Cylinder Loading Press

[NaturalPath]

Wondering if anyone has plans for or, a picture of, a simple homemade cylinder press, for loading the cylinder out of the gun? Preferably, it would be made out of mostly wood and, could be made with simple hand tools. I know that these can be purchased but, I like to make things myself, whenever I can.

Also, I was wondering if anyone transports their cap and ball handguns with the cylinder loaded and, out of the gun?

 

[slowfire]

I am not home right now to take a pic of my home made press. I will try to get some pics in a day or 2.
I transport my 1885's with cylinders in another box , powdered and balled.
I never cap untill they are on the gun and at the loading table. As I understand it ,the gun is not considered loaded untill it is capped. I think it would be unwise to cap untill you are ready to shoot.

 

[NaturalPath]

Thanks slowfire, I'd like to see your setup. I'm pretty confident that I could design my own press but, if I could see those that others have made themselves, it sure would help a bit.

Yes, this is how I see it too, just like if you take the magazine out of the modern gun and, there is no round in the chamber, the gun would then be unloaded but, the question then would be, how close to the gun can you keep that magazine or, cylinder, in this case?

I agree, capping the cylinder should only happen once the cylinder is back in the gun and, you are ready to use it. I wouldn't want to test the theory that the gun is not loaded unless capped. From everything I've learned about black powder firearms, this is a very contentious issue. However, in the case of black powder revolvers, where you can actually remove the cylinder from the gun, leaving the powder and ball in the cylinder seems more doable than leaving powder and ball in an uncapped long gun.