Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Muzzleloaders How many extra loads do you carry when hunting?

My brother was hunting in PENN rifle season many years ago and heard a shot close by. He heard a guy cursing and walked over to see what was going on. The guy had knocked a pretty good size buck down and it was still alive and he had a spent shell stuck in the chamber. My brother offered him his pocket knife and he got the shell out, chambered another round and finished the deer off. He said the whole incident lasted less than a minute if that, and my brother said it never occurred to him to offer to let him use his gun to finish the deer off. it turned out the guy knew my dad and dropped off a case of beer later that night for my brother.

Well, my little story ended with a head shot from the .38 snubby on my belt. Put the red laser dot on her punkin' and POW!

I carry 3. One time I needed all 3 made me more careful on the last shot.
I have needed one of the quickloads a couple of times. I always reload after shooting and refill the quickload after the hunt.

I carry 3 extra speedloaders plus some extra 209 primers.

BTW, the three speed loaders for my inline have 209 primer holders built into themselves, I carry the 209 primer for the loaded rifle bone dry under the Butler Creek flip up rain cap on the front of the scope, the soft aluminum cap material will not scratch the glass, a simple opening of the BC cap to retrieve the 209 cap when time to enter the woods has always been handy for me, don't kill, fingernail the cap back off the rifle, put back inside raincap and head in.

My ML hunting is with a flintlock.

I carry three premeasured charges in tubes and then 3 patched balls in a loading block, plus the shot in the gun. When I'm hunting the farm country around home, that's all I carry for reloads. I do generally keep powder/balls/patches somewhere in the truck or otherwise somewhere I can get to if I need them semi-readily.

When I go into bigger woods and places where I can't or won't be back to the truck all day, I'll carry the same tubes/loading block, but then also a horn with a measure, a shot bag with a handful of round balls, and a baggie with some precut, prelubed patches. That lets me restock my reloads as needed. I usually have a small backpack or similar with me then and put that stuff in there. I don't need it in a hurry, I just need it if I blow through my reloads.

For supplies, I carry spare flints, and brass hammer/turnscrew that will let me service the gun and sharpen the flint, a ball puller, a few patches, and some alcohol wipes. I usually have a cow's knee stowed somewhere, too, just in case it's needed....and with a flintlock, when you need a cow's knee, you need one.

I carry a back pack when hunting with the in-line. Have a plastic case that will hold 20 measured blackhorn premeasured tubes. It usually has just what ever left after checking zero on gun. I think I had 14 in when I started. Same with bullets, just a baggie with 8-10 left from pkg.

Four or five, with more back at camp. Once, I was hunting in VA with an open-sighted Hawken loaded with PRBs and a turkey flew up in a tree, right at the edge of my range. I was standing behind a big pine, took a rest on the side of the tree and cut loose, clean miss.

The turkey just stuck his head up and looked around but didn't see me. So I re-loaded and shot again, same result. IIRC, I was reloading for a third shot when one of the guys down at the cabin came up to see what was going on and spooked the bird. If he hadn't done that I'd probably still be shooting....

For me, when I actually ML hunt anymore, it's the 1/4 pound capacity horn buckled to the straps of my shooting bag (in lieu of the 3/4 pound horn used at "rifle frolics"), a handful of balls and pre-cut pre-lubed patches, and a couple spare flints (or a Ted Cash capper as the case may be- the one I've been using for nigh on 40 years now) and the brass powder measure. The bag is a double bag with compartments for each necessity, and after decades of use and many shots loaded from it, my hand dives unerringly into it for what I need- a reload is accomplished very fast. I could do it blindfolded.

The only time I resorted to pre-measured loads was when I carried an 1861 Springfield (original) or a repro .577 Enfield (Parker-Hale)- in which case it was a minie ball and 60 grains FFFg in a historically accurate paper cartridge.

I usually have a loading block on a piece of braided twine or buckskin around my neck. They have 5 holes drilled thru em. 5 greased-patched round balls. Antler or brass powder charger hanging off powder horn. I seat ball with my wiping stick, prime and go!

I carry a hunting pouch too! I take my time. I’ve learned that if you have time for a second shot, take your time and reload. Besides you don’t wanna walk up on a "dead" critter with an empty gun!

Unless to are going to dispatch em with your hirschfanger! 😉. That can get sporty!

I carry 3 speed loaders for my renegade, plus more supplies back in camp.

Our old buddy Sharpsguy showed me that patched round ball carrier he has, pretty damn handy setup I must say.

I always have 5 tubes with premeasured loads ready to go. As mentioned before, one in a pocket with the bullet starter and the rest in a ziploc stashed away in the pack.

Loading blocks are great. I have a 3-hole loading block for my 62 rifle. Same for my 16ga fowler (648 cal ball).

For my 36 rifle (squirrels), I have an 8-hole block. My change in process till next season is patch cutting at the muzzle. You cut them on the block like it's a muzzle, but then I can carry a pre-lubed strip of fabric and if I empty my loading block, I still can carry a shot bag of round balls and start one on the strip of patch material, cut, load, continue. Beats the heck outta hand cutting patches all the time, I know that much!

I’ve always either cut patches at the muzzle or on the block too. But a while back I made a patch cutter that works for my 50 & 54 cal rifles out of a hole saw that works great on my drill press. Not something I really needed, was just bored and in the mood to make something. LOL! I carry prelubed precut patches and also dry strip of patch material in my pouch. But i seriously doubt I’ll run short of patching while afield.

Still use dry and pre lubed strip in my .40. Been using assorted wadding and such in my smoothies.

three

Hunt not too far from vehicle.
( Within a mile, usually half that- park central location ).
Loaded gun w three speedloaders. And more stuff in truck.

2

5 reloads.

Dang, you guys will be shooting squirrels and deer while I rummaging around in my bag trying to get my rifle re-loaded!