normal/safe for someone who only has a percussion rifle to keep loaded without the cap for home def?

[Tb54]

I have personally inspected a muzzle loader at a pawn shop that was loaded with powder and ball and no on knew it.

I don’t know how many I’ve found over the years in pawn shops like that.

 

[Grenadier1758]

Get a cartridge gun. Black powder will corrode your bore. And it wont take long. Nuff Said.

I do agree that a cartridge gun is a better choice. However, black powder is not corrosive. Black powder (and the substitutes) fouling is corrosive. Rifles and pistols have been loaded with black powder for long periods of times, from full hunting seasons to several months and even several years and the rifle still fired with no adverse effect on the bore. There are accounts of rifles loaded for a hundred years that still fired.

Lets put to rest the notion that unfired black powder is corrosive.

 

[GreenMtnHunter]

[QUOTE="Lets put to rest the notion that unfired black powder is corrosive.[/QUOTE]

Please, please, please! Holy cow! How does this mis-information persist? Reminds me of the poor souls who think the bullet will kill you if you throw a cartridge into a fire....

At the same time, I join those who wonder, "what might happen, if I leave my BP loaded? And something happens to incapacitate me; someone other than my wife or children finds a BP I have left with a load in the bore?" I only leave 'em loaded during a hunt season. If I have not fired a shot, then I hang my possibles bag with it. Odds are good the family won't all disappear on that day, and anyone who knows me will also be smarter than your average "dumpster diver"... no slight intended, just that was the last person I heard about who put fire to a BP barrel and did not live to tell about it...

 

[mingo]

Racking that 12 gauge just lets them know where you are.
OK for punks but not bad guys.
Using aBP gun for defense these days indicates disrespect for your own life.
If you have a family, well.....

 

[Carbon 6]

Racking that 12 gauge just lets them know where you are.

Exactly, but It makes for good Hollywood theatrics.
I don't worry about intruders, they have to worry about me, And I have all the advantages.
People believe too much television.

 

[Juice Jaws]

[QUOTE="Redstick Lee, .aside from the 4 proven kills, what is his record?[/QUOTE]

I would not want to face him and see if I could break his record.

 

[tenngun]

Get a cartridge gun. Black powder will corrode your bore. And it wont take long. Nuff Said.

It will only rust your bore if fired and not cleaned. I have several ml loaded around the house and cars that I shoot off clean and load every few months. I also have modren guns likewise loaded cleaned and exercised as needed. B/p by itself is not in any way corrosive. It’s the nasty residue after it burns thatunleashes the demon.

 

[bptactical]

Are you kidding me?
El Crackheado thug(s) coming into your house with ill intent is likely to be carrying a Glock or similar.
You want to deal with that with a single, double or six gun?
Not me.
The bedside persuader has 60 reasons @ 2600 fps to stay out of my home.
Your going to be blinded by a Streamlight first and if you persist, it gets real simple real fast.
In the real world if your in a life critical situation violence of action is the difference between life and death.

Understand this- the meanest, cruellest most vicious animal to ever walk the face of the earth is a human being intent on causing harm to others.

 

[Griz44Mag]

The bedside persuader has 60 reasons @ 2600 fps to stay out of my home.

Understand this- the meanest, cruellest most vicious animal to ever walk the face of the earth is a human being intent on causing harm to others.

If even a few of those 60 rounds at 2600fps just happens to miss, then you have doors and windows and kids and wife, dead neighbors to deal with. Sure you want to go that route? A shotgun blast which is ultra deadly at short range and not picky at all about being pointed exactly at the target in the dark becomes non-lethal after passing through even 1 wall of sheetrock, and across the street is just a good sprinkle. My KSG twin tubes holds 18-12ga rounds, will not kill the neighbor or wife in the next room, and will ALWAYS go bang.

