Live From The Woods 2017 edition!

[WNYBuckHunter]

1 hour ago, stubborn1VT said:

I had trouble one season.  I decided it was from taking the ML in and out of the warm truck.  I've had better luck keeping it in a hard case and only getting the cab warm enough to clear the windshield.  Who knows if it makes the difference.  My ML did fire all 3X I checked it this season.

A few year's back I tracked a buck for half a day in the snow.  Caught him as he moseyed up to a group of does.  I leaned off a pole maple at 35 yards and the cap popped.  They scattered.  I put a second cap on and blasted a stump, the walked back down the mountain and called it a day.  I've been there...

Ive had it happen before, my ML never came inside and doesnt go in the truck either. Condensation can happen just with the temperature swings we get this time of year.

[moog5050]

Sorry to hear it TF.  I leave the ML outside once I start hunting with it.  Just remove/replace the primer every hunt.

[BizCT]

1 hour ago, The_Real_TCIII said:

You can leave the powder and bullet in them with no cap, not considered loaded

Is this the typical approach. My Dad just got a ML for this year, but never hunted with it since he got his 2 bucks before the late season. However, if he was hunting I was under the impression he would be leaving nothing in each night. He gets mad at me if I leave my shotgun in the soft case overnight and don't let it breathe LOL

[WNYBuckHunter]

7 minutes ago, Biz-R-OWorld said:

Is this the typical approach. My Dad just got a ML for this year, but never hunted with it since he got his 2 bucks before the late season. However, if he was hunting I was under the impression he would be leaving nothing in each night. He gets mad at me if I leave my shotgun in the soft case overnight and don't let it breathe LOL

It is for me. As long as we dont get large temp swings, my powder and sabot stay in the gun for days on end, sometimes a week or more. After that Ill just pull the breech plug and push the load out of it, or if I feel like it, Ill just fire it to unload it. Speaking of which, I need to unload mine tonight and get it cleaned up and back in the safe.

[mlammerhirt]

My hail Mary will start around 3:30 in 9h.....gonna take a slow stroll down some grapes and hope they are hunkered down in there trying to stay out of the 25mph winds this afternoon!

Sent from my XT1254 using Tapatalk

[Doewhacker]

1 hour ago, Biz-R-OWorld said:

Is this the typical approach. My Dad just got a ML for this year, but never hunted with it since he got his 2 bucks before the late season. However, if he was hunting I was under the impression he would be leaving nothing in each night. He gets mad at me if I leave my shotgun in the soft case overnight and don't let it breathe LOL

Real Black powder is far more stable than triple 7 or any others aside from Blackhorn 209. I have left mine loaded for a year or more with real BP and never had an issue with it firing. I had a substitute powder once and it was useless after being stored in the house a few months.

[moog5050]

1 hour ago, Biz-R-OWorld said:

Is this the typical approach. My Dad just got a ML for this year, but never hunted with it since he got his 2 bucks before the late season. However, if he was hunting I was under the impression he would be leaving nothing in each night. He gets mad at me if I leave my shotgun in the soft case overnight and don't let it breathe LOL

Yes for me it is.

[JALA RUT]

Out of work and back on stand for the final sit of the season. The snow is almost all gone except for scattered patches and the wind is really cranking, but we'll see. 

[Zem18]

Well that's a wrap for me. Saw the 3 bucks this morning and that was it. The butcher shop is now open. One large doe is on the block. Listening to oldies on the radio and enjoying a beer. Damn good day!!!

Sent from my XT1635-01 using Tapatalk

[BizCT]

1 hour ago, WNYBuckHunter said:

It is for me. As long as we dont get large temp swings, my powder and sabot stay in the gun for days on end, sometimes a week or more. After that Ill just pull the breech plug and push the load out of it, or if I feel like it, Ill just fire it to unload it. Speaking of which, I need to unload mine tonight and get it cleaned up and back in the safe.

 

57 minutes ago, Doewhacker said:

Real Black powder is far more stable than triple 7 or any others aside from Blackhorn 209. I have left mine loaded for a year or more with real BP and never had an issue with it firing. I had a substitute powder once and it was useless after being stored in the house a few months.

 

51 minutes ago, moog5050 said:

Yes for me it is.

I guess my question for you guys is why? why not just fully load before each hunt? I'd probably kill myself if I had a misfire or no fire on a giant buck. Just not worth the risk to me I guess.

[moog5050]

Just now, Biz-R-OWorld said:

 

 

I guess my question for you guys is why? why not just fully load before each hunt? I'd probably kill myself if I had a misfire or no fire on a giant buck. Just not worth the risk to me I guess.

I use 209 and have never had a hang or misfire.  Its a bit of a pain to unload 209 loose powder - ends up being tossed and can make a mess.  So in it stays.  Again, never had an issue.

[Nomad]

My ML Knight MK 85, used 11 caps and loose powder  . I would hang it in my garage , till one day I decided to dump the powder , and it was one black wet mass .

After that I emptied it every night . 

Back to,the woods, I was going to,sit this afternoon as its warm, but to windy and muddy .

