Loose powder

[speck hunter]

Hunted a small piece in suffolk today with my muzzy and lost a chance: with a pretty 8 pter. My muzzy shot a firecracker tonight no kick or loud noise just a small arm sound. The powder which is the blackhorn brand has been in my barrell about 3-4 weeks. Has anybody had similar issues with keeping powderin the barrell for a extented time?
I lost the biggest buck of my life tonight and trying not to make what ever mistake I made again,
Thanks

[KJR]

If your shooting a traditional sidelock or flint... grease, Solvents and crud will trap in the breech plug of the barrel and can absorbed into the powder breaking it down.

Breech plug scraper...

Northern Rifleman

[night nurse]

If you are hunting in any wet weather the moisture can degrade the powder very quickley esp. if it's lose powder. A few years back I was hunting on a drizzley afternoon and I thought I kept my powder dry so the next day I hunted with the same powder. Yup, you guessed it a nice shooter buck steps out and a little pop and no kick from the TC 50cal. BUT, I did get him as he was only 8yrds and I was on the ground. The shot did not pass through him so if he were say 25 yrds he would have walked away with a nasty rib bruise.

TED

[Croakers]

Bringing your gun in the warm house after a cold day of hunting will also cause the gun to "sweat" inside the chamber with condensation. Do this a couple of times and the black powder charge can become fouled. It's worse with a loose powder charge. Best bet, after a days hunting, uncap the gun and leave in the trunk of the car where it will stay cold. Even inside the car with the heater on, can cause a damp powder charge. I also found this out the hard way with a squib load on a nice deer. Also bringing the gun in and out of a warm location can cause the flash hole in the nipple to foul. T.

[Chopper]

I think Drew peed in your barrel

[Meatman]

I'm using the blackhorn powder too. Gun was loaded since the early black powder season in Maryland (Oct). Good thing I went to practice range before I went hunting, because although the gun sounded normal, there was a slight delay in the detonation of the charge, causing me to pull off of the target! That's the first problem I have experienced with the blackhorn 209 powder.

[martineta]

I had a squib load with the Blackhorn also. I usually fire two or three caps down the barrel before loading. I didn't on opening day thus the squib round. Never again!.. Quick recovery as I shot two does later that day.

[fishinblues]

A cap must be fired through a clean muzzleloader before the power is loaded. This cleans the breach plug, and removes excess oils and cleaning solvents from the bore. Oil and powder do not mix well, and will not provide a stable consistent ignition. Often the primer will fire then a second later the powder will fire. The dreaded Crack, then Bang sound from a muzzleloader often occurs as a result of a oily combustion chamber. The oils soak into the powder delaying and reducing the burn.

[ducksrus@sml]

I have a Knight MK-85 that I have left charged (with Hodgdon's Triple Seven) from the end of one season to the beginning of the next season numerous times. I always leave a cap on it as well. I make it as safe as possible by screwing the plunger on safe. I have never had a problem with it working/shooting correctly. But I do clean it after every shot at the end of the day's hunt. I always do the basic drying with patches and I put the nipple on last before reloading.

I know I'll catch it from the safety patrol people. But...... It's my gun(s) and home. I have a shotgun or handgun loaded on every floor of my home and a pistol in both of my trucks (I have a CCP oe CWP). Which includes the Muzzle loader as well. An unloaded gun will not do you any good when you really need it fast. With the rise and threat of home invasions, everyone should be doing it. Just MHO though!!!!

[speck hunter]

Im guessing my powder got some humidity in it and cause it to go bad, I have learned a lesson and I will be packing the day of the hunt and dischargeing it if I dont hunt again for several weeks