safety carrying a Cap and Ball gun

[jim gray]

This does depend on your situation. Alone in the woods, I would keep the gun capped and at half cock with the muzzle down. Always be aware of where the hammer is and recheck it often. No mechanical safety should ever be relied on. Your awareness and muzzle-discipline is the only safety that you should rely on. Carry the rifle so that if it were to fire at any time there would be nothing in the path of the projectile that you don't want to shoot.

At the range don't cap the gun until you are at the firing line with the muzzle pointed downrange.

 

[Old40Rod]

IMHO, don't cap until you are ready to fire... if you happen to stumble on that trophy elk while you are tromping through the woods, oh well, ... you are better off to risk spooking The Big One while smoothly putting a cap on than walking around with a capped rifle or pistol and accidentally putting a .535 PRB through your foot or between your hunting buddy's shoulder blades. Its just not worth it.

Is it possible to hike around with woods with a capped rifle and not have an accidental discharge? Sure it is. But I don't care how many hours of firearms training, hunting, etc., you have... missteps, accidents, etc., can happen to anyone, particularly while tracking about the woodlands. Everyone who has ever slipped or fallen while carrying a loaded firearm (or dropped one) in the woods, or hunted with someone who has please raise your hands ::

:m2c:

 

[soquili]

IMHO, don't cap until you are ready to fire...missteps, accidents, etc., can happen to anyone, particularly while tracking about the woodlands. Everyone who has ever slipped or fallen while carrying a loaded firearm (or dropped one) in the woods, or hunted with someone who has please raise your hands ::

Hasn't happened to me (been both lucky and careful so far) but it did happen to a friend of mine in high school. Junior was 17, and he and a couple of his buddies skipped school to go deer hunting. They were walking to a good spot, when the guy behind Junior tripped and fell against him. That guy was carrying a .22 pistol (only gun he had, never been hunting before) and as he grabbed Junior's belt to steady himself, the gun went off, shooting Junior in the back. At the hospital, x-rays showed the bullet to be close to his spine, so they weren't going to operate on it. Next morning the other doctor noticed that junior's stomach was distended and hard (peritonitis) and got him into surgery right away. The .22 had hit a couple of ribs, bounced around through his intestines (perforating them 16 times), missed other vital organs, and come to rest against his spine. He got lucky. Only missed a month of school because of it.

Thanks for this thread, guys, and thanks for all the tips and good info all over this forum. I'm new to muzzle-loading and have a percussion 50-cal Hawken. I'll be carrying it uncapped from now on. Getting a quick shot at that deer isn't worth the price of accidental death to me or others in the woods.
eaceatsy

 

[carbine]

thanks for all the great in fo , sorry didnt get back to thank tou all sooner am working O/T and ws trying to get renters out of a house for the ouner that lives out of state(have them out now need to clean and fix it up)i like the threads on chain fire revolvers too .sinse that is the next firearm im planing on geting with the o/t and the fix up the hoouse mony lol
sinse i live in Fl i tryed useing leather between the hammer and the nipple to store it (unloaded)but found it tended to rust even when oiled,so tryed a chunk of car tire side wall and so far it seem ok,used left over chunk of tire to make a cap holder like i saw in a museam in Co.(think it ws Ft Bent)instead of leather for the same reason
thanks for all the great ideas and in fo,
addie

 

[JackAubrey]

I don't wish to keep banging on needlessly however I though this poignant.During the American Civil War the CSS Alabama was off the coast of S.Africa running low on provisions.They sent a hunting party ashore for meat.A young Confederate ,upon reaching shore,Pulled his capped and loaded shotgun muzzle first towards himself.The hammers were resting on the caps,apparently.A hammer caught something pulling it not quite to half cock before releasing.Our hero recieved a belly full of buck and ball.He was buried there.His body was returned a few years back and reinterred w/ full military honours.Upon disinterrment it was noted there was extensive damage to the ribcage and the buck and ball were still there. It appeared he had taken the shot near the Solarplexus region/diaphramn.Leading one to the conclusion the physical damage this muzzleloading gun inflicted was not only mortal but horrific aswell.Muzzleloaders must be treated w/ the utmost respect.Please do not carry a hammer down on the caps.IMHO,Jack.

 

[Russ T Frizzen]

I carry this way,too. I put the web of my left hand (the rifle is cradled in my left arm) over the cap and the rifle is set on the half cock. I don't cap until I'm in the area where I'm going to be hunting. The half cock on my '42 and Enfield are very sturdy as is the one on my Seneca. My Hawken has a fine Schillinger lock on it and balances nicely when cradled this way. It, like anything related to a firearm, requires care and awareness, but I tend to be very aware when hunting. In over forty years, I have never had a branch even touch the hammer on any of my guns. A little common sense goes a long way when carrying any firearm. That's my humble opinion, anyway.

 

[joliver]

Jack,

Actually, we are the "Republic of Texas," not the "Nation of Texas." Seriously, just an excuse to get in touch with another ML shooter from Texas. Where in the Great State are you located? I live in Fredericksburg, work in San Antonio and shoot with the White Smoke Brigade near Canyon Lake. Spent a couple of wonderful holidays in London--my favorite big city in the whole world.

:thumbsup:

Cheers, Jerry