Is it OK to keep a BP weapon loaded when not in use? - Page 2

**4V50 Gary** · June 12, 2008, 08:48 PM

Thanks for that story Hawg Haggen.

The frontiersmen kept their gun loaded all the time. There was no telling when they needed it to defend themselves against man or beast. Remember, clean it before you load it.

BTW, I know one famous gun maker who keeps his smokepole loaded. It came in handy when his dog fought this 'coon. Darn 'coon bit the dog right through the nose too. He shot it and skinned it (the 'coon, not the dog).

Raider2000 · June 12, 2008, 09:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 4V50 Gary

Thanks for that story Hawg Haggen.

The frontiersmen kept their gun loaded all the time. There was no telling when they needed it to defend themselves against man or beast. Remember, clean it before you load it.

BTW, I know one famous gun maker who keeps his smokepole loaded. It came in handy when his dog fought this 'coon. Darn 'coon bit the dog right through the nose too. He shot it and skinned it (the 'coon, not the dog).

You sure you haven't been keeping tabs on me?

Bout 20 years ago I was living in a Trailer in Prince George, Va. when a Coon found a hole in the floor that I didn't know about & was doing God only knows what in that room, well I let a chamber from my 1860 Army loose with Lead BB's take care of him & had to show the Sherrif what all the rucus was about & what made the mess when a neighbor call em.

.44 caliber 1860.
15gr. FFFG Goex.
15gr. Lead BB's.
12 feet.

A big mess on the floor & wall to clean up the next mornin.

simonkenton · June 13, 2008, 06:42 AM

Yes Gary I like to think of how the pioneers used their guns.
The frontiersman had to keep his rifle loaded at all times. For him, it was not a matter of missing a shot at a deer, it was a matter of life and death.
If the frontiersman was out in Indian territory and he casually discharged his rifle at sunset, it would signal the Indians as to his location, and he would be dead before dawn.
Moreover, the pioneer could not drive up to the gun shop and buy another pound of powder. Powder was scarce and expensive.
So he had to figure a way to keep his rifle, or pistol, loaded at all times and to fire it only when necessary.

**4V50 Gary** · June 13, 2008, 10:19 PM

Yes Raider, me & the revenooers are keeping tabs on you and when the jugs are about filled, we're coming to grab 'em all for ourselves.

Actually, the fellow I was writing about used an iron mounted southern rifle of his own build and not a revolver like you did.

You got that right Simonkenton. No unnecessary discharge of firearm and you had to keep it loaded all the time even when you stayed in a cabin. Going outside to take a leak in the morning was sometimes the last thing a feller did. One of the Wetzel boys and sister Susannah used to show a dummy figure before stepping outside of the cabin. The dummy was nailed but their lives were spared (and they killed one of their assailants too).

Raider2000 · June 14, 2008, 04:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 4V50 Gary

Yes Raider, me & the revenooers are keeping tabs on you and when the jugs are about filled, we're coming to grab 'em all for ourselves. Actually, the fellow I was writing about used an iron mounted southern rifle of his own build and not a revolver like you did.

Well shoot come on in & sit a spell, we'll crack open a jug of some of the best sippin water & have a good time.

simonkenton · June 14, 2008, 05:21 AM

Also I see guys are concerned about corrosion occurring in the loaded bp gun.
The frontiersman was more concerned about that than we are.
To us these guns are pretty toys. We buy them, shoot them at the range, hunt with them some. We play with them. If we don't get a deer with our Hawken, we just stop by the store and buy a pound of burger.
To the frontiersman the rifle was the focal point of his life. The rifle was probably the most valuable thing he owned. It was critical to him, every day, to provide food and self defense.
If he woke up one morning and his rifle or pistol had corroded to the point that they were unusable, he couldn't get out the Visa card and call Cabelas.

June 12, 2008, 08:48 PM	#26
4V50 Gary Staff Join Date: November 2, 1998 Location: Colorado Posts: 21,841	Thanks for that story Hawg Haggen. The frontiersmen kept their gun loaded all the time. There was no telling when they needed it to defend themselves against man or beast. Remember, clean it before you load it. BTW, I know one famous gun maker who keeps his smokepole loaded. It came in handy when his dog fought this 'coon. Darn 'coon bit the dog right through the nose too. He shot it and skinned it (the 'coon, not the dog). __________________ Vigilantibus et non dormientibus jura subveniunt. *Molon Labe!*

June 13, 2008, 10:19 PM	#29
4V50 Gary Staff Join Date: November 2, 1998 Location: Colorado Posts: 21,841	Yes Raider, me & the revenooers are keeping tabs on you and when the jugs are about filled, we're coming to grab 'em all for ourselves. Actually, the fellow I was writing about used an iron mounted southern rifle of his own build and not a revolver like you did. You got that right Simonkenton. No unnecessary discharge of firearm and you had to keep it loaded all the time even when you stayed in a cabin. Going outside to take a leak in the morning was sometimes the last thing a feller did. One of the Wetzel boys and sister Susannah used to show a dummy figure before stepping outside of the cabin. The dummy was nailed but their lives were spared (and they killed one of their assailants too). __________________ Vigilantibus et non dormientibus jura subveniunt. *Molon Labe!*

June 13, 2008, 06:42 AM	#28
simonkenton Senior Member Join Date: April 25, 2008 Posts: 891	Yes Gary I like to think of how the pioneers used their guns. The frontiersman had to keep his rifle loaded at all times. For him, it was not a matter of missing a shot at a deer, it was a matter of life and death. If the frontiersman was out in Indian territory and he casually discharged his rifle at sunset, it would signal the Indians as to his location, and he would be dead before dawn. Moreover, the pioneer could not drive up to the gun shop and buy another pound of powder. Powder was scarce and expensive. So he had to figure a way to keep his rifle, or pistol, loaded at all times and to fire it only when necessary.

June 14, 2008, 05:21 AM	#31
simonkenton Senior Member Join Date: April 25, 2008 Posts: 891	Also I see guys are concerned about corrosion occurring in the loaded bp gun. The frontiersman was more concerned about that than we are. To us these guns are pretty toys. We buy them, shoot them at the range, hunt with them some. We play with them. If we don't get a deer with our Hawken, we just stop by the store and buy a pound of burger. To the frontiersman the rifle was the focal point of his life. The rifle was probably the most valuable thing he owned. It was critical to him, every day, to provide food and self defense. If he woke up one morning and his rifle or pistol had corroded to the point that they were unusable, he couldn't get out the Visa card and call Cabelas.