How Long Can A Black Powder Revolver Stay Loaded?

[@GunsOfTheWest]

Check out the Guns of the West store here: gunsoftheweststore.com

[@lloydsims1573]

A friend's grandfather had a c/ musket that was assumed to be unloaded so the grandkids used it as a cap gun. When granddad passed on, he left it to my friend who wanted to check to see if it was safe to use for target shooting. First, he measured the empty bore to see how far the ramrod would go, and found it didn't reach the powder chamber at the breech end. He disassemble the barrel and breech and found a live load that had a completely clogged nipple hole. After cleaning the nipple flash path and replacing the old charge with new, the weapon fired reliably - he said the hair on the back of his neck stood up when he first saw that the gun was really loaded.

[@benjaminstiles]

So it was playd with(which included the striker repeatedly hitting the place the cap would go) and the only reason it never fired in all those years was because the nippe was dirty?

[@greatdune3174]

@@benjaminstiles It also likely didn't have any priming pwder so the shot wouldn't ignite.

[@markvickroy6725]

​@@greatdune3174 sorry dummy there's no such thing as priming powder in a cap and ball type gun. Even though this was a long gun if there was a nipple on it that means that use the cap especially considering the kids used it as a cap gun as stated. I love it when people think they know stuff

[@greatdune3174]

@@markvickroy6725 This was a while ago. I was tired and didn't read the whole thing. They called it a musket, so obviously I thought the reason it didn't fire was a lack of priming powder.

[@Levi-qm5cg]

@@markvickroy6725 I love it when old people try to be smartasses

[@grumerguy]

I had a .36 caliber colt that I carried with me when I drove a truck and it stayed loaded for months! I finally decided to freshen it up after about 6 months and took it out and fired it. It fired just fine. Like I had just loaded it! I then reloaded it and left it loaded for close to a year. Never had any problems with keeping it loaded for long lengths of time.

[@Rusted_Link]

Makes me think that the powder doesn't become corrosive until after it's fired. Thanks for the info sir.

[@24YOA]

@@Rusted_Link The chemical reaction that causes the powder to burn it what creates the corrosive particles I believe.

[@ShellShock11C]

You were carrying a black powder pistol for self protection!?..... THATS AWESOME

[@you_dont_know_me6583]

​@@ShellShock11CI'm 18 can't carry a pistol or I would i carry an 1860 army in my car and an 1858 remington 5.5in barrel on my person. 1858 loaded with 50gn of pyrodex p and a round ball. 1860 45gn and a round ball. Could fit 60 in the 1858 went up to 50 to help with the shorter barrel ik it gets diminished returns but it still helps

[@kidcheater5786]

I too had to carry a Blackpowder because I was underage. 1858 New army is definitely a lot safer to carry than the colts due to those notches between the nipples. I don’t carry it anymore since I turned 21 and bought a Colt hammerless though…

[@Tellgryn]

Near forever, my father loaded one around 1962 and fired that loaded colt navy in 1984.

[@stargod3064]

. Do you think Pyrodex pellets can stay loaded just as long-? Thanks

[@kinkane5566]

@@stargod3064 I had some not fire on me in this kind of gun after sitting for a while. To me it seems like the air in the middle of the pellet cylinder might have something to do with it. It was a pain getting the cylinder empty when they didn't fire, it was like 3 that didn't work. Tbh I could've maybe had too much lubricant already in the cylinder, I can't recall.

[@robertgaudet7407]

@@stargod3064I do.

[@kylejackman1607]

😮😱😳🤗

[@kylejackman1607]

​@stargoyeah😅d3064

[@Bikewer]

The late Elmer Keith said that old-timers would load the revolver, put grease over each ball, and then drip a bit of paraffin onto the caps to seal them from moisture. He maintained such weapons could be stored for years with no problems. It should be noted that there have been cases where great-grandad's Civil-War-era musket...Hanging on the wall for 100 years or more and assumed to be empty....Proved not to be. There have been tragic accidents.

[@GunsOfTheWest]

Thanks for watching!

[@u.p.woodtick3296]

Mark Werner thanks for the Elmer Keith info. I carry an SA 44mag in the woods all the time , and I thank Elmer for that

[@TheDieselbutterfly]

When did he die?

[@geraldmahle9833]

A bit of lore that is said to be true- Supposedly Wild Bill Hickock, who carried a brace of Colt cap and ball revolvers till the day he died, would unload and reload with fresh powder and ball every morning before he went out. Course, he was depending on them for his life. Just sayin.

[@Wildbill12]

@@geraldmahle9833 he would go to the edge of town and shoot the full cylinder from that day and he clean it and reload it so the next day he was certain that it would fire and that he had a brand new load everyday

[@ralphperez4862]

Dustin, I left a load in a 45 caliber Hawken loaded for nearly 30 years. It shot beautifully.

[@richardalexander5758]

I've heard stories of loaded original Civil War revolvers firing with the hundred plus year old charges.

[@jimbotheassclown]

I heard stories of flying saucers and anal probes doesn't mean it happen.

[@richardalexander5758]

jimbotheassclown I know for a fact that civil war mortar shells have exploded a hundred years after the war.

[@jimbotheassclown]

What's one got to do with the other? Nothing that's what. A closed sealed hollow ball Vs a revolver with multiple openings and moisture egress points.

[@lukewarmwater6412]

jimbotheassclown water getting out is not the problem but yes(egress means exit), you are correct. if the powder stays dry it will last pretty much forever.

[@jimbotheassclown]

You got me on my phone autocorrecting congratulations and not proof reading . Ingress points you happy ? But good job tap dancing around what i said.

[@cydonianman]

As the saying goes: Keep your powder dry

[@dp-2835]

And your eyes on the target. Lock and Load! This is R. Lee Ermey, Semper Fi.