[First-light]

18 minutes ago, Zem18 said:

Well that's a wrap for me. Saw the 3 bucks this morning and that was it. The butcher shop is now open. One large doe is on the block. Listening to oldies on the radio and enjoying a beer. Damn good day!!!

Sent from my XT1635-01 using Tapatalk
 

Well done, enjoy it!

[Five Seasons]

4 minutes ago, Biz-R-OWorld said:

 

 

I guess my question for you guys is why? why not just fully load before each hunt? I'd probably kill myself if I had a misfire or no fire on a giant buck. Just not worth the risk to me I guess.

I've only tried to empty my cva once with the powder pellet still in it and it all crumbled all over and wasn't easy to empty. I consider ML season only 10 days, which usually means 3 or less days hunting, and typically not hunting in the rain.

I empty the gun with a shot at the end of the season. When i hunted ms it was a long ml season and even then i was ok with just general good care of the firearm. I know some guys tape their barrels. The only issue i ever had was reloading for a followup shot and having the primer pop but no boom. Found out that in my haste and excitement I didn't push the pellets all the way down so the spark didn't ignite. I had pushed till i felt it stop, but not the extra few inches needed. 

Highly recommend everyone mark their ramrods with the correct spot that both bullet and powder are in place. Which is what my dad had told me to do... but i never did. lol.

[WNYBuckHunter]

10 minutes ago, Biz-R-OWorld said:

 

 

I guess my question for you guys is why? why not just fully load before each hunt? I'd probably kill myself if I had a misfire or no fire on a giant buck. Just not worth the risk to me I guess.

I use Blackhorn 209, I dont have to worry about it as long as you pay attention to temperature fluctuations. Unloading a ML full of loose powder isnt easy without spilling all of the powder. I dont like wasting money.

One year I had a misfire on a nice buck. I was stunned, as I had loaded the ML that morning, and had the misfire in the evening. I was able to push the bad load out and reload in time to shoot the buck. What had happened was, it was one of those days where its was in the high 20s in the morning, jumped to 60+ degrees in the afternoon and then down to the lower 40s or upper 30s late in the afternoon.

Thats all a part of ML hunting.

[Five Seasons]

side note. i keep my powder in a humidity controlled safe. It's a few years old now. Does anyone buy new each year?

[moog5050]

1 minute ago, Belo said:

side note. i keep my powder in a humidity controlled safe. It's a few years old now. Does anyone buy new each year?

Been using the same stash for 4 years now without issue.

[Moho81]

4 hours ago, turkeyfeathers said:

Are you freaking kidding me ? Little 6 at 25 yards. Pop goes cap and no boom ! Wtf. Pulled plug. Ram rod out old crap.  Going well til ram rod hits stand platform   And he’s gone. Thought I’d have a chance to reload until clank.  Had hangfire second day of regular season.  Probably as brought gun in house. Gun has been in unheated detached garage   This season for me personally wasn’t meant to be. 

Look on the bright side TF, you're season was not a total waste. You got to be with Sam for her first harvest!!!! That's all you are going to remember about 2017 regardless of you shooting something or not. 

[Nomad]

3 minutes ago, Belo said:

side note. i keep my powder in a humidity controlled safe. It's a few years old now. Does anyone buy new each year?

Why buy a new safe each year ? 

[WNYBuckHunter]

7 minutes ago, Belo said:

side note. i keep my powder in a humidity controlled safe. It's a few years old now. Does anyone buy new each year?

I premeasure out the whole bottle of BH209 and put each load into Lanes Tubes. Sealed up, never have to worry about humidity.

[moog5050]

9 minutes ago, WNYBuckHunter said:

I use Blackhorn 209, I dont have to worry about it as long as you pay attention to temperature fluctuations. Unloading a ML full of loose powder isnt easy without spilling all of the powder. I dont like wasting money.

One year I had a misfire on a nice buck. I was stunned, as I had loaded the ML that morning, and had the misfire in the evening. I was able to push the bad load out and reload in time to shoot the buck. What had happened was, it was one of those days where its was in the high 20s in the morning, jumped to 60+ degrees in the afternoon and then down to the lower 40s or upper 30s late in the afternoon.

Thats all a part of ML hunting.

How long did you wait before pushing the bad load out.  I would be a bit hesitant with a possible hang fire.

[WNYBuckHunter]

Just now, moog5050 said:

How long did you wait before pushing the bad load out.  I would be a bit hesitant with a possible hang fire.

30 seconds or so while i stood there in disbelief lol

[Doewhacker]

22 minutes ago, Biz-R-OWorld said:

I guess my question for you guys is why? why not just fully load before each hunt? I'd probably kill myself if I had a misfire or no fire on a giant buck. Just not worth the risk to me I guess

My one ML has a sealed Breech so the only way to unload would be to either fire it or remove the bullet with a screw attachment which ruins the bullet.

[WNYBuckHunter]

BTW, I should add that the ramrod you use to load your ML is not long enough to push a load out of the breech. I used a Bic pen as an "extension".

[moog5050]

3 minutes ago, WNYBuckHunter said:

30 seconds or so while i stood there in disbelief lol

I guess you have to pull the breech plug and by the time you do that, it aint firing.