When is a Blackpowder Pistol considered "Loaded"?

[WaddWatsonEllis]

A stupid question actually .... since I handled my first gun lo those many years ago, the answer was ALWAYS treat  any gun as if it was loaded.

The reason I ask then is concerning WHEN is a blackpowder gun considered loaded by SASS ...

I seem to remember somewhere reading that, due to the time it takes to reload with black powder, that one was allowed to place powder and ball in the cylinder and the gun was not considered 'loaded' until the caps were placed on the nipples.

That as long as the caps were uninstalled, one could carry the weapons away from the reloading table without getting a proceedural called.

Is this true?  Any experienced blackpowder shooters want to comment?

[yeti76620]

Sorry Wadd I didn't see this thread.  Check out your other thread where ya first asked the question.

Yeti76620

[Daniel Nighteyes]

I seem to remember somewhere reading that, due to the time it takes to reload with black powder, that one was allowed to place powder and ball in the cylinder and the gun was not considered 'loaded' until the caps were placed on the nipples.

That as long as the caps were uninstalled, one could carry the weapons away from the reloading table without getting a proceedural called.

'Tis true.  If you think about it, a cylinder filled with black powder and topped with a lead ball, but with no means to ignite the powder, is pretty harmless.

[WaddWatsonEllis]

Daniel, Yeti,

Thanks for reaffirming what I thought ... I just didnt want to scare or alienate of of the local Range Officers by doing something incredibly stupid because I 'thought ' some thing was okay to do ....

[Forty Rod]

Daniel, Yeti,

Thanks for reaffirming what I thought ... I just didnt want to scare or alienate of of the local Range Officers by doing something incredibly stupid because I 'thought ' some thing was okay to do ....

You've never done that?  Man are you missing an great experience.  HA!!!         

[yeti76620]

You've never done that?  Man are you missing an great experience.  HA!!!         

OOHHhhh Forty Rod......I'mma think-n yer an instigating stinker!!!   

GOOD ON YA

Yeti

[WaddWatsonEllis]

Actually Forty Rod & Yeti,

I entered into this kind of backwadly ... I mean backwardly.

I had been approached to possibly be a part of a blackpowder reenactment group and let it be known that I would be interested in some 5.5" bbl SS Fixed Site ...

Well for various reasons, the reenactment thing just did not work out ... but a fellow member of my shooting club heard of my search, and had this friend with two of exactly  the weapons that I had been looking for.

The Rugers have Uncle Mike Nipples, have been reworked and are hella smooth, and have faux bone grips.....

The price he quoted would have been a bit much for one gun, but for TWO? I pulled yet some more from my 401K and bought them (Well, my 401K was going to hell in a handbasket quick anyway, and my rationalization was that when I went to sell them, the selling price would probably be more that what would have been left in the 401 K ... hey, it's my rationalization and I'm sticking to it!) *S*


So I have had these two weapons and never shot them for a couple of months ... and as luck would have it, they fit as good in the Will Ghormley holsters as the Schofields the holsters were designed for ... just had to get a black powder belt (i.e. no cartreidge loops) ... already have this HUGE Bowie that is much more appropriate for a black powder era knife than for the Schofields .....

So who knows; maybe this is the start of a new  ... maybe there is a Colt Revolving Rifle and a black powder Coach gun out there somewhere with my name on it   ...