LOADED

[doc623]

What is the longest that YOU have left a cap and ball loaded and what was the result when you fired it?

[Flint]

I have left loaded cylinders for a few days.  Others have said they had guns loaded for months.  Civil War weapons dug up from the ground have been found to have shootable charges in them.  As long as no moisture gets to the powder, it can last years, as it does in a cartridge case.

[goodshot]

I read an account here or somewhere, a cap and ball pistol was found loaded with wax sealing the caps, in a trunk. The story was that it was the night stand gun of a grandmother or such. It was believed the trunk itself had not been opened for 80 years. Bullets were pulled and powder was found to be in good condition.

[SHOOTALL]

There was an article in the 70's in one ofthe gun mags. about a guy who found his great grand fathers war chest with a L  oaded Colt from the Civial war. he shot one or two then was told to contact a powder co. Seems hercles or someone bought the other loads to gain recipe . That was over 100 years.

[doc623]

The info thus far is interesting and thanks for the input.
However, the original question was and is how long have YOU left a cap and ball loaded and what were the results?

[SHOOTALL]

Never ! but son left a rifle loaded for about a year.

[BobJ]

I usually leave my 44 Army Colt loaded all the time. The longest I have gone without shooting it is 3 weeks. It sucks, been so busy I can't even step out the back door and shoot my gun. I use felt wads lubed with mutton tallow/beeswax mix and Shockeys Gold 3F. Shot normal. Otherwise I shoot every weekend.

[longcaribiner]

I keep the cylinder of my Ruger Old Army loaded, but stored separately. I think once it was six years when I pulled it out to put down a sheep that had been mauled by dogs.  First shot put the sheep down, the second was used on one of the dogs and a third through the dog's head for good measure.  Went off just fine.  I do smear the chambers with a grease. 

[Rex in OTZ]

I had a dud cap (I ran out) that sat for a couple weeks till I could scrounge up the courage to pull the lead round ball useing a drywall screw & pliers, the pyrodex P was alright I guess.
I guess considering that it takes a percussion cap to set off the pyrodex i was safe enough pulling that ball off that powder, if it was black powder that might have been a different tale.

On another track I was viseting my uncle (1992)at his Nebraska farm and wanted to borrow his shotgun to hunt phesants as My brother and I only had one shotgun, he said shure He hadent used it since highschool (1954) I found a live round still gummed up in the chamber and another two live ones in the mag (all paper ctgs) those paper ctgs were 38years old at least, I think it was a old winchester model 25 If I remember, all the new 12ga ammo my brother and I had was 3" so I reused that old ammo removed from the shotgun after cleaning and lubricating it I was able to take a nice rooster phesant a couple days latter useing one 38yro paper ctg.

[NickSS]

I used to live in New Hampshire around 38 years ago and loaded and capped a 36 Cal Lyman Remington Navy replica.  This revolver was put in a drawer in my bed room and when I got around to moving it along with the rest of the contents of the drawer got boxed up and stored.  About six years later I picked up the box and my Mothers house where it was stored and taken home with me to the west coast.  A couple more years went by and another move to a new house when I finally opened the box and found the loaded revolver.  It was in perfect condition and I wondered it it would go off so I took it to the range next time I went and all six rounds went off as good as the day I loaded it.  I figure I loaded it in 1971 and fired it in 1982.  So that's what I know about leaving a cap and ball revolver loaed.  By the way the same pistol is currently loaded and sitting in a drawer for the past three years.

[simonkenton]

I have kept this Bad Boy loaded for 3 years. It fired fine, all five cylinders, full power.
The revolver was kept in a drawer, in the humid NC mountains. There was no corrosion in the cylinders.

This was with 30 grains fffg black powder, CCI caps. No wad, no wax or grease sealer on the ball, or on the cap.

I have kept my 1860 Colt Army loaded for 2 years, and it also shot fine.

I know the CCI caps will keep for quite a while. I got my brother interested in black powder in 1978. He bought a cap and ball pistol and a pound of powder, and CCI caps.
Then, he lost interest in the hobby.
Last year he drove up here and we got his old gear out. I figured the old caps would be unusable. We went  ahead and loaded his pistol up with his caps and powder, and it shot fine!
We fired 30 of the 31 year old CCI caps that day without a misfire.


I believe you could keep a revolver loaded for decades and it would shoot fine.