[@joequimby5225]

And your bowstring!

[@nathanaagesen9298]

And your socks

[@IMP-vi6je]

And your underwear

[@keepermovin5906]

And your toaster

[@SteveAubrey1762]

I kept my 1848 3rd model dragoon loaded on my nightstand for 4 years and when I decided to take it out and shoot it , every chamber went off just as they were supposed to. Moisture is the real bad guy with BP arms. I had loaded my revolver with 55 grains of 3f Goex, lubricated felt wool wads, and I put a little tallow / beeswax lube over the balls, then capped the cones. Save for submerging the revolver in a bucket, it was very water resistant. Kept dry,BP will last indefinitely. It does not become corrosive until its been fired. Love the videos! Best regards, JACK

[@dennisedwards8954]

Thanks. I'd left my Walker loaded 2 yrs I think, in the gun cabinet, powder ball then Spit ball over top. Was concerned for corrosion and powder viability. All 5 loads touched off flawlessly. Still have a .50 Buckskinner loaded from last year. These are all fresh loads over then newly cleaned pistols. No corrosion. I'd read somewhere, I think, or maybe just a whodunnit movie, that an antique bp rifle was found charged and was successfully touched off. Reality is, tho, bp doesn't degrade if kept dry. The corrosion was my unknown concern. Thanks.

[@JohnSmith-vw9rn]

Jack Aubrey was this gun used a lot in civil war I read about the colt lagoon

[@SteveAubrey1762]

Yes, they were used but not as a general issue weapon. Most of the times I have seen the Dragoons mentioned it was in connection with mounted troops, often very early war Confederate cavalry that had to supply their own arms , or personal arms brought from home, or Irregular mounted troops,such as ones operating in the Missouri / Kansas theatre. The Dragoons were still perfectly serviceable, but were viewed as "old school" by 1860. Consider the weight of the Dragoon and compare it to the 1851 Colt Navy, the 1860 Colt Army, the 1863 Remingington New Model Army ( misidentified today as the 1858 Remington), as well as similar weight "belt" revolvers, and you can see why it wasn't as popular.

[@humansvd3269]

Use dehumidifier or keep in a box with desicant packs.

[@michaelkelley9533]

Thanks, I didn't know it wasn't corrosive till fired. That really is awesome to know.

[@kidhammer2567]

Sir, I've had both Remington New Army and various Colt percussion pistols loaded here in my Alaska climate for as much as a year and they all functioned flawlessly. I did as you do when loading them and had marvelous success. Thanks for a superb video.

[@GunsOfTheWest]

Thanks for watching! I sure hope to get back up to your beautiful state again!

[@cobannie]

Likewise. My Remington Sheriff Pietta was loaded with lube over the cylinder end, nothing to protect the caps, and I wore it on the tractors, mowing the lawn, and snow blowing in the winter with tractors & plowing. Dirt, snow, rain, sand, and a bit of mud. After ~8 months I tested it. Every cylinder fired fine!

[@huyked]

@@cobannie Are your cylinders corroded from the powder for staying inside that long? Or is it only spent powder that has that negative effect of corrosion (I'm assuming your cylinders are steel, not stainless steel).

[@cobannie]

@@huyked There WAS a small amount of rust inside the cylinder, but mostly because there was likely a small amount of ambient moisture in the black powder. It's hygroscopic, pulls moisture out of the air, so about 1% moisture in it. Washing it in hot water, remove the nipples, and run a brass brush through it, and it knocked out all rust with cleaning. If the rust gets too bad, just boil the parts and polish them gently with oiled cloth or patches. It's part of the Rust Bluing method. Triple7 and Pyrodex P rust the cylinders less. There was more exterior rust due to elements than anything inside the cylinders. More rust forms from fouling/dirt/carbon that holds moisture tight against the steel outside the gun. Again, just remove the rusted parts and boil them, then polish gently with a cloth, or 000 steel wool if it's really thick, and it looks about as good as new. kzbin.info/www/bejne/o5DZiY18j6p2jq8

[@cobannie]

This is a better video on rust bluing.. kzbin.info/www/bejne/lZ-6h3yVaLGiZrM

[@classicgunstoday1972]

I loaded mine for defense as a nightstand gun about 15 years ago. It stayed loaded for about 3 months. To unload it...all I knew to do was fire it and I didn’t want to pay a range fee for 5 shots. So my job finally took me to West Texas where I took the Navy with me as a car and motel room gun. On the way back, I pulled over on a backroad and fired the gun off. When I got back to Houston, I went out and bought a preWar Colt Official Police .38 Spl service revolver as that was a bit more practical, effective and easier to load and unload. Come a long way since then. I read in “Jeff Davis’ Own” by Arnold that a Texas Ranger dropped his Navy in a fight, lost it for months, came back to the area, found it, added fresh caps and the loaded chambers still fired

[@jimsmirh2406]

They say that Robert E. Lee's revolver fired a 100 years later after someone in the family decided to shoot it. That just goes to show you how long you can leave one loaded for and it'll still fire. You just have to make sure it stays dry. I have personally left mine loaded for six months or more and it fired just fine.

[@GunsOfTheWest]

Thanks for watching!

[@jimsmirh2406]

Dustin Winegar You're welcome. You do some interesting videos. I'd like to see somebody do some testing with some bullets I have casted and see how they do. If you'd be interested in doing that, let me know and I'll send you some of them.

[@GunsOfTheWest]

I would love to! If you look me up on Facebook and send me a message, we can arrange for that. Thanks!

[@jimsmirh2406]

Dustin Winegar i don't have facebook but you can email me at [e-mail] and we can go from there.

[@GunsOfTheWest]

Email sent. Thanks!

