Interesting thread. Alot of good ideas and observations. Always good to read your thoughts 45D and enjoyed yers also M De Land.
Anyway after reading through this thread here's my thoughts on the original question. Do I carry a C-an-B around my place. Not usually. While I do live in rural Iowa out in the country, I have no bears or other four legged critters that I feel threatened by. At most a coyote or fox who may have eaten to many Wheaties in the morning may try to take me on but very low probability. Iowa deer don't attack, if its happened almost unheard of. Cougars are reported once in a while, but very rare and have never been known to go around buildings or bother anyone. A rare black bear will come from the north once in a while, but everyone forgets the last time its happened. I do keep my Ruger Single Shot 6 that I've had since 1970 loaded (all six) and of easy access, along with a Ruger 10-22 and several loaded mags for small four legged varmints that need dispatching if needed. Work on bigger ones too if proper shot placement is done. Ifin I am carrying a capper around the place it's because I'm doing some walk around plinking or at my range. A modern smokeless revolver/pistol is more dependable I don't care what type of argument is put forward. If I want to be old timey, I'll do so, but not at the cost of dependability. Have no close neighbors to bother.
Now if two legged varmints intent on trouble, well not a nice discussion but one that is on minds, well ifin all I had was one of my many 44 caliber cap and balls or one of my 44 caliber Colt open top or conversions, if one were all I had, shots to the center mass hopefully would remedy the situation, hope that day never comes. But I do keep my trusty Colt 4" Colt Trooper .357 loaded with six beans that I carried most of my 21 years a police officer handy along with a Ruger GP100 .357 and a Colt Double Eagle 45 ACP if needed, all loaded if need be. There's a Smith 9mm in the fray also along with my ol trusty 38 Spec Smith Model 60. I never leave my residence either without CCW. Keep a loaded double 12 and AR handy also. I don't feel the need to go armed 24/7 around the acreage, surrounded by fields, timber, and babbling streams, but am prepared if need be. I do go what some friends and I call "river bankin" once in a while, armed with everything/variety of smokeless handguns, cappers, and conversions, maybe an occasional rifle. Just walk along one of the two rivers plinking at targets of choice or do timber strolls doing the same. Great fun and enjoyment.
I've been shootin black powder since 1972 and have never had a firearm corrode or develop rust spots. Always clean ASP, don't abuse, and have tinkered with all as far as arbors and slicked things up. Still have all original leaf type springs in them, have never had a failure, although I don't shoot competition with them, I do fire 5-6 in rapid succession at times, reloading ASP then firing the cylinder full again. Nothing wrong with 45D's smithing methods or any of the other smiths working on handguns. I always load six and if I don't fire right away, the hammer is rested between cylinders. Have never had a problem in 51 years. By the way, no children around-if grandkids come, safes get locked and my loaded Colt Double Eagle gets out of reach and sight.
I do a pretty good disassembly when cleaning the black powder revolvers. PITA taking the nipples out each time, but worth it. Hot water and Ballistol followed by fast dry down. Use compressed air alot especially the cylinder and nipples and other tight corners. Oil up with Ballistol, lube where needed, and put away till next time. I've always been a fan of white lithium grease where needed and several drops of miltech oil. Have been going to try the synthetic grease for a while-maybe this thread will get me doing so. I do a complete tear down at least once a year, maybe more depending on how much I shot a particular revolver. Sometimes just taking the back strap and trigger guard off and using an aerosol cleaner and compressed air is all that's needed and relubing.
I quit snapping six percussion caps on empty cylinders years ago to clear the nipples. I take a large Q-Tip and swab around inside the cylinder and nipple recess to get any oil that could be present, then give each cylinder a shot of compressed air to blow out any oil in the nipples, place the revolver to the sun or bright light holding it's barrel facing me. Turn the cylinder, if I can view a clear bright light in each nipple, I load and shoot. Have never had a misfire with this method. Keep a can of compressed air handy also when away from my air tank. FWIW---I found some 3F Goex black in a can several years ago that dates back to the late 70's. Probably a quarter of a can. It had been in my shop/garage and survived -25* Iowa winters and high 90* temps and 90% plus humidity. Looked like the powder was new, no rust in or outside the can. Loaded it up in a 2nd Model Colt Dragoon-fire and smoke and the lead balls hit their targets. Have never had any issues with black powder no matter the age. Anyway--got windy-not hard for me to do at times. Enjoy black powder shootin immensely. Good day or night to all.
