Shot my 1851 that was kept loaded for over two years -Video-

[iLikeOldgunsIlikeNewGuns]

Hey all, I have a few smoke-wheels, so from time to time I'll experiment with keeping one or more of them loaded for extended periods of time.
This one is a Traditions (Pietta) 1851 Navy "US Marshall" (that's what it says on the box anyway) in .44 caliber with a 5" barrel in stainless steel. I loaded it up a little over two years ago with Hodgdon's triple 7, and it has sat in my safe (which isn't airtight, has holes for mounting) for the most part ever since. The other day I decided it was about time to see how it shot. I haven't figured out how to embed video in a forum post but here's the link:

http://youtu.be/4dJOO3a9aeI


Also, I must say the weight and feel of this gun is really amazing, it's a very comfy shooter.

 

[pghrich]

Cool, nice pics and video [i wish i had the skills to do], good looking gun, i like the looks without the rammer, pghrich

 

[Rogue Coder]

I know this is dumb to ask but how did you load it? With a greased wad or grease over the round ball?

 

[Foto Joe]

I like the engraving, can we assume that it's roll engraved from the factory or did you have that done?

 

[iLikeOldgunsIlikeNewGuns]

Hey Rogue, in this case I had loaded the cylinder with 'wonder-wads' between the triple 7 powder and Hornady .451 ball.

Foto Joe, you assumed correctly, the gun came engraved that way fresh out of the factory box when it was new, I fell in love with it as soon as I saw it. It is one of two 1851s that I bought at the same time and were the first guns I ever owned , the other being more traditional with the exception of it being in .44 caliber and not .36


On a different note, I removed the pictures from my original post and would like to apologize to anyone I may have offended. I had used a United States Flag-print bandana as a background for two photos of the 1851 seen in the video. A fellow forum member sent me a message and link to USFlag.org/uscode36, and I may have broken one or more parts of the code by doing that. Long story short I was trying to be patriotic and show my love for this country and its history, yet failed and if anything may have displayed disrespect. So again I apologize. I'll take new pics of it to post here soon.

edit: I was also asked in a message if there was any corrosion in the chambers after having kept the gun loaded for so long.
There was no corrosion whatsoever in any of the chambers, but I have experienced that issue in my blued cap n ball guns in the past. I'm guessing that somewhere between the fact that this revolver is stainless and that it was loaded with synthetic and not genuine FFFG black powder might be why. I'm also curious if I left it loaded for another year or two if there would be minor corrosion in the chambers at that point.

 

[Foto Joe]

I would think that it's unlikely that corrosion would be caused by "unburned" Black Powder. The bi-products of combustion of Black Powder are what causes corrosion, Black Powder itself is not corrosive in and of itself. Chances are that if you found corrosion in a gun that had been left loaded for an extended period of time then it was in the works "before" you loaded it and you might not have been able to even see that it was there. Although Black Powder will and does absorb moisture from the air, in order to get enough moisture to cause corrosion the powder itself would probably have been rendered useless.

 

[PRM]

Whaaat!!! You don't shoot and re-load it every day so yer powder is "fresh"...LOL


I've been saying for years that BP doesn't degrade any faster loaded in the cylinder than it does in a can or flask. Kept in the right conditions - it will last indefinitely. I'm old enough to remember when you could come across old muzzle loaders at yard sales that were still loaded from the late 1800 - early 1900 era, and capable of being fired. As far as corrosion from unburned BP powder - I've personally never had issues with that.