Unloading Muzzleloader?

[skeeter1]

For those on the fence do as you may, I choose to unload mine in the field from my own safety standopoint. I know for certain if the is nothing in the barrel in my home, there is nothing coming out of the barrel in my home (except for a beam of light when I clean it).

[Mr.remington]

A few year ago I was stopped by a co. I had my flintlock in a sock on the front seat with me, he asked if it was loaded and I told him that there was a charge in the breach but no powder in the pan. That was good enough for him.

[Mr.remington]

I remove the breach plug and push the ball out with the ram rod.

[bogey63]

I use BH209 and Hornady SST's. The loose powder makes a mess in my plug threads and the sabot is compressed from the rifling. It makes less mess to shoot it out. You can't trust a sabot with rifling marks. If I go to practice, I don't want something that has been loaded before which could hit differently making me question what is happening. If you load pellets, chances are that they will have bits broken off with a firm bullet seating. Go away from your hunting area and fire it into the ground before putting in your vehicle.
I have seen the unloaders that screw into nipple threads and use CO2 cartridges but not for 209 primer pockets.

If you reload/reuse a sabot and use a light you can see light around it, I blame it (my story) for missing a moose.

[ET1]

Bogey63

All sabots for ml will not seal the bore and traces of light can be seen between sabot and bore. Only when the base cup of the sabot flares from developing pressure will it seal the bore. The load should be protected from water damage in rain and wet snow with a muzzle covering.
As for reusing an unfired sabot it can be orientated so the original rifling impressions are not used. Of course for the cost it is more prudent not to use a sabot that has been previously shoved into a bore.

Surprisingly there is more to know about muzzle loading than using a CF cartridge.


Ed