 

[bptactical]

If even a few of those 60 rounds at 2600fps just happens to miss, then you have doors and windows and kids and wife, dead neighbors to deal with. Sure you want to go that route? A shotgun blast which is ultra deadly at short range and not picky at all about being pointed exactly at the target in the dark becomes non-lethal after passing through even 1 wall of sheetrock, and across the street is just a good sprinkle. My KSG twin tubes holds 18-12ga rounds, will not kill the neighbor or wife in the next room, and will ALWAYS go bang.

Your absolutely correct, overpenetration is a real concern.
2 words: Frangible Rounds.

While a shotty is a great home defense choice I want something that will be more maneuverable in the confines of my home but I want more stability and power than a handgun provides.

I will respectfully disagree with the shotty not being too picky at POA. In the confines of your average 12' room a shotgun regardless of what loading you are running is essentially going to be a single projectile round. You dont have the distance for a pattern to open up.

 

[Bo T]

A shotgun blast which is ultra deadly at short range and not picky at all about being pointed exactly at the target in the dark becomes non-lethal after passing through even 1 wall of sheetrock, and across the street is just a good sprinkle. My KSG twin tubes holds 18-12ga rounds, will not kill the neighbor or wife in the next room, and will ALWAYS go bang.

Have you tested your hypothesis on the effect of 1" of dry wall on the shot pattern out of a 12 ga at short range? My guess is that the pattern will still have a high enough density and velocity at @ 20 feet to still be quite deadly even after having passed through an inch of dry wall.

 

[tenngun]

A double coach gun .62 with a mix of buck and number four shot at 20 feet doesn’t care if there is smoke behind it or not.
Bad guys don’t want a shoot out, I on the other hand will shoot to kill. Whatever is closest modren or ml is what I’ll grab to shoot. . I doubt very much if it any shoot out would get to the reload phase.
However I am 61 almost 62. I stay away from places where crime and shootings are common. I had a knife wielding idiot try to rob me in the Philippines, I left him with a broken arm and no knife. It wasn’t fighting skills on my part. He was driving a motorcycle with a side car and offered me a ride to the base. He tried his stick up while driving. When he looked away to steer, I grabbed his arm and booke it on his knee. I grabbed his knife and rolled out of his side car.
I’ve had some unattended stuff stolen from me, but that was my only threat of violence. That was over forty years ago. I hope I never need a gun, and honestly doubt it will ever be needed.

 

[MaterielGeneral]

just curious, do people do this? is it safe/common/normal? obvoisuly without the caps cus that might be lil too dangerous, but without the caps for home defnese, it isnt hard to grab the caps and quickly put it on, but it will take sometime if nothing is loaded.

what do yall think of it?

There is some good pro and nay advice but its yours do with it as you like. Just be safe.

 

[Griz44Mag]

Your absolutely correct, overpenetration is a real concern.
2 words: Frangible Rounds.

While a shotty is a great home defense choice I want something that will be more maneuverable in the confines of my home but I want more stability and power than a handgun provides.

I will respectfully disagree with the shotty not being too picky at POA. In the confines of your average 12' room a shotgun regardless of what loading you are running is essentially going to be a single projectile round. You dont have the distance for a pattern to open up.

More maneuverable? My KSG is shorter than an AR pistol.... (Bull pup, literally less than 26" from heel to muzzle)
Like you mentioned, ammo is everything, 18" pattern 15' using MINIBUCK Law Enforcement ammo for the same reason law enforcement uses it in domestic breaching operations.
BUT - back to the original thread and BP used for home defense, something I would not consider. However reliable some here would think, it will never be as reliable as modern self defense firearms. To each their own, that's what makes this a free country (for now) until the tards in DC figure out how to disarm all of us.

A double coach gun .62 with a mix of buck and number four shot at 20 feet doesn’t care if there is smoke behind it or not.
I hope I never need a gun, and honestly doubt it will ever be needed.

We all hope that will be our experience, but for me in '72, it was sadly not. The burglar decide to burgle an occupied residence, (mine). The round hit low in the dark, the drug addict looking for his next fix got that fix in the hospital when they amputated his leg. Be ready no matter what. It CAN happen to anyone.
The incident in a parking lot in '92 took only a flash of the stainless Colt to end the attempt to rob by knifepoint. The cops caught him a few blocks away. Again, be ready, the world is getting meaner, and as we get older we become more enticing targets.

