Storing a cap and ball revolver loaded

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Ungrateful

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I’m sure this has been discussed before but I searched and couldn’t find it.

What are people’s interpretations on the regulations relating to storage of antique cap and ball revolvers? Would you say it is the same as storage of muzzle loaders and flintlock pistols? Would you say it is loaded if there is a charge of powder and a projectile loaded but no cap/primer? Same general question for transport.

I know a bunch of guys are going to say don’t ask this online call your local whatever or ask a lawyer. I am not soliciting legal advice, just wondering how others interpret it.
 
Storage of antique handguns is that they are unloaded. If your handgun is found in that condition and the same room contains a lighter or matches, could the firearm be discharged by holding the flame to the nipple once cocked? To put yourself in a position where something like that could be a point of contention is rather stupid in my opinion. You are subjecting yourself by relying on the undefined (in this context) "loaded" to the whims of the officer responding, the crown reviewing, and the firearms lab personnel who test it.

I am not a lawyer and I don't even play one on tv.
 
BlackPowderBurner said:
Storage of antique handguns is that they are unloaded. If your handgun is found in that condition and the same room contains a lighter or matches, could the firearm be discharged by holding the flame to the nipple once cocked? To put yourself in a position where something like that could be a point of contention is rather stupid in my opinion. You are subjecting yourself by relying on the undefined (in this context) "loaded" to the whims of the officer responding, the crown reviewing, and the firearms lab personnel who test it.

I am not a lawyer and I don't even play one on tv.
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I don’t play one on tv either.

You’re saying better be safe than sorry. I have hunted with guys for over 20 years in sw Ontario black powder season who claimed that ther muzzle loader was “unloaded” because there was no cap on the nipple. Coincidently, none of them are members on this forum to back me up either
 
IMO if it’s charged it’s loaded, period. I can’t even think of a reason I’d want to store it loaded either. Maybe a rifle or musket or my revolver if I got in a Time Machine and went back to 1863 and my sidearm was my lifeline but in today’s terms I’d feel pretty stupid/sloppy trying to justify my reasoning to an LEO.
 
A muzzleloader may be transported from hunting site to hunting site with the barrel charged if the cap or flint has been removed. This applies while hunting, not storage or transport other than while hunting.
That is probably what your friends have in mind.
An antique handgun must be unloaded to be stored or transported (in a locked container).
I suspect that this barrel charged while moving between hunting sites situation exists because of the difficulty that may be encountered trying to unload many muzzleloading guns without firing them.
 
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Ungrateful said:
I don’t play one on tv either.

You’re saying better be safe than sorry. I have hunted with guys for over 20 years in sw Ontario black powder season who claimed that ther muzzle loader was “unloaded” because there was no cap on the nipple. Coincidently, none of them are members on this forum to back me up either
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I hunt with a muzzleloader in Ontario, under the Hunting Regulations it's unloaded if the primer/cap is removed. That's the MNR hunting regulations though which is different from the Firearms Act. Under the Hunting Regulations my firearms has to be in a case in my vehicle while under the firearms act it does not.
 
MosinMan13 said:
IMO if it’s charged it’s loaded, period. I can’t even think of a reason I’d want to store it loaded either. Maybe a rifle or musket or my revolver if I got in a Time Machine and went back to 1863 and my sidearm was my lifeline but in today’s terms I’d feel pretty stupid/sloppy trying to justify my reasoning to an LEO.
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My interest in this is that winter is setting in here, I shoot at an all outdoor range and I’d rather load my first 6 shots in the warmth of my basement before I go to the range. I know lots of people who load the cylinder days earlier then drop the caps on, fire 6 shots then freeze thier fingers off reloading. I show up with an empty cylinder and load outside in the wind and rain.
 
mcpiper said:
I hunt with a muzzleloader in Ontario, under the Hunting Regulations it's unloaded if the primer/cap is removed. That's the MNR hunting regulations though which is different from the Firearms Act. Under the Hunting Regulations my firearms has to be in a case in my vehicle while under the firearms act it does not.
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No. Under the hunting regulations your firearm has to be encased on all 6 sides from 1/2 hour after sunset to 1/2 before sunrise if in a location where wildlife may be present. During the day so long as it's unloaded you can put it on the dash if you want.
 
