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Muzzleloader Hunting in the Rain (Video Included)

Wade's World Hunting: Black powder and moisture don’t mix. Wet powder won’t ignite, and many a deer hunter has been disappointed by a misfire on rainy or damp mornings.

However, there are steps that muzzleloaders can take to insure their firearms will go off when desired on those rainy days. Here are tips for “keeping your powder dry” and hunting with confidence that you will, indeed, get ignition and proper powder burn on those mornings when precipitation is falling.

• Make sure your rifle is thoroughly clean and the barrel is dry. 
• Load the charge at home before getting out in the weather. Start by popping a couple of caps in an unloaded muzzleloader with a ramrod with cleaning patch pushed to the end of the breech. Then check the patch for burn marks, indicating good fire coming through the breech hole. After doing this, load the charge (but do not cap the nipple).
• Cut a finger off a latex glove. Insert over the end of the barrel and tape in place to prevent moisture from entering the barrel.
• Keep the action/hammer covered by an oiled leather patch, a Zip-Loc bag, cling wrap or some other waterproof material to keep moisture from reaching the primer.
• If using a scope, keep scope covers in place or place damp circles of paper towel over lenses to prevent fogging. 
• Keep muzzleloader pointed down so water will run off without invading the firing mechanism or barrel.