[@kirkboswell2575]

I once left a revolver loaded for two years, and it fired just fine. I did take some precautions. I also lubed over the top of the ball, and I dipped the edges of my caps in melted beeswax. Everything worked well, and even though my lube had dried out by that time it still covered the ball completely. My brother had a revolver refuse to fire after only a week loaded, but it was a rainy week and he didn't seal things up like I did. I've heard if the fingernail polish trick, but REALLY don't like the residue that leaves behind. And in my test the beeswax worked great. I chose beeswax after hearing an old timer tell about sealing their guns for river crossings. My conclusion is that BP will fire just fine as long as it's kept clean and dry, and with my brother's experience in mind, have also concluded that high humidity over time can affect the charges if the chambers aren't sealed.

[@pipebombpete.6861]

I did none of this,with the relvolver loaded with powder,ball,and ordinary caps.it fired just fine after a year and a half.

[@TheStonehammerFiles]

I've left mine loaded for a bit over a month and there was only discoloration of the paper cartridges. Blackie Thomas also did a video on this a while ago and he said he lent one to a friend for an event and left it loaded for three years and it still fired.

[@GunsOfTheWest]

Thanks for watching!

[@416loren]

I saw that video too.

[@ronsbeerreviewstools4361]

3 years, thanks for this info.

[@ksw4951]

TheStonehammerFiles and if moisture gets to the powder? There will be nicely corroded chambers.

[@losonsrenoster]

I do not know how long, but I left my 1851 Colt Navy (Sheriffs model) loaded for 3 years, kept it dry and sealed and it fired perfectly.

[@usalives2562]

This was always a question I had in my mind when I got into black powder shooting. I loaded one of my .54 rifles and left it for over a year, I had forgotten about the test and when I went to fire it it worked as advertised. I would say outside of dunking the gun you could leave this for years and it would work. The primer seals over the nipple pretty tightly.

[@southronjr1570]

I left my 1851 Uberti Navy loaded here in the VERY HUMID state of Georgia for a little over 6 months. I had dripped some candle wax over the capped nipples before holstering it on all but 1 chamber. The only chamber that didn't fire was the one without wax on the cap, I ended up having to pull the nipple off to unload that chamber

[@ShellShock11C]

So you put on the cap, then poured wax over it?

[@STEVEN-STEELE]

I apply a small dab of clear fingernail polish. At the spot where the cap and nipple meet. This is the only weak spot in prolonged holstered storage or carry. As anyone knows the caps can from time to time fall off the nipple Due to various reasons In consistent nipple throat size. Shoot enough you'll get one that just won't seat the cap well. But in firing the recoil is the number one reason. Hammer warp after detonation . Causing a dry fire or at worse. Jamming the cylinder action. But I have left one loaded as well as a Double barrel for a year and some. The Gage I left the caps off But the Walker Colt replica. I used the five on six Cowboy carry. I never did this but on Ol boy stored two nipples in the sixth chamber of his Remington Navy. I even remember he had a modified or self made nipple wrench in this chamber. But he taught me the nail polish and said a dot. A dot mind you of Super glue also worked. He carried it camping and it got knocked about and never had issue losing a cap. He used a home made chamber seal He jokingly called Bear grease. This he put a small dab in front of the ball. Before the final bear grease. But his hand cast Round Ball cut perfect lead rings upon ramming. I doubt chain fire nor powder damp would of ever been an issue

[@Matzah1982]

I left all 6 chambers in my uberti 1860 army revolver capped and loaded with a Cabela's brand lubed felt wad between the powder and ball for 8 months and I had 4 misfires and 2 hang fires. Upon recapping the 4 misfire loads did go off with hang fires. That was my first time firing the gun. A week later I went shooting again but this time freshly loaded and all 6 shots went off just fine and I got a 3 inch center mass group from 30 feet away

[@GunsOfTheWest]

Yeah, the powder will slowly soak up that lube and get ruined if left for a prolonged period of time. When using wads, its best to fire the gun immediately after loading. Thanks for watching!

[@Matzah1982]

@@GunsOfTheWest I kept all 6 chambers of the Uberti 1851 .36 navy colt I used to have loaded with wads for a month and it went off just fine so I'd say it's best to shoot it ASAP but definitely within 30 days

[@lahondafolk4334]

Was thinking of getting one. Thought keeping it in a zip lock baggy with those silica moisture absorbing packages in it would help?

[@randallscott-key802]

