noob question: reloading w/o cleaning...will it go off?

[john keyes]

can I be pretty sure the fresh powder charge will NOT be ignited if I don't clean after every shot? 

[kyelkhunter3006]

Well, given Murphy's Law, anything is possible.  But, having said that, when I am practicing reloading for hunting season, I never clean/swab between shots.  Yes, 9 times out of 10, you'll get the best accuracy if you swab the barrel between shots, but if I have to get a 2nd shot off quickly for some reason, I'm not going to try to clean it first.  I practice getting the shot off with good form, than I reload as fast as possible, get another good shot off, then reloading again as fast as possible. 

Of course, if I miss the first two shots, the 3rd reload is just in case something hears the noise and decides to check it out!     I've shot two deer that walked out of the woods right after by buddy shot his gun, one of them came barreling down the hill and stopped about 25ft away from me and just stared at me.

[30-06man]

Most likely unless the breach plug is really dirty and the charge can't clear itself and get to the power which isn't a problem with 209 primers. #11 caps might have this problem which can result in hangfire.

[john keyes]

30-06 man, I'm sorry, I meant will the hot barrel ignite the fresh powder charge at a very bad time, like when I'm pressing a bullet down the barrel, ie do I have to worry about getting killed because I didn't quench the last shot with a wet swab.

[30-06man]

No I wouldn't worry about that. The reason for swabbing between shots it is to clean the barrel of some residue for a easier and more accurate shot in most cases and in some such as the the #11 primers to get a better ignition. I haven't heard of that and the barrel wouldn't get that hot.

[Buckskins & Black Powder]

Theres always the possibility of a smoldering Ember inside the bore, Im sure the powder would puff as soon as you started to pour it down. Theres always something that could go wrong that no one would even expect.

[Keith Lewis]

I have heard this same situation discussed before and as far as I can remember no body has ever had this happen but I suppose there is a slim possiblity. As stated the powder would likely ignite before any bullet was added and it might be a little unnerving but I doubt that any serious injury would result. By the time the bullet is added any possible ignition should have already happened if it is going to. Personally I do not worry about it when hunting; speed is of prime importance as I hunt elk by myself and do not want them going very far from where I first shoot them which sometimes means a fast second shot.

[30-06man]

Theres always the possibility of a smoldering Ember inside the bore, Im sure the powder would puff as soon as you started to pour it down. Theres always something that could go wrong that no one would even expect.

By the time you got ready to reload it is most likely to be out due to lack of Oxygen because of all of the gas produced. It takes a bunch to ignite the power and I have tested it. It took about 5 seconds from a lighter to ignite 50grains of T7. I would be more worried about a hangfire than this. For example forgeting you have put the primer in and when you pull the trigger you get nothing so you take the rifle down and open the action then it goes off.

[alsaqr]

In 1997 I was in a gun shop in WV.   There was a guy who was missing a few fingers who claimed that the gun went off while he was ramming the bullet.  The guy always put a new cap on the gun and cocked the hammer before he re-loaded.  According to witnesses the hammer dropped while the the gun was being loaded.  Bad habits can get one killed. 

[30-06man]

In 1997 I was in a gun shop in WV.   There was a guy who was missing a few fingers who claimed that the gun went off while he was ramming the bullet.  The guy always put a new cap on the gun and cocked the hammer before he re-loaded.  According to witnesses the hammer dropped while the the gun was being loaded.  Bad habits can get one killed. 

That's just stupid and it sounds like he had no common sense. He's lucky he only lost a few fingers.

[AndyHass]

Theres always the possibility of a smoldering Ember inside the bore, Im sure the powder would puff as soon as you started to pour it down. Theres always something that could go wrong that no one would even expect.

By the time you got ready to reload it is most likely to be out due to lack of Oxygen because of all of the gas produced. It takes a bunch to ignite the power and I have tested it. It took about 5 seconds from a lighter to ignite 50grains of T7. I would be more worried about a hangfire than this. For example forgeting you have put the primer in and when you pull the trigger you get nothing so you take the rifle down and open the action then it goes off.

FYI powder does not need oxygen to burn.  All gunpowder contains its own oxidant.  In real blackpowder, potassium nitrate accomplishes this.  Hangfires usually result from some sort of obstruction, like powder residue, disrupting the straight shot between the first powder kernels to ignite and the main charge.

You could conceivably get an ember of carbon still smoldering after all the oxidant has been used up but I have never had a problem.