What configuration do you carry your rifle?

[fatbacks]

As a new muzzle loader hunter I was wondering how people carry their rifles.... do you guys put powder in and seat the bullet before you head to the field? At what point do you guys put primers in?

I am trying to decide how to carry my rifle into the field - I have a winter moose tag that begins today. Temps will be well below zero and I will have my rifle in a scabbard on my snow machine. Is it wise to ride in with the bullet and powder in the rifle?

 

[87TT]

Why not? Not considered loaded until primed.

 

[Corey Paulsen (teamkabob)]

I load mine. Tape on the barrel in bad weather and cap goes in when ready to hunt.

 

[Conrad101st]

You need to make sure it’s bone dry of oil in the bore. Can fire one fouling shot and reload it. If you can leave a cap on it, but if it’s a 209 primer no worries though as misfires are very rare.

But yes you should have the weapon loaded. On a vehicle most states require you to remove the cap.

 

[Travis Hobbs]

I feel like you have to have powder and bullet seated and ready to go. My muzzy gets loaded before season and stays that way until I kill something, or season ends.

 

[Browninglover1]

I load my muzzy at home and tape off the muzzle brake to keep the bore sealed. When I'm in the field I place my priming module in the rifle when I'm ready to shoot or if I am still hunting through the trees.

 

[elkguide]

I run a dry patch through my rifle, then after replacing the breech plug, I fire a cap, load the rifle and go hunt. When I get to my hunting area, I put on a cap. I do not bring my muzzleloader into a warm space when I get home at night, only removing the cap when in a vehicle, but keep it outside and only unload it by shooting an animal or at the end of the season.

 

[morphetm]

I start out with a clean rifle, dry bore. I shoot 2 primers and then load it for the season. I keep a rubber glove finger cut off over the end of the barrel and a spent primer in the breech plug until I am ready to hunt. After each day of hunting I replace the new primer with a spent primer and keep it in my truck. I remove the barrel cover when hunting unless there is a lot of moisture in the air but replace it at the end of the day when I put to spent primer back in. It has worked for me.

 

[WCB]

I don't put a primer in until I am actively hunting (safety and per regs here in MN it can be "loaded" but primer ust be removed in a vehicle).

If riding in a scabbard I would try to keep the muzzle pointed high than level and once I got off the machine to hunt I would just check bullet seating to make sire the jolting or vibration cause the bullet to unseat a bit. Then put a primer in and start walking.