I used to carry a chopped 1860 Army loaded with Pyrodex and 180 grain conicals from Buffalo Bullets and would leave that puppy loaded for months at a time - and that included a "Wonder Wad" between bullet and powder. I loaded up a batch of .45 Colt loads about 15 years ago using all the Clean Shot powder I could physically stuff in the case, with a 255 grain slug over it. Just a few days ago I found a few and touched them off, only to be rewarded by a powerful blast, plenty of smoke, and a nice, tight grouping of .452" holes 20 yards out. The other range members stopped what they were doing to watch those "old style" smoke loads going off, and my 4-3/4" Uberti Cattleman (20 years old) rolling up in the hand! So much for the nonsense that black powder loads were weak! In fact, about 42 seconds after the Army adopted the .45 Colt with a 40 grain charge and 255 grain slug, they issued a new specification for a more moderate loading of 28 grains under a 230 grain slug...which became the exact loading for the .45 Schofield later on, and, though the .45 auto was a transitional smokeless load, it's specification in terms of power is virtually identical to the old Colt and Schofield loads! Now, this was back in an age when soldiers probably relied on their handguns a great deal more considering that for most of the 19th century rifles were single-shot, so it is revealing that the military found a handgun cartridge specification they believed in and stuck with it right up until the adoption of the 9mm over 100 years later. Also worth mentioning is the Uberti Cattleman I shot those black loads out of started life as a .44 BP, before I fitted it with a .45 Colt cylinder, machined the breech face and inserted a hardened steel plate, combined with retrofitting the hammer with a proper CF firing pin. (.44 C&B is really a ".45" with an honest .451-2" bore). I have three of such conversions and they have all been super-sweet shooters and held up for well over 20 years shooting both the hottest black powder loads I could make, as well as fairly warm smokeless loads in the neighborhood of 900 fps with 255gr. slugs. So much for what "those old guns will take!" I confess that when I crafted BP-substitute loads for .45 Colt I did so with the intention of making them as hot as possible. The cases were nearly filled with powder and the bullet cramped down over it....if it blew, it blew (was my attitude), but it didn't and the gun has digested plenty of them! The thing about loading with BP or any substitute is to not leave it out in the open for long periods of time, or, as in my case, be fortunate enough to live in a desert with average daily humidity below 20%! Powder can't absorb what ain't there! On top of that, when loading cartridges, the key is to have the powder well-tamped, and even compressed as this limits space for moisture to seep in. Loaded BP cartridges are very well "sealed" from the elements, though many have gone the extra step of placing laquer around the primer and bullet. With C&B loads, I prefer bullets over balls because bullets interface with the chamber with greater surface area, which, when combined with an over-powder wad pretty well seals out moisture on that end, and a well-fitting cap on the nipple works on the other end. I remember a few decades back when someone did exhaustive experiments leaving his Ruger Old Army loaded in the freezer for long periods of time and the gun still went bang, but with somewhat lower power levels. Again, with cartridges I don't think any of the C&B rules apply because brass-cased ammo is quite well sealed against moisture and my own experience has show that 10 year old loads still went across the chronograph with more speed than most "modern smokeless" loads.

[@geffreybolster3780]

I took my ASM 2nd Dragoon out of my brothers gun safe. We went to the range. I capped it and fired all six charges. It had been loaded for over 15 years.

[@blueduck9409]

Its all about storage. Keep it in a dry, cool place, and it can stay effective for a very long time.

[@chuckoaks9180]

I did the lubed wads thing ...on accident. I loaded my revolvers to shoot and did not get a chance to do so for over a month. I did use lubed wads and when I fired them they fired VERY weak. They barely got out of the barrel. The lube had soaked well into the powder. Won't make that mistake again

[@iamrealtarded]

very helpful comment, thank you!

[@marcroche9324]

Chuck, yup, never use lubed wads for long term load.

[@loknlode]

Thanks for the shout out to the Black Powder Revolver Enthusiast's group on Facebook Dustin!!!! Good show friend!

[@GunsOfTheWest]

No problem!

[@christopherbennett4559]

I have 2 revolvers. 1851 and 1858. My wife left and took all my guns, and they were loaded. After 14 months, I got them back. I shot them, and they worked perfectly. I live in Southern Louisiana. I guess my cleaning and oiling process helped. I was worried but I don't see much rust and they are working so we will see. Great video. Thanks for sharing. God bless.

[@Bitplanebrother]

we found a replica colt navy revolver in the belongings of my grandpa after he passed away...the gun was loaded for at least 12 years..my uncle fired the bullets into the ground so we can pack the gun safly into the cardboxes with the rest of the belongings..

[@GunsOfTheWest]

Thanks for watching!

[@stevenjohnson2273]

I hope he cleaned it after firing.

[@loknlode]

Oh, and I've left some of mine loaded for 18 months or more; worked just fine! Thanks Dustin!

[@GunsOfTheWest]

Nice! Thanks for watching!

[@moehoward8691]

You read my mind. I have been planning to buy a cap and ball pistol, and was thinking of keeping it loaded as a home defense weapon.

[@erlycuyler]

I just fired one 3 days ago that had been loaded almost 4 years and no problems.

[@Gunsforfreedom]

I had 50 'speed loaders' (rubber tube with 30 grains of 3F and a .454 round ball on top..) loaded for my 1860 Colt since 2015. Shot them this past weekend (July 2022) . No issues at all. The lead was slightly grey not silver/black like when I loaded them. But that's all I noticed. Even my caps were purchased in 2015!

[@johnalexander7369]

Had a stainless Euroarms Remington that I left loaded for over 5 years before firing it . Used fff with ox yoke wads , each went off first time I pulled the trigger.

[@ZaneTyler-c5q]

Ours have been loaded for well over a year, then fired, and BANG, every time. When loading, we ALWAYS make sure a ''Ring of Lead'' come off the ball which ensures a 100% seal. We like to put approx 1/8'' to 3/16'' Paraffin candle wax over the ball or bullet, which helps the seal and also reduces lead fouling. DO NOT HEAT THE WAX, just push it in cold. You can also mix the wax with a little Vaseline to thin it out some. (By the way, Beeswax & Vasoline also makes great mustache Wax!) Instead of Paraffin, you can use other types of wax like Surfboard and beeswax, etc. But Paraffin is cheaper. There are various methods that people load B.P. firearms. The above way has always worked well for us. We like to cast our own bullets using a stove top or torch and sometimes swage them with half a copper jacket. Anyway, that's 2¢ worth

[@stephaniereiser2454]

I used to collect cap and ball revolvers, but got out of them. Times being what they are these days, I’ve been thinking of CCW and general protection. I’ve always preferred the old stuff. After watching this video I will probably be getting another old style Colt again. Thanks!

[@crominion6045]

Check out Paul Harrell's excellent video here on youtube entitled Personal Protection: Cap and Ball Revolvers.

[@SlickVega]

I have several, and have done 1 year loaded several times, and 3 years loaded once. They fired perfectly every time

[@charlesreese9085]

was just checking out some black powder guns on the interwebs last night. today for the first time, I get a black powder vid on my feed. google is watching. subscribed thanks for the advice

[@GunsOfTheWest]

Thanks for watching!

