thompson center 50 caliber left loaded from last year

[Peevee]

I just bought this rifle from a guy that left it loaded from last year. He said he was scared to try and unload it or shoot it.

I bought it from him cheap but now I'm not sure what to do with it. Should I try to fire it.

It's a inline model that uses 209 primers

[RED333]

You could try to pull the load, there are worm screw rods for this.

If it was mine I would strap it to a bench, use a string to pull the trigger.

Do ether at you own risk!

[bersaguy]

My son left his Hawkins fifty cal Smoke stove loaded for over a year. He said he took the nipple out and cleaned it and it took about four primers to get it to fire but he finally got it to fire without incident. Made sure he never did it again........

[Hozzie]

You should be able to fire it.  Powder doesn't become more explosive over time.  I would put a primer in it and let it fly.  If it was damp at all it may not fire and be careful of a hang fire, but if it has been in a dry area, I don't think anything bad will happen.

 

I did not stay at a Holiday Inn Express, so do so at your own peril, but seriously, I would probably just shoot it.

Edited September 22, 2013 by Hozzie

[1gewehr]

Unless he double- or triple-loaded it, I wouldn't worry about it.  Modern steels are fully capable of handling much heavier pressures than black powder or black powder substitutes can produce without filling the barrel with lead.

[enfield]

Personally, since I didn't load the rifle I don't know how it's loaded or with what.  I'd pull the load.

[Sidinman]

I'm with enfield on this one. If I had loaded it and left it I would just fire it. I've left a BP revolver loaded from last year, its has been in the safe since. I pulled it out a couple weeks ago and all cylinders fired no problem.

[dats82]

The only concern I would have is if he was an idiot and loaded it with a powder that would be unacceptable to use in a black powder rifle, like modern or smokeless powder.  I have shot guns that I had left loaded for close to two years without worry, but I knew with which powder they were loaded. 

[bersaguy]

If your not sure just call the guy you bought the gun from and ask him how it was loaded and how much powder was used and brand. If loaded with normal stuff I would shoot it..........jmho

[jphillips63]

I just fired this weekend one of my black powders that had a charge left in it for damn I'd say 5 Yrs if not longer and all was fine.

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[gregintenn]

I've fired mine after being loaded for a year, and probably for two-three years with no problem. Sometimes you need to remove the nipple and put a bit of powder in the hole and reinstall the nipple before you can get it to fire.

 

Unless I suspected he loaded it with smokeless powder, I'd probably shoot it. If I wasn't comfortable with that, I'd pull the bullet. If you don't have a bullet puller, you should buy one assuming you are going to keep the muzzleloader. You'll need it sooner or later.

[stillstanding669]

Just fired mine Saturday which had been loaded for hunting last year. Two caps, but it fired and now for the cleaning I should have done last year!

[DaveS]

I have left mine loaded for extended periods of time and have shot them just fine. The powder and ball doesn't know if it's loaded 2 minutes or 2 years. You should be fine.

 

DaveS

[Rick45Colt]

Since it is a TC Inline can you not just remove the breech plug?


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[Peevee]

I am new to the inline models. It does have a breech plug. The guy I got it from said his son left it loaded and not sure what it's loaded with.

I think I will try to pull it out. I might try the string on a bench too.

[thundersnow]

The old civil war era ones used to be cleaned out with warm soap and water. Not sure if that would get around a patch and a ball though. How about an air compressor to blow it out? Seems safer than ignition...

[Peevee]

it's a plastic coated sabot style bullet in it

[R_Bert]

I am new to the inline models. It does have a breech plug. The guy I got it from said his son left it loaded and not sure what it's loaded with.

I think I will try to pull it out. I might try the string on a bench too.

 

If it has the breech plug, then pull the plug out and shove the rest out the back end with the ram-rod/jag.  That's what I do on my T/C Encore ML.

 

Blow the crumbs / powder out with an air hose, then wash & clean as normal (it probably needs it anyway).

Edited September 24, 2013 by R_Bert

[Classic WBY]

I believe everyone has left a m/l loaded either on purpose or accidently.    Not a good practice eithe way.   I own 3-4 TC muzzleloaders and if you have the model name I may be of some help.  Some older inlines did not have a removable breech plug......  If the entire breech opens and you have access clean it out form the back and take a fiberglass or aluminum rod and tap it out ...using a hammer and light taps...till it falls out in the breech area.   If it doesnt have a removable plug.....use a bullet puller .  I didnt read all 17 replies  , so if anyone gave you the same advise........thanks to them...

[Sunfish]

If I decided to fire it I would place the butt end in an old truck tire and use a long string. Loaded with a sabot it shouldn't be to hard to pull either. It's yours

[MacGyver]

Hopefully between 2013 and now he's gotten this squared away...

[GlockSpock]

Hopefully between 2013 and now he's gotten this squared away...

Yeah...but he also hasn't posted anywhere since 2013!


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[Omega]

19 minutes ago, CZ9MM said:

 

 

Yeah...but he also hasn't posted anywhere since 2013!


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In that case, I wonder if he decided to fire it

[GlockSpock]

54 minutes ago, Omega said:

In that case, I wonder if he decided to fire it

Never-mind. Tapatalk was being dumb and it turns out he's still active.