Truck Gun?

[Walkabout]

What do you think about one of those cheap brass framed "Navy" .44s being kept in the truck? Maybe for impromptu shooting sessions or whatever. How long would the powder stay good over time, under various weather conditions? Thanks

 

[rafterob]

As long as you want. I would not recommend having it capped.

 

[TDM]

The powder (BP) will last a lot longer than you need it too.

 

[64Springer]

Assuming you're not trying to skirt your local handgun laws, I think the powder would be fine. But useless for "Whatever" if uncapped.

If you ARE trying to skirt local firearm laws, many jurisdictions treat Cap n Ball revolvers no differently than a modern handgun.

If the handgun accepts gun powder and a projectile, and goes BOOM, it's a loaded handgun and therefor illegal.

Regardless of whether the ATF considers it a "Firearm" or not.

 

[Dale Allen Raby]

While I can understand wanting to have a gun handy for whatever reason, a brass-framed percussion revolver is a poor choice for defensive use... the only reason you might want to store one loaded. I'd suggest putting it in a case unloaded and keep a small possibles bag with you that has all the accoutrements you might need.

In answer to the question(s) you actually asked... well, many here maintain that a loaded percussion revolver can be loaded indefinitely and still fire. Honestly, this hasn't been my experience. A few cycles of warm and cold with some condensation could quite easily mess with ignition. Even at best, inexpensive reproduction percussion revolvers are not all that reliable, that is one of the reasons cartridge revolvers came to be. Bill Hickok reportedly carried cap & ball revolvers regularly, but fired them and cleaned them before loading them again for the next day. I keep my percussion guns on the wall until I want to shoot them, then I load them.

I suggest the same for you, but this is still Amerika (misspelling intentional), sort of, for the moment anyways. You do what you want.

 

[SOLANCO]

"whatever" covers an awful lot of ground. I would not trust 1850's tech to cover whatever in 2023. Neither would I store it in a truck. My gun for whatever is in a secure holster on my person. You don't want to come out of the diner or the movies and see your truck broken into and have to tell the police a firearm is missing.
Get a CCP if whatever is a worry. What was that advertisement that used to say: Don't leave home without it?
Used to be you could leave your truck unattended with long guns visible in the rack at the rear window. For virtually everywhere those days are gone.

 

[springfield art]

As long as you want. I would not recommend having it capped.

Without capping, it'd be safer but the powder would absorb moisture, then what? Maybe keep cylinder separate from pistol? Sealed in a container?

 

[sheriff john]

For every pot, there's a lid, and individual circumstances always dictate what's a good idea and what's not. Regardless of federal "it's not a firearm" designation, they are still deadly weapons everywhere and local law prevails.
If a person is, for example, legally enjoined from possessing a modern firearm but permitted to possess a C&B revolver - it may be the only option and better than bear spray for personal defense.

 

[bud in pa]

I think that wax over the ball and drip candle wax over the cap should moisture proof it,

 

[mushka]

My truck gun is not and will not be a BP gun.

 

[Edm]

My problem with keeping a loaded BP gun in a vehicle is static electricity. Like when you grab it and the shock goes between the gun and you. I know it’s rare, but it has caused fires at gas stations. Would not be unheard of for it to cause a cap to pop.

Maybe that’s just an urban legend but I’ve alsways felt that way

 

[Stantheman86]

I just got done shooting 2 of my .44 Pietta Brassers , they are what I use when I want to get outside, get some air and blow some smoke without worrying about an expensive gun . I won't even get to clean them until later tonight, oh well they'll be fine

I'd have no problem leaving one in my car but I don't often get to fit in a random shooting session

If someone stole it out of my car then I'd be out a $250 brasser that I can just replace and I guess I just put a piece of 1850s weapons tech on the streets that the thief would have to search for components to even load . Anyone above 18 can buy one at a Cabelas so I wouldn't feel like I'm endangering lives by keeping a cap and baller locked in my car

I've kept a pair of loaded cap and ballers in my car in flap holsters on a belt just as weird, fun "to and from work guns" since my job has a secure parking lot, and we're allowed to keep guns in the car......but I also had something like my Glock .380 in my waistband that goes into a "car safe" lock box. I'd usually blow the rounds off out of the cap and ballers on my next range day.