[@paulalexander2928]

Once while removing the breech plug on an original Enfield rifle barrel I warmed the breech with a propane torch in the vise on my work bench. yes and the inevitable happened . With a resounding roar a round went through my plaster board shop wall and buried itself in my rec room wall . On examining the bullet even though it was mangled it turned out the bullet was a Pritchett type original service round . God knows how many times this loaded rifle had been passed around and who had last loaded it .

[@GunsOfTheWest]

Wow! Glad there were no injuries. Thanks for watching!

[@doraran5158]

Always put a ramrod/cleaning rod down barrel, noting depth, to assure nothing in barrel

[@joequimby5225]

SPOOKY!!

[@karlt8233]

I picked up my TC Cherokee .45 from a gun shops parts barrel and purchased the new unfired .32 Cherokee barrel he had as well. Got home, droped a rod down both barrels and measured them along the outside of the barrel. The .45 was still loaded!!!!! I pulled the nipple, soaked the barrel in warm moose milk for half an hour then pulled what looked to me a TC Maxi conical and cleaned the caked powder out. Never Ever trust a gun is unloaded unless YOU confirm it!!! No telling how many years this gun sat loaded in that shop or in previous owner"s homes.

[@DonMarquez-wj7ir]

An unloaded firearm shoots the loudest. If someone hands you a firearm and clears it or spins the revolver, recheck it when you get the firearm!! I had 3 accidental discharges when I was a Mover. I always checked firearms when the service person showed me their firearms! MANY TIMES, I would be going thru and a sweep of the house with the person explaining what was leaving or staying. This generally done with the whole crew going around together. Upon being informed of which firearms were being shipped and which were going with said service person, I would manually clear in front of Everyone the firearms and MANY TIMES! FIREARMS WERE UNLOADED. IF THE ONE OF THE MARRIED PARTNERS WAS NOT THERE, THEY WOULD SAY:"OH! I THOUGHT THEY ALREADY LOADED THEM!!!! NO FATALITIES IN 40 PLUS YEARS OF MOVING PEOPLE ALL OVER!! BUT IT ONLY TAKES ONE A.D.!!!! ALWAYS CLEAR WHAT YOU TOUCH!!!!

[@johnshipley9755]

Fantastic video I tried something on my own and I had no issues I took candle wax and melted it and put it in each of the cylinders to seal it up 28 Days later it ran just fine.

[@criscross6591]

Up here in the WET Pacific Northwest, I use the fingernail polish on the cap and on the nipple threads. I had to use a few caps once to fire an old load left in the rifle. I also will put some electrical tape over my muzzle when hunting in the rain. Lots of brush here, no way to keep the water from going down the barrel with out the tape. That will also keep the snow or mud from surprising you also!

[@GunsOfTheWest]

Thanks for watching!

[@chapiit08]

Latex finger protectors make perfect muzzle covers that you can shoot through, don't obstruct the sights and don't come off easily. They are inexpensive too.

[@karlkruger7310]

use a condom nothing more water proof than them

[@joequimby5225]

Only for short term. Actually latex is semi-permeable during long-term contact with water.

[@darrenmatthiesen1424]

Very good video, I once forgot to unload my .50 black power rifle after alternative season deer hunting, it stayed loaded for 1 year, it fired after all that time for the next season.

[@pauldogon2578]

I used to carry an Uberti 1858 Remington as my day to day carry, as a bet I left it loaded with the same charges, (sealed with red sealing wax and imprinted) for a full year. All six chambers went off without delay and I won a case of whiskey. The trick that worked for me was a hot load about 34 grains which the ball compresses and a .457" ball to get a decent seal.

[@joequimby5225]

Bet they kicked a bit!!

[@siriscott7488]

I like that you tested this. Saw the cap fly off that first one! Coooool.

[@GunsOfTheWest]

Thanks, Siri! Hey... does Santee know you’re wandering the internet on your own?

[@stacy3]

Guns Of The West loll

[@Yosemite-George-61]

I use mine for home defense, I progressively went from 1, 2, 21/2 and now 3 months. Works great, loaded with powder and ball only, I cover the chambers with lube just before firing. I have seen some minor chamber corrosion but don't know if it was bad cleaning or the powder sitting there. We could load them with cartridges to avoid powder to metal contact. Cheers from Normandy !

[@mtkoslowski]

Cylinder and caps sealed - will last for years.

[@Yosemite-George-61]

@@mtkoslowski mine was stored for 3 months, after that it fired ok but the inside of the chambers are corroded where the powder sat.

[@garrettschienschang7898]

I have an 1858 new model Army reproduction. I loaded it with 30 grains of pyrodex a .454 ball directly on top of powder and some bore butter on top of the ball then capped with remmington #10 caps. It stayed loaded like that in a holster and a safe for seven months. when I fired it, it worked flawlessly.

[@melee401]

I have had some muzzle loaders and they regularly failed to fire after sitting around loaded for protracted periods of time. I was using patched round balls and the lube without a doubt greatly impaired the powder. I just started removing the screws from the ends of the cap nipple fittings and primed them with a tiny amount of flash powder when they refused to fire with the cap alone.

[@1432CW]

Few people remember him today, but crooner Ross Columbo, who wrote the song, "Prisoner of Love," was accidentally killed in 1934 when an antique dueling pistol a friend was examining went off. No one can know how long the gun had been loaded, but it was almost certainly several decades. Not sure of the exact construction, but the weapon in question was considered a valuable antique in 1934 and had almost certainly been loaded with black powder.

