I realize there is no way to know - and just like today, maintenance is up to the individual user, but I find it difficult to believe everyone did a hot water wash and oiling at the end of every day, after firing a shot. If a hunter killed a deer and immediately reloaded his muzzleloader, he probably would have hesitated to waste the charge that same night, especially if hostiles were in the vicinity.
Hickok supposedly fired his ‘51 Navy’s every day - did he pull them apart, wash out all the residue then wait for everything to dry before oiling and reloading? If so, he would have been defenseless for a fairly long time.
Cartridge ammo made the unloading easier - both pistols and long guns - but the other variables remain. A couple of guys are out in the bush for several weeks and killing game every day, that needs to be cleaned and butchered. The horses come first, then the meat processing - by the time the day is over, it’s a chore to just crawl into a bedroll. Did the guns go a week without cleaning?
Most of us are not relying on our BP guns for protection so we have the luxury of taking our time, but I wonder if the oldtimers observed the same practices - or were their lubes better at protecting the bores for a few days?
I ask this because I have a Colt 44-40 SAA from 1904 that is tight mechanically but the bore and the exterior have quite a bit of pitting - the rifling is also worn and faint. Makes me think the old girl may have been shot and not cleaned very often.
I sometimes test my homemade BP on a steel welding table inside my shop, and if it’s damp weather, there will be raging red rust forming within 24 hours. Of course, there is no lube on the plate - just powder residue, but I’d hate to see a rifle bore in the same condition.