Question for the old timers

[Boerrancher]

How long can you keep a ML loaded? I know a couple of weeks doesn't seem to hurt them, but how long will they stay loaded and maintain a reliable ignition and not damage the barrel or breach plug? Just curious as to what you folks say.

Best wishes,

Joe

[Grapeshot]

There are cases of old M/L muskets and rifles being found loaded by relatives doing inventory on Grand Daddy's collection and finding that when primed or capped they went off with some authority. So long as it is kept in a relatively dry attic or case, they will fire, even if 60 to 100 or more years old.

[winelover]

I once kept mine loaded for nearly a year with the dreaded Pyrodex and it went bang when I finally decided to unload it. Loaded with a Maxi-Ball and Bore butter for lube. Gun was hanging on the wall with muzzle slightly pointing down. I use Accra-shot nipples that take small pistol primers for reliable ignition. Hope this helps.

Winelover

[Boerrancher]

Well I was just thinking about my 50 cal that I use to hunt squirrels and varmints with using light loads, 35 gr of 2FG. I didn't want to take the chance of causing damage if I left it loaded for a month or so. I guess if they can sit in an attic for a 100 years and still shoot a month or so shouldn't hurt.

Best wishes,

Joe

[Boz330]

Joe,
I just unloaded my underhammer a week ago Sunday. It was loaded for the early ML deer season here in KY which was the 15th of October. Hit right where it was aimed and recoil felt normal. I stuck it back in the safe after season with a tag on the muzzle saying it was loaded, just so I wouldn't forget.

One of my hunters in NM hunted an entire week in the rain with his gun loaded. While it was an inline it used a standard cap. I made him uncap it when we got back in the truck and recap at the beginning of each hunt. The other guides were making their hunters fire their guns at the end of each hunt and then clean them. They were also telling him that his gun wouldn't work when needed.:groner: At the end of 5 days hunting in the rain the gun fired with no problem whatsoever.

We did have 1 elk get away because the hunter hadn't cleaned his ML after zero check when he first got to camp. He popped 4 caps before the elk got tired of standing around listening to all of that noise on opening morning.[smilie=b:
Most of the guides that I worked with were not muzzle loaders even though most of the hunts we guided were primitive weapons hunts.

Bob

[451 Pete]

Joe,
I think that the length of time that a rifle can be left loaded with no damage depends a couple of things. How they are loaded and how they are stored loaded. I have read where the old time shooters would leave thier rifles outside in a shed so they would not have the change in temperature by bringing the rifle indoors causing the barrel to sweat. I have left a rifle outdoors this way loaded for 3 months with no problem when I did go to discharge it. I know in one of the books Sam Fadala wrote he said he put a loaded revolver in his freezer for several months and said that when he took it out all of the cylinders went off.

I once had a guy bring me a TC Hawken that he could not get to go off. When I checked the rifle it was double charged. Two complete loads were in the barrel. He was very, very fortunate that it didn't. He forgot he had left it loaded from the previous hunting season and didnt realize it was loaded when he loaded it a second time.
When I pulled both loads out of the barrel there was a rust ring in the barrel from the first load, where the patch contacted the bore. When I questioned him he said that he thought that he had cleaned it after hunting the previous year so my guess is that what ever he used to clean it had migrated into the powder charge, causing it not to go off. The rust ring pretty much cleaned out but still left a bit of a rough spot. So, I cant say if it was he used for a lube or if he did put water or such in the bore causing the rust. I just know he was lucky.

just my thoughts .... Pete:coffeecom

[725]

A properly cleaned and stored ML will never rust. A loaded one may or may not. How much do you like the gun?

[excess650]

If your lube won't migrate into the powder or cause barrel corrosion, it should be OK indefinitely. Some lubes will inhibit corrosion.

I prefer to use an over powder wad, generally a felt wonder wad, between my patched ball and powder for hunting loads. Too, for hunting loads, I won't use a spit patch or a lube that contains water. Water can freeze, cause rust, be absorbed by the powder, or evaporate and leave you with a dry patch.

[Hardcast416taylor]

I remember hearing the story about an iron working blacksmith in Ga that was killed by heating an old rusty Civil war musket barrel up in his forge that still held its powder and ball charge, this was back in the 1920`s! I also believe so long as there is an oxygen tight seal (the bullet and or wadding) for the powder, rust and detoriation of the powder slows down to an almost stop.Robert

[JeffinNZ]

At the range I can't keep mine loaded for more than about 30 seconds. :-)

[Boerrancher]

unless I am at the range I don't use a spit patch. For hunting and a majority of my shooting I use a patch lube of 50/50 bear grease and bees wax. It keep the fouling nice and soft and is a good lube/rust preventative. I don't intend to leave it there for a years, maybe a month at most. I don't think I can go more than a month with out shooting it. We are getting to the time of year hear that the weather starts getting crazy. It can be 60 and sunny one day, and 20 with heavy snow the next, and there I times that I go out and don't see anything to shoot. It just seems like a waste of powder and lead, and time to shoot it and then clean it. I would rather leave it loaded until I get to shoot it at some fur, to make the cleaning worth while. Thanks for all of the info. I am not as concerned about leaving a load in the gun in between trips to the woods, which for me are quite regular, since the wife, kids, and I all like to eat.

Best wishes,

Joe