[@davidmichalik8375]

Yes properly loaded like you did in your video and sealing the cap from the back with some kind of sealant,the only other way I know of that your powder could actually get wet inside the chamber would be temperatures extreme going back and forth finally causing condensation inside the chamber.With that being said I really don't know how much air is inside the chamber to cause condensation.I was thinking a properly pack charge there would be little if any.I would think storing your Firearms loaded at a constant temperature would help but it may be Overkill,I am probably thinking too much,but that might be a pretty interesting test to run,and thank you for your videos.OBTW i know guys the seal their reloads at the primer for insurance to keep their power dry.Have a great day.

[@eclectic3618]

Mine was loaded 5 years cap'd and It shot all 6 flawlessly no issues. 1858 pietta

[@jamiecook3966]

Fellows without a word of lie. I loaded the cylinder of my Pietta 44 Cal Army with Pyrodex, round ball & no lube 8 years ago before we moved to our new home and started house renovations "grief." What I would also like to say is I bought a couple of sets of cylinders and nipple caps they are like silicone and I snaped them on the cylinder. After a while I bought a second cylinder because I figured my first one was toast. I took it to the Agassiz. gun range two weeks ago caped it up and it fired like I just loaded it. I know Pyrodex and Black Powder are Hydroscopic. But I was amazed, when I brought it home and cleaned the cylinder there was no rust ring or any pitting! Just my experience. Stay young and keep shooting!

[@huyked]

Thank you for letting us know you had no corrosion from eight years of storage inside the cylinder.

[@noahhunter3184]

Bill Hickok was said to unload his revolvers everyday and reload them with fresh powder. Being a professional gunman and not a sport shooter made him a cautious man.

[@noahone3577]

he carried a silver colt civil war pistol despite the fact that most everyone was carrying .45's by this time

[@papawx3]

A few years ago a developer was building a housing addition in Austria. One of the pieces of heavy equipment was digging into the soil and set off an old cannonball from the Napoleonic wars. Black powder doesn't "go bad" as long as it is encased and kept from moisture.

[@17456spartan]

To the contrary of most of the comments here, I left mine loaded for around 2 years and they didn't go off. In fact, I had a round partially discharge and it got stuck halfway between my cylinder and barrel, which was a huge PITA to get out. I think my wads may have collected some moisture and ruined the powder.

[@williamchristopher1560]

I had my 51 Navy loaded for around 20yrs, and recently empied it. All fired the first time cept one. 2nd time around it went off.

[@jeffarp7409]

I read somewhere that back in the old west some gun fighters they would unload their guns and turn around and reload them first thing in the morning because they could draw moisture into the powder and cause a misfire which would be deadly in a gunfight.

[@cwez11]

Good example are the old Civil War Tice-fuze cannonballs. Farmers still occasionally dig them up, and they work today as well as they did in the 1860s!

[@dalesearcy5734]

Back in the 70's, we were told to use bird seed as a buffer/filler between the powder and the ball. I did this for a while but the bird seed would foul up the works. The cylinder could hardly even turn after the first 6 shots. Then I found out about the felt wads and that is what I have used sense then. Thanks for your videos. I have enjoyed watching them. Now I want to get out and shoot!

[@GunsOfTheWest]

Thanks for watching!

[@ronaldmcelhiney5219]

I had a navy 1851 about 30 year ago left it behind the truck seat for about a year ( northeast Ohio) Five loads all but one went off. Took off the nipple put in fresh powder no problem.

[@Nukle0n]

Seems like that grease basically would act as a seal for each chamber. Probably wouldn't last a century but it'd probably be the best way to load a gun like this for keeping it ready in your holster back when this was a viable carry gun.

[@beardedroofer]

I've got a. 36cal bp that I keep loaded right beside me at all times. Faith, family, and freedom are worth protecting. The world may be going to hell in a handbasket, but when it's my turn, I'll be going out guns blazin'.

[@brianpartlow5530]

These are scary times! I own modern pistols but here in NY they are registered to you. Any day they can revolk pistol permits and make everyone turn them in. As of today black powder pistols aren't regulated or registered (yet!). If Andy decided to round up all of the registered guns, I would still have my 1851 navy! Who figured the first and second Civil Wars of America would be fought with the same pistols?

[@blueduck9409]

You are not alone tree beard.

[@kyleriedel-s9e]

I have 2 BP revolvers, an 1858 Remington and an 1860 colt, both are Pietas, I do not normally keep them loaded even though I know I could, I also never use anything between the powder and ball, a bit of bore butter over the ball and they are fine

[@bobbartholomew1435]

I have an Old Army Black powder Pistol, and I have had mine loaded for over a year before and have never had a miss fire with it. I use ball and felt pad between the powder and Ball it is a Ruger This pistol has never had miss fire with me. It has Aways gone Bang when I have pulled the trigger l

[@juxtapostin3677]

Different guns have different personalities, I have a .44 that when left loaded seems to get very weak over time, it still fires but is NOTHING like fresh powder, then a .36 cal that lost nothing but was a beautiful as it gets, very fine power loaded for years. Black powder is a very forgiving powder measure wise but can do weird things sometimes.

[@BogeyTheBear]

I wonder if the coarseness becomes a factor, whether or not FFg is less prone to damp or FFFFg has a tendency to separate out or whatnot.

[@rajvader]

I left my Remington .44 loaded with Pyrodex P, lube felt wads, ball, and a wax/tallow cover for a couple weeks once. All chambers fired fine, but there appeared to be just a hint of pitting in them afterward.

[@wadewillson7738]

I had wondered the same thing I had the stainless version and I loaded it up waxed off the ball, capped it and it's at in the closet in a holster for 6 months 4 out of the 6 went off when I went to shoot it but I honestly think that's because of the caps, once they were replaced with fresh caps the cylinders fired

[@charlescalvert8647]

When I long term store a loaded revolver I use a little square of wax paper over the powder, creating a barrier between lubed wad and powder. I prefer to use the wad because I like the extra pressure it creates when seating everything. I use track of the wolf nipples and #11 caps, they seal and fit better than other cap and nipple. I usually keep several loaded because I can shoot anytime on my property. Often leaving them loaded for weeks or months. Never had and issue with a properly and cleanly loaded gun! Great video and information!

