Next the gun was loaded on October 8th or 9th - 120 grains T7-2f, with a Bloodline .458-300 bullet in a red Knight sabot.

Hunting season opened October 10 and most everyday or couple of days from there after it has been in the field hunting. I will indicate for the most part the weather has been decent. But there have been cold wet days also.

The gun has been placed in the truck in the morning and after each hunt. Hauled to and from the hunt sight in that method - It has come in out of the house each trip with no special care.

Somewhere around the second week of the hunting season when the weather was going foul - I did also run a very slightly oiled (Montana X-Treme Bore Conditioner) down to the the top of the bullet just to add a bit of protection to the bore.

Today after a morning hunt in the snow as we were passing the Strychnine Gravel Pile... I decided I would touch the gun off just to verify what I really thought I knew - but 28 days later it was time. We stopped and I placed a very mild Remington 209-4 primer in the bolt. Then I picked out a spot on the bank behind the gravel pile - Larry ranged it at 104 yards. I leaned over the hood of the pickup - placed the crosshairs of the Leupold on the spot and touched the gun off. Boom!!! - and smoke. It really did feel right but I had know idea if I hit where I was suppose to but Larry was watching through his by-nocs and called it a hit.

I am now repeating the process and about to drop the powder down the bore for the next hunt, which is tomorrow morning...

I really do feel confident in this process with T7 powder - not sure about any other sub other than BH. I do not think that T7 sucks up the moisture near as much as some would have you believe.
 
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