[351 WINCHESTER]

I'm getting ready for m/l season and I just discovered that I left my cva bobcat loaded from last season. I must have been in a hurry as my son killed his first buck with his cva that day. It is loaded with pyrodex and the bbl. is rusted. What are the chances the gun will fire as I've heard b/p draws moisture. Don't know if pyrodex does the same thing.

I've got to shoot it and clean it before Saturday. If I can find my bullet puller I'll try and get the bullet and powder out for a good cleaning.

Is this sound practice?

[Fisherman_48768]

Can't comment on pyrodex drawing moisture but I would assume that once the nipple has rusted shut combined with the properly lubed patch there should have been no moisture absorpution taking place after the initial 48 hrs of the gun being ruined. Pyrodex is just as much a rust forming compound when fired as is black powder. Might as well get yourself a new barrel and remember the lesson from first experience. :cuss:

[AntiqueCollector]

The rust should clean up. If it doesn't fire (wait, aiming it in a safe direction for a minute in this case) get the powder soaked (with water) through the nipple end and pull it and then clean it. Some solvent and a brush as needed should remove the rust.

[351 WINCHESTER]

Actually the rust isn't bad and the nipple is just fine. Do you really think the bbl. is ruined as when black powder ruled the earth I'm sure a lot of guns were not cleaned in a timely fashion and rusted? I wonder if they had to replace their bbls. half a dozen times a year? That could get expensive and time consuming. Just imagine all those mountain men having to make that long journey to their local smitty. No, I'm not worried about the rust. I'm sure I can get it all off with a little elbow grease as the rifling is very strong.

Heck, I might even kill a big old buck Saturday.

[GunTech]

Clean it and shoot it. They fired muskets that were loaded in the Civil War.

As long are there isn't any serious corroion, I'm betting it will shoot just fine. I've cleaned up a couple of cap and ball revolvers that had been left loaded for at least 50 years. They worked fine.

[Dave Markowitz]

Pyrodex is just as much a rust forming compound when fired as is black powder.

Actually, Pyrodex is worse.

[Schutzen]

First I would try firing it with a regular percusion cap. You may have to pull the nipple and dribble some fresh FFFG in the barrel, but it should work. If that does not work, I have seen one "old" muzzle loader unloaded with a "red hot paper clip". The barrel was removed from the stock and locked in a vise with the muzzle pointed in a safe direction. The red hot paper clip was held by pliers with a gloved hand and inserted into the nipple. Ka-boom! After you get it unloaded, clean it up good and shoot it.

[351 WINCHESTER]

Well, I fired it saturday. All that I did was clean the nipple and insert a primer. Bang first shot and hit my target. I have my doubts as to whether or not my knight inline would do the same thing though.

[mykeal]

I have my doubts as to whether or not my knight inline would do the same thing though.

Why?

[drdirk]

If it was stored in a dry room it should fire. It happens to me pretty much every year. I always somehow forget or don't bother to shoot it at the end of the season so it sits in my house for a year. I always take it to the range at the beginning of the season and usually it goes off. I can remember only once needing a second cap and try.

I guess I have been lucky but no rust either. Again, I try to keep it as dry as the humid air here will allow.

Happy shooting!

[Pancho]

At least you screwed up with no one looking. I'm known as Powder,Patch.Ball in our deercamp. I forgot the powder first thing and tried to quietly pull the ball with a bunch of guys milling around. I didn't get away with it. Good Lord! I've taken a lot of heat for that.