[@michaelsorrell601]

Back 40 years ago I had one forgotten about on the wall, 18 months later all chambers fired.

[@kylejackman1607]

Outstanding !!! 😍👍🏿 I use two dry felt wads, 20 grs. and no jiffy-lube. When out shooting, no wads and lots of lube.😊

[@jamesrogers8880]

My brothers 44 Remington remained loaded for 10 years. After he passed the gun went to me. I pulled the loads and to my amazement the cylinders looked like new.

[@richardkluesek4301]

Wise old gunnies have advised about the nail polish being used on the centerfire primers of cartridges of defensive carry ammo on edc handguns. re : blackpowder, what was standard operational procedure for Civil War combatants, especially cavalrymen who packed multiple revolvers and other arms ? Did they keep these loaded at the ready ?. Also read somewhere that Wild Bill Hickcock, who preferred Colt 1851 Navies, would fire off the loaded rounds every morning for practice and reliability, cleaning and recharging after discharging the fully loaded cylinders.

[@ArizonaGhostriders]

Another killer episode!

[@GunsOfTheWest]

Thanks, Santee!

[@samueldamewood5273]

A friend found an 1863 Springfield in eastern Arkansas in the mid 80's. brushed it off and hung it over the fireplace. In 93 I visited him at his home and asked to see it. A little fiddling with the ramrod showed it to still be loaded.Did the tie it to a tire trick, capped it and it fired right smartly with no ill effects.

[@buddyjack1000]

back in the day i would drip melted candle wax on the caps for prolonged loading. also did it with my rifle and shotguns when hunting, depending on the weather.

[@GunsOfTheWest]

Thanks for watching!

[@user-oz1fd1hz9d]

Those cap and ball revolvers were designed for and perfectly safe with all six̌ chambers loaded. They have secure safety notches to lower the hammer into. My Single Action Army replica does need the 5 shot cowboy load though.

[@marious2k]

I carry mine to get around " Fire Arm " laws in the different states as a trucker. Its not a fire arm. But I do unload it "shoot it" every year or year and a half. Never a problem

[@GunsOfTheWest]

I teach gun laws in my day job and I have good news for you. You can carry a modern firearm in a truck across state lines, as long as you abide by the laws of each state. It’s a common misconception that you can’t. (You just need to make sure you’re not violating any employer policies that could cost you your job.) Having said that, most states that would have a problem with your modern gun will also have a problem with your black powder gun. It’s not considered a firearm for purposes of purchase, but it’s still considered a dangerous weapon which some states won’t let you carry.

[@Masteradamant]

The 36 is the sheriffs choice for a good reason. Appreciate the video about loading a 1851 classic revolver. 😎

[@plaguepandemic5651]

Can confirm, I've kept a Dragoon loaded for over a year (I like to carry it in the back country in a holster, so it was even exposed to humidity on some rainy summer days) and then fired off all 5 shots without even so much as a hangfire when I finally took it to the range.

[@barryalmand930]

Great v4ideo! I have a '51 that I left loaded (there was a legit reason) over a year. The load was: powder 22 grains Pyro, ball, "spit ball," and of course #10 cap. The pistol was kept in an A/C house. When I fired the pistol, it shot like "snap...boom!" There was a definite delay between the cap popping and powder going off. The fault was probably with me, or the Spit Ball drying allowing moisture to the powder.

[@GunsOfTheWest]

Thanks for watching!

[@barbusie5217]

The problem was the powder.. Always use ((( real ))) black powder "FFFg" and about 30 grains of it, and pack it tight.. The tighter the better..

[@robertdolan6327]

There is a photo of a Comanche warrior on pg102 in a book; Will Soule Indian Photographer at Fort Sill,OK 1869-74, that depicts the warrior with an 1858 Remington first model revolver. I remember this photo when I was assigned the task of going through all the post photos to search out all Soule photos while working at the Fort Sill Gun Museum in the summer of 1968. I was fascinated with the cap and ball pistols at the time so when I came upon this one I studied it in detail. I noticed that the caps had a substance that had to be a grease. After purchasing an 1851 Colt Navy I carried out my own research. Loading up five live loads I used Crisco to seal the chambers and applied it to the nipples so that it covered the skirt of the cap. I then carried it when I was in the woods in all weather over the space of a year. This included soaking rain and a bit of snow. That spring every round fired as fresh as a daisy.

[@uppitywhiteman6797]

Used to have a loaded colt navy in my office desk. Once a month I'd shoot with some friends. Never had a problem with the pistol not firing.

[@GunsOfTheWest]

Thanks for watching!

[@therakshasan8547]

Twice I did a LONG Term wait on firing the pistol. 1st time was 5 years. all rounds fired 1 was weak , and one shot managed to Just get the ball out of the barrel. 2nd time was 10 years all shots fired. 2 were weak , 4 were marginal [I could see the ball flop out the barrel.]. Like in your video I loaded Powder - Ball -Lube-cap. Nothing greasy , or wet in contact to power , or that could Wick water to the powder. I live in a very Humid region of the US. I don't recommend waiting more than a year for firing Black Powder because knocking a stuck ball from a barrel is a painintheass.

