Storing loaded.

[OLDBRO]

Is it safe to store a TC 54 loaded with patched ball so that it's ready at a moments notice to take Whitetails on my property? It would be mounted
at arms reach over back door.

If so, is it best to use BP or a substitute? Any worry for corrosion issues. There are no children in house so no safety issue involved with youngens.

Thanks all.

 

[Rogue River]

I would have no problem leaving it loaded 3 or 4 weeks if it is not subject to drastic temp. or humidity changes. I would then unload it and check the bore. If everything is OK let it go a couple of extra weeks the next time. I would use BP!

 

[paulvallandigham]

Use Black Powder. The subs are more highly corrosive. If the gun is kept in a dry location, away from household humidity, it should be fine. I do recommend running a greased cleaning patch down the barrel after seating a PRB on the powder charge. I do this every day I go out hunting, to protect the bore from condensation, outdoors, too.

Just an after thought: IF HOME HUMIDITY IS a problem, cover the muzzle with plastic wrap, and a rubber band to hold it in place, to keep moisture out of the muzzle/barrel. Then, use a rubber pencil eraser over the nipple, or any kind of rubber material to cover the nipple with the hammer down. you will have to cap the nipple anyway, and whatever you put on the nipple to keep moisture out of the flash channel and powder chamber will be easily removed when you put the percussion cap on the nipple.

When the gun fires, the air in front of your PRB will break the plastic wrap on the muzzle, or push the whole wrap off the muzzle before the PRB reaches the muzzle. The wrap has no adverse effect on accuracy. :thumbsup:

 

[longcruise]

At a recent match we fired .54 that had been loaded for over 11 months. Went right where it was aimed.

 

LilGuy,
Children or not if you leave it loaded where "anyone" can get to it, make certain that it is identified as being loaded. You never know when inquisitive minds might pick it up, adults or children. Accidents happen quickly and can last forever. Safety should be uppermost in your mind at all times where loaded firearms are concerned, not whether it will go off or not.
Mark

 

[Zonie]

If I were doing this, I would leave the cap off of the nipple and store the caps in a handy place next to the door. It only takes a few seconds to cap a percussion gun.

With the rifle fully loaded and capped there is always the possibility of it slipping out of an anxious hand and falling to the floor or the hammer accidentally hitting the door frame when the gun is taken down.
Either of these things can break the nose off of a sear if the fully capped gun was left in the half-cock position resulting in the gun firing.

As for long term storage with black powder left in the barrel, a few years ago the Bevel Brothers in their Muzzle Blasts column tested this.
They loaded a barrel and left it in their damp basement for several months. When they tried removing the patched ball they found that moisture had been absorbed by the black powder and severely rusted the bore so badly that they had to drive the ball out with a hammer and a rod.

 

[Otter]

Use BP and keep uncapped, as others have said. I had a Cabela's .54 Hawken loaded for nearly a year and it went off as it was supposed to when the time came. Also had a Walker revolver with 5 of the six holes loaded with BP for over a year that went bang with the first drop of the hammer on each cylinder. They were both stored in a very well controlled environment, not hot, not cold and regulated humidity. That's been a few years back - I don't do it as a standard practice.

 

[Eterry]

I wish I lived where I needed a loaded rifle in short notice like that....need a roommate for about a month????

I was in the shop of a good friend a couple weeks back and his 58 musket is propped in the corner, still loaded from last deer season, with electrical tape over the muzzle and nipple. He says a fresh cap and he's in business, and does this regularly. BTW, he keeps his shop climate controlled, so low humidity has to help.

I have left my M/L rifle loaded for several weeks during deer season with no ill effects.

Good luck,
Eterry

 

[OLDBRO]

Thanks all, I'll try it this season and see how it works out.

 

[robbymoore1968yahoo.com]

i have always left mine loaded.if the rifle has been shot it needs cleaned before left loaded for extended periods.i have always found some excuse to fire the rifle so about two or three months is the longest its been loaded.if its been fired and you leave it loaded it will rust and probably missfire.make sure it shoots to point of aim from clean barrel.most do,

 

[Pete Gaimari]

Yep, i've left C&B pistols loaded for 1 1/2 years with no problems. As was said already. Just use real BP. The phony stuff is corrosive unfired.

 

[kevindj]

I am a muzzle loading trainer (I train instructors), This summer I trained a group of 4-H leaders and I had a fellow show up with a CVA kit percussion he assembled when he was younger (he about 40 now). The gun was assembled out of the box with no finishing! His son is 14 now and the gun had been in the closet since before the son was born. During live fire he brought the gun out and after inspecting I knew we had a bore obstruction (aka loaded gun). I removed the nipple and a little black powder showed in the drum. I put the nipple back on and after 2 misfires she went boom. BEFORE YOU REPLY - I have been doing this many years and know from the position of the ball in the barrel we had a light single charge, but it was a great 'teachable' moment.

Use BP and hammer down but no cap. I usually take a piece of thin leather rubbed down with bore-butter and place it between the hammer and nipple to prevent moisture from getting to the powder.

 

[hanshi]

As long as they haven't been fired, I've left rifles loaded all through deer season with no problems. They always fired first time following storage.

 

[jaw69]

When I bought a old Cva for my son the lock was broken The prevous owner said the last time it was shot was the early 90s when I Checked it was loaded after much struggle I removed said Ball and Poly the powder was still good and Flashed off just as fast as new. I believe it would have fired. Sorta Scary the Owner had no idea it was loaded it sat it his closet all that time.

 

[KentuckyMan]

I did keep my .45 cal pistol load for a few months. I loaded it because of a wave in crime in my town, and to show my mom how to load the gun.

I forgot to take picture of it. So I loaded the gun with 35 grains of 3fg black powder, with a simple ball and patch. I did lube the barrel, which I later found that to be a mistake. When it came time for me to shoot it, I fired alright, but the smoke, the noise, and the shot was all very weak, and there was very little recoil. :barf:
in fact the smoke kind of shot out like stars in a fireworks show.

So the lesson is simple. Make sure that the barrel is dry. I would prelube the patch and let it dry out for a while, to make sure that there is no or very little moisture on the powder, and keep it the gun in a dry place. For me I did keep the cap on the nipple but made sure that the gun was in a small box, so that if it were to fall off the end of something the gun should not fire when it hits the ground.

After I unload and fired the gun for the first time, I was sure that 35 grains of bp wasn't a real big deal in the gun. I knew it was loaded for a long time but I figure a fresh load wouldn't be any different or that much off :shake: Was I wrong or what.

BOOM the smoke was heavier, the shot still missed it's target, but I could see the large hole it made on the soft soil, and my hand was killing me! I now use 20 to 25 grains for practice shooting. It kind of sting on 30 grains.

But you get my point. Be careful when keeping it loaded for a long time. I had this gun loaded for more than 5 months. :nono:

 

[Pete Gaimari]

If you're loading for protection and will leave it loaded for a long time. Maybe a conical is a better load. That way you don't contaminate the powder with a lubed patch.

Just a thought.

 

[Stumpkiller]

Or put a little wad of waxed paper between the powder and patch if you think you might be leaving it loaded. I do this during hunting season as I know the patch will sit on the powder, potentially, all day or overnight.