BP revolver is all you have and it's raining

Hadn't given it any thought since I only shoot BP for recreation. Thinking about it, two ideas come to mind.
Historical: reload under a coat or tarp draped over me. The shooting bag would already be protected under clothing or similar.

Modern: Come up with an oversized clear bag (non-static material) big enough to let you use both hands while loading. Something like the opaque bag we used to load camera film onto spools or into the holder for large format film. Awkward but it worked.
Jeff

I always carry a poncho with me if there's even the slightest chance of rain. A good poncho is good and rain-proof. Hey, I'm out trekking and exploring the side of some mountain. I might take a bad fall, bust my leg, lose my rifle, and be down to my Remington New Model Army of Navy caliber when the wolves close in. All in the pouring rain. How's that for a scenario?

Ugly Sauce said:

I always carry a poncho with me if there's even the slightest chance of rain. A good poncho is good and rain-proof. Hey, I'm out trekking and exploring the side of some mountain. I might take a bad fall, bust my leg, lose my rifle, and be down to my Remington New Model Army of Navy caliber when the wolves close in. All in the pouring rain. How's that for a scenario?

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Gotta' agree with the poncho. Good idea, for a dry gun and for fighting hypothermia, as the temp drops with the rain. If yer carryin' a percussion revolver, I hope you keep that pistol in a full-flap holster, which, with your poncho, would mean a dry pistol to start off with. I suggest:

• Reload under the poncho, even though you might not be able to see. As Johnny Utah said in Point Break: "Vision is overrated."
• Use paper cartridges, in plastic boxes, in groups of six (or five). I've seen plastic cases for playing cards that might work. Never seen them for sale, but I haven't gone looking, either.
• Use a capper, and have extras, all well protected. It's the heart of the system.
• Have extra caps and cartridges, just in case. If you prepare well, you can use that great line from The Abyss: "Luck is not a factor!"

With tight-fitting bullets and caps, I suspect you'd be OK.

"Keep yer powder dry," isn't a figure of speech!

All my best,
Dirty Bob

Twocanary said:

I can see the falling down part. Mostly because I hunted with a browning citori. I'd cradle the thing going down so nothing would happen to it. Rather take the fall and didn't mind the bruises.

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Yep, same here with Great Grand-dad's double barrel, which I hunt with often. I learned well how to "tuck and roll".

Dirty Bob said:

Gotta' agree with the poncho. Good idea, for a dry gun and for fighting hypothermia, as the temp drops with the rain. If yer carryin' a percussion revolver, I hope you keep that pistol in a full-flap holster, which, with your poncho, would mean a dry pistol to start off with. I suggest:

• Reload under the poncho, even though you might not be able to see. As Johnny Utah said in Point Break: "Vision is overrated."
• Use paper cartridges, in plastic boxes, in groups of six (or five). I've seen plastic cases for playing cards that might work. Never seen them for sale, but I haven't gone looking, either.
• Use a capper, and have extras, all well protected. It's the heart of the system.
• Have extra caps and cartridges, just in case. If you prepare well, you can use that great line from The Abyss: "Luck is not a factor!"

With tight-fitting bullets and caps, I suspect you'd be OK.

"Keep yer powder dry," isn't a figure of speech!

All my best,
Dirty Bob

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I think "we" nailed it. Carry a poncho, and learn to load the pistola by feel. Yes ponchos are warm. I've been too warm a couple of times, wearing mine in the rain. All your other points are right-on.

I usually load my Remington .36 from a flask with measured spout, and a musket cap pouch which I fill with lubed bullets. Then carry a capper around my neck. I think I could do it by feel. Then I keep a sealed musket cap-tin filled with paper/combustible cartridges as an emergency back up. Don't remember what that holds, something like 18 I think. For sure, going just by feel, cartridges would be more better. With the flask, possibility of loading a ball or bullet in an empty chamber.

I like the idea of the cartridges in sealed containers by the six or five, that would increase one's odds. And then of course a tin of pistol caps is always in my kit.

Considering that I once went sliding down a steep bank, then airborne, then into a river, I like flap holsters, spare ammo in watertight containers, etc. I had to swim about 1/4 mile to find a place where I could get out, so that would have been a great test of my percussion revolver loading and ammo carry, if it had been OK to carry in that time and place.

Bob

Ya never know what might happen. That's why no scenario is impossible or too far fetched.

Just ask Wales-

Apparently Rain makes no difference and you can carry your Cap/Ball Revolver on hip without covering it, and still have it fire- In the Rain.

Yeah...if you are Josey wales. !!!!! I seen him do some things!

Ugly Sauce said:

Yeah...if you are Josey wales. !!!!! I seen him do some things!

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Yeah like a lot of things that weren't actually done. Such as reloading a Remington by swapping cylinders.

Animal gut carts were used back in the day.

Loading in the rain seems a process highly likely to not end well. Today… get in out of the rain, and wipe the pistol dry. In a car, a tent, under an eave, at least on the downwind side of a big tree. In old times… maybe shield it with a piece of cloth or leather and hope for the best.

WestKentucky said:

Loading in the rain seems a process highly likely to not end well. Today… get in out of the rain, and wipe the pistol dry. In a car, a tent, under an eave, at least on the downwind side of a big tree. In old times… maybe shield it with a piece of cloth or leather and hope for the best.

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The paper cartridges of the time would have been waxed, which would likely help with loading in the wet. If loading from a flask, pouring under cover of coat, tree, and hat wouldn’t be too difficult to manage.

Oh a Mexican type poncho or a Cloak ! I bet the earlier flinters loaded pistols and probly rifles using a weather cloak to shield the process.I large brimmed hats would also help as a roof .