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tiriaq said:
A muzzleloader may be transported from hunting site to hunting site with the barrel charged if the cap or flint has been removed. This applies while hunting, not storage or transport other than while hunting.
That is probably what your friends have in mind.
An antique handgun must be unloaded to be stored or transported (in a locked container).
I suspect that this barrel charged while moving between hunting sites situation exists because of the difficulty that may be encountered trying to unload many muzzleloading guns without firing them.
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Thanks. This is what I was looking for.
 
lucky07 said:
No. Under the hunting regulations your firearm has to be encased on all 6 sides from 1/2 hour afyer sunset to 1/2 before sunrise if in a location where wildlife may be present. During the day so long as it's unloaded you can put it on the dash if you want.
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A lot of money could be saved if they just came up with some regulations that made sense and anyone could understand. Most of the guys I started hunting whitetail with in sw Ontario have either bought crossbows or decided upland/migratory bird was more worth their time
 
Even if it wasn t illegal there wouldn t be any practical reason to store a cap&ball revolver loaded like say if one was using it for self defence(if legally allowed) you d be betting your life on the fact that it would fire or not.
 
barbarossa said:
Even if it wasn t illegal there wouldn t be any practical reason to store a cap&ball revolver loaded like say if one was using it for self defence(if legally allowed) you d be betting your life on the fact that it would fire or not.
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That’s not my reason. Just loading the first 6 where it’s warm to save some cold on the fingers at an outdoor range
 
Ungrateful said:
My interest in this is that winter is setting in here, I shoot at an all outdoor range and I’d rather load my first 6 shots in the warmth of my basement before I go to the range. I know lots of people who load the cylinder days earlier then drop the caps on, fire 6 shots then freeze thier fingers off reloading. I show up with an empty cylinder and load outside in the wind and rain.
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Paper cartridges, there’s all sorts of affordable kits to help make them. I keep a dozen on hand for ugly weather days.
 
Would transporting a percussion revolver with its loaded uncapped cylinder removed but in the locked transport container be any different legally than transporting an autoloading pistol with a loaded magazine locked in the container with it?
Transporting or storing a loaded and capped cylinder is a really bad idea, in my opinion.
 
mcpiper said:
I hunt with a muzzleloader in Ontario, under the Hunting Regulations it's unloaded if the primer/cap is removed. That's the MNR hunting regulations though which is different from the Firearms Act. Under the Hunting Regulations my firearms has to be in a case in my vehicle while under the firearms act it does not.
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When I was hunting with a muzzle loader, BC had the same regulation... remove the cap and it was considered unloaded for transportation purposes.
 
Ungrateful said:
A lot of money could be saved if they just came up with some regulations that made sense and anyone could understand. Most of the guys I started hunting whitetail with in sw Ontario have either bought crossbows or decided upland/migratory bird was more worth their time
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The laws/regulations are very easy to understand, it's just that most people who hunt don't seem to grasp the english language very well for some reason. That said, they don't always make sense, but they're clear enough no matter how stupid or self contradicting they may be.

The conflict between provincial and feredal rules in some cases such as this muzzle loader between hunting sites situation that was brought up is a perfect example.
 
lucky07 said:
No. Under the hunting regulations your firearm has to be encased on all 6 sides from 1/2 hour after sunset to 1/2 before sunrise if in a location where wildlife may be present. During the day so long as it's unloaded you can put it on the dash if you want.
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Fair enough my mistake, but under the firearms act it does not have to be encased at any time of the day when in transport. My point being that hunting regs and the Firearms Act are different pieces of legislation with different requirements.
 
tiriaq said:
Would transporting a percussion revolver with its loaded uncapped cylinder removed but in the locked transport container be any different legally than transporting an autoloading pistol with a loaded magazine locked in the container with it?
Transporting or storing a loaded and capped cylinder is a really bad idea, in my opinion.
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To be fair I was talking about transporting with no caps on the nipples and most cap and ball revolvers have a safety notch between each chamber but yes, I agree why wouldn’t removing the (partially) loaded cylinder make it unloaded?

Like I said on a practical note, lots of colts it’s not that simple. Remingtons were made for the owner to have several loaded cylinders on hand and swap them out quick
 
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