Muzzleloader hunting in the rain! (Advice Needed)

[Hunthigh1]

All,

I need to know every trick, and tip to keep my muzzleloader dry and ready to bang in wet conditions!

I am hunting muzzle loader elk season on the olympic peninsula this year. The land of ENDLESS rain. I was out in my area tagging along and calling for a buddy who has the archery tag this weekend and we were in elk like crazy! My odds of an encounter during the muzzy season seem very high. However, EVERYTHING was wet. I ruined my phone using ONX maps in the rain, both my boots are still wet three days later and i have a mountain of gear that is still drying. This is next level rain. The kind of rain you don't fully understand till you experience. It is going to be very very difficult to keep my setup dry.

I will be carrying a CVA opitma. Shooting 209 primers, 348 grain powerbelts, and 2 50 grain pellets of pyrodex.

My current plan is to use rubber finger cots and tape over the muzzle, and possibly some sort of cloth or wrap around the action while carrying.

I am considering carrying the gun in a rifle dry bag up until i am into animals or in a calling interaction. However, That will be a problem if i jump something unexpectedly. Is this enough? Should i discharge every day, clean the gun, and reload? or load once and seal as best i can? I will be hunting 3-5 consecutive days and camping in my truck at night.

Thanks for any suggestions.

 

[KrAnDo]

I hunt in in Idaho every year with a Muzzleloader. It might be a little odd but I buy a box of plastic palpating gloves. Like the plastic disposable gloves that go clear up your arm. Ranchers and vets use them to preg check cows. Get one of those gloves and slide it over your gun and then put a rubber band around the other end to seal the glove over the gun. That keeps all Moisture out and you can use it as base layer with other gun covers. Solo hunter sells one on black Ovis it is a lite gun cover that is like a stretchy one and you can pull it on/off pretty quick I found that it was not the best option when your hiking through snow especially with a lot of vegetation. With the glove and the cover it’s pretty good. For sure I would go with the gloves. Just remember if you are out side in the cold and bring it inside in the warm take glove off so you don’t get the Condensation.


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[Hunthigh1]

Sounds like my thoughts on a dry bag are on track.....

What about loading every day vs loading once and keeping it dry?

Relative humidity will be sky high.


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[KrAnDo]

Sounds like my thoughts on a dry bag are on track.....

What about loading every day vs loading once and keeping it dry?

Relative humidity will be sky high.


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I would load every day. For me I hunt in the snow and rain and cold weather and my muzzleloader is pretty exposed being Idaho legal. I’ve had condensation from leaving it wrapped up and trying to keep it dry. For me I look at it. I rely on having one shot if that shot is not 100% then I have put in all that effort for nothing. Some people leave it loaded some don’t. I think it’s a personal preference. I load mine everyday and I haven’t had misfire.

 

[rayporter]

to ease your mind slightly, take some 209 primers and put them in water when you practice. see how long they can be submerged before they fail.

 

[30338]

Take however many extra loads you are bringing along and use a vacuum sealer on about half of them. Other half going in doubled ziplocks. Have had great luck with the vacuum sealed loads being 100% weather proof. That is of course till you have to open them lol. But I found it worth doing.

Best of luck. Can't say as I really want to hunt in that stuff but if the elk are there should be fun.

 

[Couzklr]

In your wet conditions i would discharge every day

 

[Hunthigh1]

Take however many extra loads you are bringing along and use a vacuum sealer on about half of them. Other half going in doubled ziplocks. Have had great luck with the vacuum sealed loads being 100% weather proof. That is of course till you have to open them lol. But I found it worth doing.

Best of luck. Can't say as I really want to hunt in that stuff but if the elk are there should be fun.

Great idea. I dig it. Thanks


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[Austink47]

I think I saw him shokey wrap his muzzle loader in plastic wrap. Then just cut it off when it was go time.

 

[tntrker]

I've sat all day in a drizzle rain with a muzzleloader and just had Electrical tape over the barrel and primer crease. I always discharge my rifle at the end of each hunt. Never want to get in the habit of sometimes do sometimes don't and forget what I done last...

 

[SniperHunter]

keep your powder dry ! .....some people use a finger cot over the muzzle. if its going to be real heavy rain, i put vasoline around the 11cap.

 

[OXN939]

Load then place into dry bag while hunting. If you've got lots of opportunities, you should have a pretty good chance of coming into one that allows you the time to take your rifle out and get set up... I sure as hell would rather do that and know my rifle is almost guaranteed to go off than be prepared for those jump shots but be wondering what's going to happen when I pull the trigger

 

[Dualsight]

For light rain, and overall humid days, to keep moisture running down the barrel while carrying your rifle with a sling, a regular party balloon over the muzzle helps. It doesn’t interfere with accuracy and does not cause pressure hazards when firing. If there is a concern, the balloon is quick and easy to pull off prior to discharging. They are light to carry and do not require anything to help hold them in place.

 

[Hunthigh1]

Ok. Thanks all. So the plan is.
1. Finger cots/ballon electrical taped over the muzzle
2. Discharge at the end of every day
3. Carry the rifle in a dry bag while hunting.
4. Run a few dry patches before loading for the day.
4. When loading the rifle for the day do it in the cab of my truck to stay dry.
5. Vaccum seal extra loads before departure.

Can’t wait for the opener.


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[Wtwallin]

I've used electrical tape and keep the barrel pointed down but I hunt in the high and dry country of NM.

 

[tommynealy]

Plus one on the cow breeding sleeve and vacuum sealed loads


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[Researcher]

Could try something like this but your hunt is probably over.

https://barneyssports.com/product/watershed-torpedo-gun-case/

 

[GotDraw?]

LOVE that waterproof gun bag! Awesome find!
JL

Could try something like this but your hunt is probably over.

https://barneyssports.com/product/watershed-torpedo-gun-case/

 

[Hunthigh1]

Could try something like this but your hunt is probably over.

https://barneyssports.com/product/watershed-torpedo-gun-case/

I did end up with a gun dry bag like this. Slow to access but better than no fire. Thank you! Still hunting the late season that starts here in a couple weeks.


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[Jim Carr]

I used a solo hunter rifle cover this past season to cover my muzzeloader and it performed great and was able to unsheath it in a hurry when i needed it to take my bull.Most important thing to do is to change your musket caps regularly moisture in the air can ruin them a lot quicker then your powder.I let a freind use my muzzeloader in north idaho for a several days in December last year in wet conditions he used rifle cover. He loaded it the first morning and never shot it.He gave it back to me still loaded not sure why.I took it to the range to unload it fired nicely dead on.