loaded!!!!!

[raktrakr]

i just got a muzzle loader the other day and the person i got it from said its still loaded from 98 season.would it be safe to fire this rifle???

[Flintlock54]

I believe I would pull the load rather than try to shoot it out. If it is an in-line simply take the breech plug out and push the load out the muzzle. If the gun is a traditional type you can us a CO2 discharger to push the load out. Either method requires the gun be pointed in a safe direction. This is not something you want to do at the kitchen table. You can also pull the load the old fashioned way using a ball puller attached to your ramrod. Be sure you keep the ramrod straight as you pull the load back out. If the projectile is a modern pistol bullet you are pretty much stuck with the CO2 discharger, because the ball puller will not screw into that hard stuff. If I have totally confused you ask again and I'll try to make myself more clear.

Good luck.

[45 Caliber]

I agree with Flintlock

[raktrakr]

thanks for the info. is the co2 discharger expensive? and what would happen if i shot it(from a gun-vise at a safe distance of course)

[Flintlock54]

Before we go any futher you need to ask and get the answers to these questions.
How old is the gun? Could it be an origional? If this is an old gun, especially if it is an origional, it is possible that the bullet has annealed itself to the bore. This type of gun would be loaded with blackpowder and no matter how old the powder is, if it is dry it will go bang. If the bullet has annealed itself to the bore and you try to shoot it from a gun vice you will blow the gun barrel.

If it is a newer gun it is possible that the powder is one of the substitutes that are on the market. In my experience these type of powders don't have a long shelf life and if exposed to any type of dampness (humidity, rain) they will not bounce back like blackpowder and when you try to shoot the gun from a gun vice it just won't go bang.

As for the CO2 discharger you should be able to find one at a good gun store that carries blackpowder shooting supplies. I don't know if Wal-Mart would have them or not. I bought mine about 10 years ago and I think I paid about $25.00 for it.

There is one other trick to remove a bad load, I don't recommend it but it does work. Take the nipple out and go to a local auto parts store. Buy a grease fitting (zert) with the same threads as the nipple. Screw the zert in the nipple hole and pump the load out with grease. You can do this with a hand pump like the ones used to grease riding lawn mowers. It will take more than one tube of grease to do the trick and then you have to figure out what to do with the spent grease; let along a massive cleanup job on your gun.

For all that trouble the CO2 discharger is definately the way to go. Don't tell anybody but I speak from personal experience.

Good luck

[raktrakr]

i dont think the gun is more than 15 yrs old, and i know for a fact that its loaded with 80 gr of pyrodex and 350 gr TC pre-lubed maxi-hunter bullets

[mossyhorns]

I don't think you're going to like what you find when you get inside. The pyrodex will be like a grey putty and will be eating away at the breech like termites. It is possible that the nipple is already sealed over. What kind of ML do you have? Is it an inline or side-hammer?

Also, if the gun hasn't been cleaned properly, the trigger and hammer mechanism could also be affected. Powder residue tends to corrode everything.

[Flintlock54]

I'm afraid mossyhorns is right on this one. I would think that Pyrodex is just sitting there like a lump of gray clay. Your main objective now is to get the load out of the gun. Hopefully, the gun is an in-line and all you have to do is unscrew the breech plug and push the load out. If it is a caplock or a flintlock you will have to use the CO2 discharger or pull the bullet using a ball puller. Those maxi's are a little harder that roundballs, I hope you can screw the puller in if you decide to go that route.

Once you have accomplished that job, your next concern is to give the gun a good scrubbing. Under these circumstances I would recommed you use a good brass bristle brush on your ramrod and get one that looks like a toothbrush to use on the lock and trigger assembly. Be careful around the inside of the lock because of the spring and other thingys that sometimes seem to have a mind of their own.

Check back if you need to ask some more.

Good Luck

[raktrakr]

it is a side-hammer and i dont know what brand it is,theres no name anywhere,it just says made in italy and its in perfect shape,no rust except around the tip of the nipple

[Flintlock54]

Take this gun to a compentent gunsmith (one that is fimilar with muzzleloaders) and have him check the gun carefully. Be sure to tell him the gun is loaded. Some (not all) of these older no name guns had pressed in breech plugs. I've seen more than one discharge the load out the back rather than the front. If you have got a threaded breech plug then you are OK except you do have a rust problem. Only a good gunsmith or someone that has seen a bunch will be able to tell if the gun has enough sidewall to be safe to shoot.

Good Luck

[raktrakr]

thanks alot for the info. ill check up on the gun smith thing

[bill myers]

Well, let me put my 2 cents worth in. I agree the best approach is the c02 discharger. That should work. Don't think it a purchase for a one time use because you will be able to use it for years to come. At the end of the day you can unload your gun without shooting it off and worrying about needing to clean it before the next day and you won't be nearly as tempted to put in in the truck loaded as we all know we shouldnt be doing. With that being said...next step if you dont get the discharger to work... I would remove the barrel from the gun always being careful where it is pointed (remember it is a loaded gun) then remove the nipple and submerge the barrel in oil and pour some down the barrel. This is to foul the powder charge to make it inert. Leave it like this for a day or so to make sure it is soaked. Pour the oil out and then use a bullet pullet to get it out. Pull straight slow and steady it may take a couple of attempts to get it out due to the puller coming loose from the bullet. Thread it again and repeat. oil is better than water because if you dont get it out it wont rust like it would with water

I could tell you a way to fire it off that I have been able to do a few times but it concerns me about the bullet being annealed to the barrel I didnt think lead could stick to steel like that but I am not an expert on it so I am not going to pursue that.

Bill Myers

[raktrakr]

i got the bullet out...i baught a puller and followed the dir. and submerged in hot water for 30 min. pulled easily and cleaned up nicely...thanks for all the input

[grassblade]

I know a guy that baught a Remington inline muzzleloader and left it loaded all year, he come out to the house a year later to see if it was still on and that thing hit dead center. But the thing is, he left it loaded a nother year and the powder ate the nipple and broke it off.