Leave Muzzleloader Loaded?

[Izzak5th]

Will leaving a muzzleloading pistol loaded with just a powder charge harm the cylinder no ball loaded? I have elk and deer destroying my garden and fruit trees. By the time I get a powder charge loaded to scare them off they are gone ....

 

[necchi]

Nope.
As long as you keep it dry,, away from high moisture areas your golden.
Best clean it good after shooting though,, it's the powder residue after shooting that picks up moisture easy and turns into the nasty rust maker.

 

[Rifleman1776]

BP is hygroscopic

BP is an inert chemical mixture. It does not compound until ignition.
The residue of burnt bp is hygroscopic. A rifle/pistol not completely cleaned will attract moisture and make a mess.
When I was hunting I would clean my rifle before loading even though I had cleaned it after it's last use. I would make sure the bore was dry then load. After loading (not all will agree with this) I ran a patch down to the ball that was soaked with WD-40. I once left a rifle in this condition for two years and it fired first spark. And, yes, it was a flintlock and I did not seal the touchhole.

 

[dledinger]

Add me to the camp that's left them loaded a long time. I always have a revolver loaded handy for snake control. Never had a single issue. I don't pop caps before loading when I intend to keep it loaded. I just blast the cylinders with carb cleaner so any residual oil doesn't contaminate the caps. It evaporates before I walk back to the bench. The only time I've had it not shoot was when I used a cap that the priming compound had fallen out of. The other 5 shot just fine.

As far as WD40...I was always of the school that kept it far away from guns. Reading Dutch's material made me a very quick convert. It works. Cleaning with moose milk and WD40 not only works better for me, but it is substantially faster.

 

[tenngun]

I have several loaded right now around me. My flinters hanging on wall have touch hole plugged with a quill

 

[Billnpatti]

Will leaving a muzzleloading pistol loaded with just a powder charge harm the cylinder no ball loaded? I have elk and deer destroying my garden and fruit trees. By the time I get a powder charge loaded to scare them off they are gone ....

While I agree that leaving a revolver loaded will do it no harm, my personal choice is to leave them unloaded and clean as a hound's tooth. If I need a gun for practical purposes such as self protection or protection of my property from predators, I use one of my many centerfire arms. While black powder weapons will certainly do the job, my choice for these duties is one of my centerfire weapons. Different strokes for different folks. :hatsoff:

BTW, When I lived in Indiana, we had a big garden and the first year, I lost all of my beans and many of my other plants to deer. My solution was to put up an electric fence. The first few days after putting up the fence, I found obvious evidence that the deer had found the fence and had decided to go elsewhere for their meals. The first wire was about 3 feet off the ground but I later had to put up a second wire about foot off the ground to keep the coons out of my corn. Problem solved. Electric fences are not that expensive, a charger, a roll of wire and a few fiberglass posts and your garden and orchard will be preditor free. It pays for itself pretty quickly in the amount of produce that is saved.

 

[Kansas Jake]

I probably wouldn't leave loose powder loaded without a felt wad or paper wad over the powder for a blank charge. I would still point the gun in a safe direction when firing.

I've also read stringing fish line on posts around a garden will help keep them out. Especially at dusk or at night they don't see it and won't walk through it. That might be a safe cheap alternative to try instead of a electric fence.

 

[BrownBear]

I did a little experiment over the last couple of years. Left a SXS loaded (Goex 1f/Type A hard card, fiber wad with olive oil/shot/overshot card) for 2 years. Also left a 50 cal Lyman GPR capper loaded (Goex 2f, PRB lubed with TOW mink tallow) for 2 years. Both guns had the nipples covered with oiled/waxed leather and the hammers lowered. Both were stowed indoors with stable temps.

Shotgun said BOOM BOOM and the Lyman said BOOM. Just as if I'd loaded them 5 minutes before.

 

[hanshi]

Back when I was a sprout, the only handgun I had was a Remmy 1858 c&b. So I kept it loaded and on the bedside table. It even got sprinkled once when I didn't close the window quick enough. Nearly a year later I fired all the charges, without any problems, cleaned it and it was still fine.

 

[Izzak5th]

THANK YOU For all the replies
Izzak

 

[robinsroost]

I have always loaded the rifle, I intend to use, the night before opening day. That rifle stays charged until I shoot it, and if not fired at a buck, until the next time I go to the range. I have not had any fail to fires because of being left loaded.........robin :hmm:

 

[azmntman]

Back when I was a sprout, the only handgun I had was a Remmy 1858 c&b. So I kept it loaded and on the bedside table. It even got sprinkled once when I didn't close the window quick enough. Nearly a year later I fired all the charges, without any problems, cleaned it and it was still fine.

I left a bluntline ss revolver loaded a year or so. Wasn't good, went psssst pop. 10-20 yds max on all 6 cylinders. My issue was I had smeared a ton of bore butter as lube and it made its way to the powder (and ALL OVER the holster). Rifles left loaded have went bang every time. Have yet to leave a revolver loaded again though if/when Fleshto's buddy makes me a nipple (he has it now) I will likely load up my 1849 as a test and see how it does after a few months. Not a high powered carry but if the ol bear wants to bite me I plan to stick t in his mouth and shoot! :hmm: :surrender: :shocked2:

 

[Flintlock]

Might be a little exciting when one charge set's off the other chambers. Are you using a felt or wax wad too hold the powder in place.

 

[azmntman]

If yer replying to me no I do not "usually" use buttons, I have but don't seem to get enough additional accuracy to justify the additional step/cost (don't yet make my own wads or felt stuff). Have had but one chain fire in my 35 years or so of fun. I believe it was caps falling off though, all my balls cut rings. Not sure how the bore butter got down there but it sure did!

 

[dledinger]

Mine are always well greased when loaded and no issues. Beeswax and Crisco seems to hold up even in the Carolina sun.

 

[wulf]

An unloaded gun is like a flat tire...you still
have a tire.....but it is useless.

 

[nkbj]

When living in the jungles of SE Texas there was a CVA fifty behind the door. Later a fifty smoothbore. Nowadays the biggest threat is at least four baby bunnies that run in circles chasing each other, get hungry, go right through the wire and chomp on anything young, green and tender. Maybell the wonder cat has decided they're too much fun to watch... no help there. If the coyotes show back up then yeah, once again something will stand behind the door. The deer I have under control with re-mesh wire barriers that are easily movable for mowing and weeding.

 

[19 16 6]

By the time I get a powder charge loaded to scare them off they are gone ....

Errm, It seems like pointing out the obvious, but they are already scared off.
I would load a ball on top of that powder & scare them right off through the head & into the freezer.
One of my old bosses used to say, "The only one who doesn't eat fruit is the dead one.
Said about another species, but however, a good observation.
O.

 

[hanshi]

Where I use to live the yard seemed to attract large "flocks" of bunnies. I've never seen them scatter like they did one day when a hawk lit in a pecan tree.

 

[Preflint]

An unloaded gun is like a flat tire...you still
have a tire.....but it is useless.

An unloaded gun is not useless, just not as usefull.

Knew a deputy that got a broken jaw and some teeth knocked out when he got hit in the face with a rifle stock.