[@monstersdoexist]

Had a fella bring a single shot "Pirate" pistol (his word, not mine) into the shop to sell, Said he had purchased it at a civil war re-enactment a few years back, was not a gun person and just needed money. Upon inspection I noted the ramrod did not go all the way down. A flashlight showed something silver at the bottom of the barrel. I told him I think it is loaded and his eyes got big a saucers. Said he dry fired it a lot at his television screen during movies. I grabbed a #10 cap and we went out back. When the pistol went off like a cannon and put a nice hole in the target, I thought he would lose his lunch. Needless to say, I offered him a pittance for the gun and he gladly took it.

[@kerrypurcell6022]

another good video,,,always wondered about that,, how long they could be kept loaded,,,,black powder i have been told is best ,,,,,,for long term stability ,,,

[@michaellittle226]

Thanks for sharing. I kept my new model army loaded for about 8 months. All chambers went off when fired . Tho I could tell from the sound that they lost power .

[@ronrobertson59]

I once left a loaded 1851 navy without caps for 6 months and it fired fine. I loaded it with caps and let it sit 6 months and got two miss fires because of the caps. I lived in Florida then and it is humid there.

[@Bearlake1624]

Had one loaded for about 4 years .when time came worked perfectly with no rust in cylinder

[@rogerharris8081]

The weather in southeast AZ is fairly dry so my .36 Navy will go six months with no problem. Twenty grains of fff Goex , lubed felt wad then ball, no cap...she is ready to go every time.

[@GunsOfTheWest]

Thanks for watching!

[@suegarnjobst9123]

I had a friend purchase an old hotel and in the remodeling he found an old Colt army revolver in the wall. It was fully loaded without caps on the nipples. Being a gunsmith he called me on how to unload it. He brought it over and we capped the nipples and it fired all charges. The rooms he remodeled had only been used for storage since the civil war era. The gun had been there over 100 years.

[@GunsOfTheWest]

Wow! That’s a incredible!

[@crominion6045]

I've read of stashed guns dating back to the Revolutionary War being found and still having viable powder in them, so that doesn't surprise me. 👍

[@batman88ironman]

Cool video. all your vids are very informative and well done straight to the point and your clear and concise. Question, do the paper cartridges last longer?

[@GunsOfTheWest]

Thanks very much! To be honest I’ve never done a similar test with paper cartridges, so I’m really not sure of any difference in how long they’ll last. I do plan on doing some videos on them in the future though. Thanks for watching!

[@Squib1911]

I have been wanting to do that test myself, but I never considered any long term contamination from the wads. Thank you for explaining that and thank you for making this video.

[@GunsOfTheWest]

You’re very welcome! Thanks for watching!

[@Traveler1226]

I have left mine loaded for 4-5 months a few times and they fired no problem. But I left my 1860 colt loaded for over a year one time and the caps failed. But after recapping it fired all chambers.

[@GunDrone]

I have left my gun loaded over 2 years with Pyrodex pistol powder, no issues there either. Another time, i trudged through a waist deep creek only to realize i have my revolver on my hip. It was completely submerged as i crossed. Got to the other side thought I'd messed up really bad. I got to camp and forgot about the gun as there was allot of camp things that had to be done first before dark. Later at night i swabbed the barrel dry and fired off all 6 rounds. No issues. I did nothing special prior to loading than just make sure the caps were on tight.

[@beardedrancher]

I usually use corn meal between the ball and powder and hard lube over the ball. Can leave it loaded a long time as long as it's not too hot outside.

[@mikepreslar8686]

Paul Harrell pulled a cap and ball revolver out of his gun safe that had been loaded and stored for 3 years that fired without issue. I would guess humidity might be the biggest factor.

[@barrythorstenson8583]

I have carried my revolver loaded with a wad made of Styrofoam from the supermarket meat trays for as long as six months with no lack of performance when the time came to use it.The nail polish on the cap is a tip I got from friend works well N

[@bigger680]

I loaded mine last November 2020 fired the dirty rounds out November 2021 no problems.

[@berndm9743]

I have a .44 Kentucky Long Rifle that did not fire because of a blocked flash hole so it sat fully loaded in my insulated 2 car garage for almost 5 years before I took it out again and it fired perfectly. (I used synthetic black powder).

[@savageater57]

I once left my T/C Hawken loaded for a year (no cap) as a test, it did fire but took two caps . It may have fired the first try had I put a small charge of fff under the nipple .

[@paulnormandin5267]

I wanted to see this very thing some years ago. I loaded one of my 1860 Colts and one Remington New Army revolvers with 30 grains of powder, my home made wads made out of 50% bee's wax and 50% bacon fat and .454 round balls and no. 11 caps (first thing I do with any new cap fired piece is go to Track of the Wolf and buy stainless no. 11 nipples and throw out the factory ones). Exactly as I would load them to shoot. I placed them both in the safe and took them out a year later (I have two 1860s and two Rem New Army revolvers so this didn't hinder my recreational BP shooting activities). A year later all six cylinders fired like they were just loaded and after inspecting the chambers thoroughly I did not find and hint of corrosion.

[@1stPCFerret]

From time to time, I've read about modern day people who sometimes discover that great-granddad's Civil War musket was actually loaded by having the thing discharge when examining it or passing it around.

[@Tokmurok]

Bwahahahaha

[@mikeoneil5770]

I’ve left my 1851 Colt Navy revolver loaded for as long as five years between firing, and it has never, ever failed to go off every time I’ve ever fired it. As long as you keep them dry and relatively clean, it will shoot perfectly fine every time..

[@joerobo682]

I recovered an 1858 Remington revolver I thought I had lost in 1981 but found when moving in 1998. It was loaded but uncapped. I took it out to the woods and recapped, fired it. Fired fine till the last two chambers chain fired(it was Crisco sealed). I've heard stories of cap and ball loaded for longer.

[@brianthwaites2397]

Chain fires have been shown to mainly originate from the rear of the cylinder rather than the front due to flashover from the percussion caps. Putting lube over the ball is for just that purpose, lubrication.