three rounds with out blow tube

ironramrod · Post by **ironramrod** » Sat Nov 08, 2003 12:52 pm

Omaha,

As a matter of fact I do. About 30 years ago I was doing some field work when employed by ND Game and Fish. A really cold day; about -25 deg. Anyway a jackrabbit was sitting in his snow hole so I got out and shot him with my muzzleloader. I walked out to the dead rabbit, and while there decided to clean the barrel. About 15 seconds or so later I had the ramrod frozen solid into the barrel about 1/2 way down. Needless to say lots of stuff freezes up in this country at -20 to-30 deg. or colder. Back to the pickup and 15 minutes in the heat the ramrod lets go. Lesson#1--no water based bore cleaners for any reason whatsoever.

Fast forward to 2 years ago. Another cold day, but not as cold--only -10 deg this time. Anyway, I had a nice shot at a deer during the muzzleloader season that I thought was about 100 yards. Shot just under her, and over the hill she went. Then, another doe jumps up that I hadn't seen and stands just about where the 1st one was standing. I reached in my possible bag for my powder flask and the screw on top had come off and scattered 1/3 lb. of FFg everyplace you can imagine. Needless to say the whole program shuts down while I clean up the mess. Sure enough the deer is still standing there looking at me. Instant flashback to the frozen ramrod. My only thought was that it surely could have been worse.

Anyway, the windshield washer bore cleaner really does work good. If it gets colder than -20 or so I sometimes add about 1/3 isopropyl rubbing alcohol to the mix; you're good for -40 deg. then.

Also, you should have come to ND for buffalo hunt now; you wouldn't need dry ice at all for the meat. Last 3 days it has been below zero by sunrise each day. No wind yet, but that will be coming.

Regards

Ken Hartlein · Post by **Ken Hartlein** » Fri Nov 14, 2003 11:54 pm

Omaha is right, come on Ironramrod lets hear about the frozen rod!!

Ken Hartlein · Post by **Ken Hartlein** » Fri Nov 14, 2003 11:57 pm

Whoops, you were posting while I was typing!! Good storys, thanks.

Omaha Poke · Post by **Omaha Poke** » Sat Nov 15, 2003 7:39 pm

Iron ramrod, that is a great story, and I believe every word of it!!! I have hunted in West Yellowstone during an Elk cull hunt, and back in '62 when this took place, the ranger who was with us asked if anyone would like to see how cold it was. We all said yes, and he took a cup of coffee that he had just poured from his thermos and threw it high in the air. It was frozen droplets of coffee when it hit the ground. With Wind chill thrown in the temp was -58 degrees!!

When my dad and I came back to the jeep I went to get out a bananna or an orange to eat, and the bananna could be broken in two and the orange would have shattered if hit with a hammer. I have no problem believing your tale of the frozen cleaning rod. Good tale, Randy and thanks for sharing.