How can you keep it loaded?

[The Trinity Kid]

Hi y'all.  I have a Remington NMA and I'm wondering what a safe way to keep it loaded is.  I intend to carry it in a holster through the woods, and store it loaded.  How can I keep it from going off while in the cabinet?  I was thinking of stuffing a little Crisco down the nipple, but am worried that the caps may not be able to penetrate it.  How did they do it in times gone by?

--TK

[Lefty Dude]

Load 5 chambers, cap the 5 loaded chambers. Keep the hammer down on the MT chamber. You can also use the safety notch between the chambers with six loaded and capped, however the best and safe way is as I described in the first & second sentence.

[hellgate]

In times gone by they just loaded it with powder & ball then capped the nipples. No lube wads, no grease over the ball. Just a dry chamber, powder, ball & caps. Keep the hammer either on an empty chamber or firmly in the safety slot between chambers.

I've had Remingtons that would not stay firmly in the safety slots (i.e. I could rotate the cylinder and the hammer could fall onto a cap). Some hammer tips are too wide to go into the slot and some hammers rest on the raised area below & between the nipple cutouts thus preventing the hammer from fully dropping into the safety slot. A little narrowing of the hammer tip or  removal of metal where the hammer rest on the cylinder is in order if it won't seat into the safety slot.

Do not ever put anything into the nipple that could block the cap flame from getting to the powder. You need a nipple pick or small dental flossers to clean out the flash channels after cleaning. You want the nipple to be absolutely clear and dry of any oil, cleaning solution or fouling to insure ignition when you need it.

[Freedom]

Rest your hammer between the nipples or down on an empty chamber.... Be carful when hikeing and us a retention sytem to prevent accidental cocking of the hammer from brush etc,

How do you keep if from going off in the cabinet/safe . Seriously?..Well don't touch it!! it's not like it is going to cock and fire it's self.... and as long as you have the hammer down on an empty chamber it won't matter if it falls or is dropped.

Don't kram crisco etc in the nipples...I leave mine capped with firmly seated caps so that there is a good moisture seal for my charges.

[Forty Rod]

I kept an 1860 Army with six loaded and five capped and  a capper next to it for fifteen years.  I'd shoot it every month, clean it and reload it again.

Never had a problem of any kind.

[Slowhand Bob]

 Cap guards might also be of help for regular/lengthy dry storage in very humid environments.

[The Trinity Kid]

Rest your hammer between the nipples or down on an empty chamber.... Be carful when hikeing and us a retention sytem to prevent accidental cocking of the hammer from brush etc,

How do you keep if from going off in the cabinet/safe . Seriously?..Well don't touch it!! it's not like it is going to cock and fire it's self.... and as long as you have the hammer down on an empty chamber it won't matter if it falls or is dropped.

Don't kram crisco etc in the nipples...I leave mine capped with firmly seated caps so that there is a good moisture seal for my charges.

I'm sorta an over-cautious guy, and though I trust my siblings to leave it alone....I don't at the same time.....  And where I am, in order to transport it, it has to be un-capped and the cylinder removed. I carry it in a back-pack at times, so I'm worried about the static there, and the natural static that occurs from walking through brush...sigh, I have a mite of a problem here.

--TK

[Paladin UK]

Fer TTK.........

IMOHO,
The chances of static setting off your cylinder which is tucked away in your back-pack are about..

1.000.000.000.000.000.000.000.000.000.000.000.000.000. to 1

But then again ya cant be too careful

Paladin (Whats shootin` tomorrow  ) UK

[Forty Rod]

IMHO the danger of static is vastly over-rated.  In 40 years I've never seen nor heard a first hand account of it happening.

Check the tests done by the Brimstone Pistoleros on their site.

[Hambone Dave]

In the old days they had many options to be applied individually or in combination:

1) Don't worry about it.
2) Discharge the weapon each evening and reload when needed.
3) Tell siblings and children to not touch it and they obeyed because in the old days folks behaved better.
4) Replace nipples with ones that are sealed up while in storage.
5) Carry the loaded cylinder with you at all times, then install when needed.

I would go with 1 and 3.

[St. George]

If you have a sibling problem - educate them on Firearms Safety in the Home, then buy a trigger lock or a lockbox and control the key.

These revolvers rode through Cavalry campaigns fully loaded and capped - I've never read of an accidental discharge.

Scouts Out!

[Coffinmaker]

Maybe unrelated, but there are incidents where archeologists have recovered muskets and canon that were buried or submerged for several centuries.  X-ray of some of those atufacts revealed they were still loaded.  A few were carefully cleaned, tied to a block of wood and remotely activated.  About 80% FIRED and worth full power.  Awesome.
Keeping a BP firearm loaded isn't a problem in a technical sense.  Explosives have an indefinite shelf life when properly stored.  Such as in an air tight container, like a caped cylinder.  The only rea difficulty is keeping other ignorant (stupid) individuals from messing with the container. 

Coffinmaker

[Karl]

Although I agree that it is best to shoot a C&B revolver frequently then clean and reload it you can load it for longer periods.

You need to find a "grease" to fill in the loaded cylinders that is harder than Crisco and softer than paraffin to keep moisture out.  Rendered beef suet might be about right.  If you live in a hotter area add a little paraffin to stiffen it up.  When it is cool enough to handle with your fingers but still soft fill in the tops of the loaded cylinders as water/air tight as you can.  Make sure that your nipple threads are well greased and for that matter your pistol is well cleaned and oiled.  Also generously bees wax the outsides of your nipples so that the caps make a good tight seal which might also help prevent chain fires.

Wonder Wads and lubing your bullets would help too.



Does your Remington have the safety notches cut between the nipples for your hammer to rest in?  Most did.  This could allow you to safely carry all six chambers loaded.  A flap holster might be a good idea. 



Have you considered getting a Kirst (or R&D) cartridge conversion kit so that you have the conveniences of modern ammo?  http://www.kirstkonverter.com/shopcontent.asp?type=remington1858 

[Freedom]

I think Karl nailed it ...the best answer for your situation is the 45colt conversion cylinder.

I'm blessed to live in a different world than some. I leave mine loaded. You never know when you might see a badger, skunk, coyote, fox, wolf, or any other "target of opportunity" and have to pull over and send a few Blue-Whistlers.

The Remington is just so much fun, and shoots so well, it has to go on every trip.

[fourfingersofdeath]

Nice gun, nice outfit Freedom!