Shooting Traditional Firearms and Weapons > General Interest

LEAVING POWDER & BALL IN YOUR GUN

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Puffer:
How long can you (or should you) leave your Gun (ML/BP) loaded ??

The reason I am asking is that many times our ancestors needed to keep their weopons loaded for extended periods of time. Do to to avail. of powder etc., I can not imagine that they emptied it by firing every day or so. Plus pulling the ball is a PAIN. So how long did they keep it loaded & what were the results ???

Puffer

vermontfreedom:
If the day was dry, I leave my ball in (provided the season isn't over). If temps are cool, I leave my gun in the cold; I'll take it inside only during the early season when it's often warmer outside than in.

I've never done this, but I know folks that will leave their powder and ball in all season - for a few months, and it still goes off fine.

I tend not to do this as my barrel is not a blued production barrel and tends to require anti-rust treatment every few weeks or so.

With a brass range rod and decent ball screw, pulling PRB is a breeze (I load 0.535 ball and 0.015 patch) in my .54-cal. [Quite a bit tougher with hickory ramrod and antler handle I made!!!] So I have few or no issues pulling when weather was wet/damp during the day. I'll often pour out the powder and let it dry for a few days, then put it back in the powder tin. Depending on condition, I'll even reuse the patch. I do use a fouling scraper to take out any excess stuck in the breech and run a couple dry patches to 'clean' after pulling ball.

hawkeye:
I've left my smoothie loaded for a whole deer season (approx. 1 month) with no ill effects to either the load or the barrel.

FG1:
As long as its dry and vent sealed with toothpic or quill ,should be fine.

MikeC:
During the season if conditions are right I leave it loaded until I get a shot.

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