.44 Brassers are like the all-rounder Hero of the blackpowder gun world. You can shoot em with whatever BP or sub you have handy and you don't have to obsess over keeping them showroom new

 

[Walkabout]

Assuming you're not trying to skirt your local handgun laws, I think the powder would be fine. But useless for "Whatever" if uncapped.

If you ARE trying to skirt local firearm laws, many jurisdictions treat Cap n Ball revolvers no differently than a modern handgun.

If the handgun accepts gun powder and a projectile, and go BOOM, it's a loaded handgun and therefor illegal.

Regardless of whether the ATF considers it a "Firearm" or not.

No, I'm not trying to skirt any laws. Maybe you could keep it uncapped or cylinder removed.

If someone stole it out of my car then I'd be out a $250 brasser that I can just replace and I guess I just put a piece of 1850s weapons tech on the streets that the thief would have to search for components to even load . Anyone above 18 can buy one at a Cabelas so I wouldn't feel like I'm endangering lives by keeping a cap and baller locked in my car

That was part of my thinking.

 

[Stantheman86]

No, I'm not trying to skirt any laws. Maybe you could keep it uncapped or cylinder removed.

That was part of my thinking.

If it's uncapped it's legally unloaded but now the chamber isn't "sealed" by the cap. And subject to moisture from the air, etc

 

[Tom A Hawk]

"What ever" may imply defense use and if that is in mind I would say 19th century technology would be a very bad choice. My truck gun was designed in 1911.

 

[SOLANCO]

In my view it is a very simple thing. The more vital the task the more important it is to use the best tool. Faced with a miscreant with a modern firearm I will take anything I can get my hands on. But I would much prefer a
modern firearm to a c+b revolver. Let alone to a club.
I have a CCP. I do not carry a BP ML firearm day in day out for self defense. But I do carry something lethal.
Likely, you carry a cel phone. In an emergency do you hie off to the Western Union office and send a telegram?

 

[Walkabout]

"What ever" may imply defense use and if that is in mind I would say 19th century technology would be a very bad choice. My truck gun was designed in 1911.

"Whatever " doesn't include personal defense, I have no interest in that.

 

[TDM]

"Whatever " doesn't include personal defense, I have no interest in that.

Glad you clarified that.

 

[Grenadier1758]

My problem with keeping a loaded BP gun in a vehicle is static electricity. Like when you grab it and the shock goes between the gun and you. I know it’s rare, but it has caused fires at gas stations. Would not be unheard of for it to cause a cap to pop.

Maybe that’s just an urban legend but I’ve alsways felt that way

Ignition from that level of static spark is an urban legend. Check out the linked thread in the quote below.

There is a significant difference between the electrical static spark and the sparks derived from tiny pieces of burning steel that a flint will scrape off the frizzen or a fire steel. There is no heat in the tiny electrical sparks, so they can't set off black powder. In the cases I have read about where sparks were identified as the cause of a fire or explosion, there was steel striking something that generated a spark of burning steel.

It is pretty unlikely that a spark of burning steel will be generated inside that steel oiling container.

https://www.ctmuzzleloaders.com/ctml_experiments/sparks/sparks.html
Now, maybe a lighting bolt can be hot enough to set off a charge of black powder, but the static electicity from walking across a carpet or stroking a cat isn't that kind of spark.

I think a cap and ball gun stored in the truck for impromptu shooting experiences is not a good idea.

 

[Campbell]

Sure, keep it loaded. Keep the hammer on an empty chamber. Powder will be fine.