How long can you reliably leave rifle loaded ?

[tg]

"Thanks for all your responses. I will make a frizen cover for safety so I don't have to remove the flint"

Now and then you find a lock that holds the flint very close to the frizzen and there is not room for a cover, if so find some brass shim stock and fold it over the frizen and fold in along the sides to shape it to fit, the sides can just be bent over and crimped.I hope the easy way works for you but if not there is this option.

 

[nchawkeye]

I've left my flinter loaded for 6 months with no problems when I touched her off...

 

[Mulebrain]

If you can guarantee that the main charge stays dry, it will shoot indefinitely. Moist and or wet powder is hard to cook off, but once dry again it will go off!

Powder from the Civil War still goes boom!

An old double barrel shot gun I picked up, was loaded with a charge! The powder was still very viable. The picture below, is a portion of the wadding I removed.

 

[chuck-ia]

During hunting season I have left a gun loaded over night, with a tag on the trigger guard, LOADED. I can't imagine why one would leave a muzzleloader loaded for weeks, months or even a year? Maybe too lazy to clean it? flinch

 

[larry wv]

Don't see why it would need cleaned if it wasn't fired. If I have fired a charge I will empty and clean :hatsoff: Larry

 

[Mulebrain]

During hunting season I have left a gun loaded over night, with a tag on the trigger guard, LOADED. I can't imagine why one would leave a muzzleloader loaded for weeks, months or even a year? Maybe too lazy to clean it? flinch

Or how about 106 years? :grin:

 

[Dphar]

I was wondering how long can you leave a charge in a rifle and expect it to function reliably?

I am referring to hunting of course. Suppose after a days hunting you dump the pan and remove the flint. The following morning would it be safe to assume the charge would be "fresh" enough?

I am talking about black powder here, not substitutes, with an over powder wad to protect the charge from patch lube. The hunting season here is generally dry and cold.

I once left a FL pistol loaded for 6 months or so with no degradation.
Here are the key points.

The gun must have NO fouling present when loaded. *Completely clean and dry*. NO "FOULING SHOT" to burn out the oil. Degrease with denatured alcohol.
It must be loaded with a lightly oiled (mink, neatsfoot, sperm whale or bear, no vegetable oils which may dry like linseed oil) or greased patch no lubes with any WATER CONTENT.
If this is done and the gun keep dry, no condensation, not left outside in the dew etc etc.
It will almost surely fire reliably when your great-grandchildren are old enough to vote.
If you let it get damp or wet then reliability falls away. Cold gun to warm room will do it.

I dump the pan and leave the flint alone. I often hunt 2-3 places, perhaps 20 miles apart on a given day. I dump the prime, leave the cock down and frizzen open or closed on 1/2 cock with the safety on. A flint gun with the frizzen open is not going to fire unless someone stubs a cigar out on the vent.
Percussion guns are less safe once capped and uncapped.

Dan

 

[Dphar]

If it's a dry day no heavy rain. I have left my flintlock loaded for 2 weeks with no problem.

Like others said make sure the bore is clean and dry. I only use mink-oil from TOTW not the stuff for shoes to lube hunting patches. The mink-oil won't contaminate the powder and makes an air-tight seal. For the lock I dump the powder and put a cleaning patch balled up against the touch-hole and lower the frizzen over it. Put the rifle in a case and leave it in the shed. Never take it into the house.

Lets hope the shed is secure. A loaded gun is safer in the house than out unless the weather is cold and you fear condensation.
Leaving a gun outside is asking for trouble in populated areas. Unless the shed is very secure.

Dan

 

[tg]

" Maybe too lazy to clean it? flinch"

Who said, I shall not suffer a fool, guess it doesn't matter, a gun left loaded is ready for the next day for a quick hunt or early start in the dark, not doing something that does not need done is not the sign of a lazy man, and we have perhaps busted the theory about there not being such a thing as a stupid question.

 

[Billnpatti]

I think Rancocas and Stumpkiller both covered the subject pretty well. Moisture and oil are your main concerns. Keep your powder dry and your load will last a long time. :2

 

[cptleo1]

I do/did a bunch of a camping/hunting usually 5-7 days in the woods and left the guns loaded during that time.

When I get back to camp I unprime them and put a toothpick in the flash hole.

In the morning,remove the toothpick,use a paper clip to prick the hole and main charge,take your ramrod and give the load a few taps.

Come daylight insert prime and she will go bang.

I know the paper clip is not PC but it is the perfect tool for the job.

With it you can feel if the main charge is loose, caked up or damp.

It has worked for years here in FL where high humidity is an every day thing.

 

[chuck-ia]

Not saying one is lazy for leaving the gun loaded in a hunting situation. I do question lazyness, when gun is still in car, loaded 3 months after season is over. flinch

 

[larry wv]

I use a paper clip a good bit. Bought a used flinter once with a paper clip broke off in the vent. Loaded of course. But they work ok. Larry Wv

 

[morehops]

My T/C Hawken fired after being stored (safely) for 5 years. no hesitation at all.

 

[TANSTAAFL]

I don't know about a rifle, but. I just recently read after Robert E. Lee died, and several years after he had loaded it, his 1851 Colt Navy was fired, and all chambers went off.