 

[XVIIc Wheelock]

"Racking that 12 gauge just lets them know where you are"....
Also lets them know you are THERE!

 

[bptactical]

I think one thing most people overlook- they may have a firearm (regardless of type) for home defense but they miss the fact that if somebody has gotten into the house to begin with, your security is a failure.
Home defense and personal security consists of layers of defense.
What do you have in place to prevent unwanted entry in the first place?
Do you keep indicators of valuables, wealth etc away from prying eyes?
Discretion goes a long way and too many people like to flaunt what they may have.
Do you have a plan in place with residents of your home in case of an intruder?
Your "bedside gun" is worthless if your in the kitchen, garage or basement.
The wife asked me once why I carry my daily carry piece at home.
"Well if a home invasion were to occur, don't you think home is the place it will happen?"

A bit of forethought, planning and preparation is far more critical and productive than your choice of HD firearm.

Stay safe

 

[Bo T]

Additionally, do your best to know the location of every friendly in your abode. Every load given in this thread could be deadly to others in adjacent or further rooms.

 

[arcticap]

A person could cap their muzzle loader when they go to bed and remove the cap after they wake up,
and keep the gun next to their bedside or under their bed while they sleep.
That's why they had those blanket guns in the old days, for quick and handy access if woken up during sleep.
Since the OP only has a muzzle loader, "A bird in the hand is worth 2 in the bush."

 

[THBailey]

This thread has certainly wandered off the Longhunter path, but the subject matter is valuable I believe. Just a couple of related thoughts.

You have defended your home, you and yours are safe, and the authorities are on the way. Your adrenaline load is off the scale. All the law enforcement knows as they arrive is there is a report of shooting and there may be casualties. They step into the house, look around, and reach an initial conclusion in a few seconds. At that moment I would rather look more like a dove and quail hunter who got lucky against the dead pukes than a Rambo wannabe. Could possibly make a difference on what the interaction with the criminal justice system will be. Ditto with the potential outcome of the civil action that might be brought by the grieving relatives of the dearly departed.

Also, if you have the time and wherewithal, dial 911 and just set the phone down. All the better if you can shout out something like "You have broken into my house, I want you to leave. I am armed and scared for my life. I will defend myself. Leave now, I do not want to have to shoot."

Again, just my 2 cents.

 

[bptactical]

This thread has certainly wandered off the Longhunter path, but the subject matter is valuable I believe. Just a couple of related thoughts.

You have defended your home, you and yours are safe, and the authorities are on the way. Your adrenaline load is off the scale. All the law enforcement knows as they arrive is there is a report of shooting and there may be casualties. They step into the house, look around, and reach an initial conclusion in a few seconds. At that moment I would rather look more like a dove and quail hunter who got lucky against the dead pukes than a Rambo wannabe. Could possibly make a difference on what the interaction with the criminal justice system will be. Ditto with the potential outcome of the civil action that might be brought by the grieving relatives of the dearly departed.

Also, if you have the time and wherewithal, dial 911 and just set the phone down. All the better if you can shout out something like "You have broken into my house, I want you to leave. I am armed and scared for my life. I will defend myself. Leave now, I do not want to have to shoot."

Again, just my 2 cents.

You have touched on a critical point. Your actions AFTER a critical incident are just as critical to your life as the action you took during the event.
Your life has just changed forever.
Do dial 911.
Identify yourself as the homeowner/resident.
Do say you were in fear for your life.
After that, shut up.
Be cooperative but do not divulge anything.
The police are not your allie, they are there to gather evidence to determine if:
A- A crime has been committed.
B- Gather evidence pertaining to the crime.
The DA will determine if sufficient evidence exists for you to be charged.

Let your attorney speak on your behalf.
You will be taken into custody.
You will be questioned.
It will cost serious money.