Cap and Ball for HD?

[OrangePwrx9]

Some interesting details on this gal. She and her husband escaped from an eastern European nation about 10 years before the iron curtain fell and made their way to Canada. They've done well there thanks to their professional training .

She's actually a good friend of my lady friend and often tells my lady that I am right to insist that she learn how to shoot and keep a firearm handy. She relates a tale from her youth in the 'old country' where some people (?) came to take everything they had and the only thing that prevented it was that her parents had a gun.

She also sees a lot of similarity between what is happening in this country now and what was happening behind the iron curtain 30 years ago. That's why, during her stays in FL, she is rather nervous about not having a firearm available. I assume that in Canada, her residence is well armed, though I haven't asked.

Point is, she has some experience with civilizational collapse scenarios and she sees something of that nature ahead for this country. This creates a dilemma for a law-abiding person in her position. To abide by the law is to go defenseless when law-enforcement breaks down. To prepare for the collapse, is to put one at odds with the law. Fact is all the laws quoted here won't be worth the paper they're on if there's no money to pay police salaries.

Anyway, cutting to the chase, she seems uninterested in longarms, though I've brought them up. Handguns are what she's familiar with and she'd like to practice with whatever she has. There is an indoor range nearby that lets folks shoot pretty much anything "up to .50 BMG", if you can believe that. I'm thinking something like a Remington New Army with a few spare cylinders could serve the purpose intended while giving her a reload capability (via cylinder swap).

BTW, thanks to all for the input to this point.

 

[Omnivore]

If loaded properly, to avoid contamination of the powder by certain bullet lubes, the percussion pistol can be left loaded for as long as a modern cartridge, i.e. years and years. I've left mine loaded for months at a time, even in my vehicle in winter, and they fire just fine. If a lubed wad is used over the powder, they'll still shoot after several months, but the power will be reduced substantially because not all the gun powder ignites. I load all six on my Remington and keep the hammer down in one the safety notches. In that case you just have to be careful not to draw the hammer back inadvertently. You can reload by swapping cylinders as fast or faster than you can reload a modern single action cartridge revolver. Keeping a spare cylinder loaded and capped has its own dangers, but with reasonable care in storage and handling it's reasonably safe. That's been my experience anyway.

All that said I prefer a modern semi auto for HD.

In my hunting with black powder, the smoke cloud has been known to completely obscure my target, such that when the smoke clears, the deer is simply gone and I have to reacquire it not knowing initially which direction it went. That alone would give me pause in choosing a percussion gun for HD. Outdoors it's usually not a problem, but indoors the smoke isn't going to clear.

 

[351 WINCHESTER]

International shooters visiting the United States usually have an ATA Carnet or they have a Customs Broker make a Temporary Importation Entry and post a bond.

 

[ThorinNNY]

You can legally purchase and possess a muzzle loading pistol or revolver in New York State without having a valid pistol permit. All you can legally do with it is display it in a case or on the wall if you don`t have a valid pistol permit.SHOOTING it is another matter- you need a pistol permit. Possessing a BP pistol or revolver, black powder, balls and caps of the correct size without a pistol permit can get you into a lot of trouble if your`e caught at it. Saying you had to use it to defend yourself won`t save you if you don`t have the permit.
New York State`s laws regarding possession of a handgun are both stupid and harsh, but they are strictly enforced. The situation`s even worse In New York City. They do not honor a valid pistol permit from another state, or for that matter-a pistol permit issued in another part of New York State.

 

[hirundo82]

I don't know about Florida law, but per federal law:

1) It is generally illegal for a nonresident alien to possess a firearm. The most widely applicable exception to this is if they possess a hunting license--no stipulation that he firearm must be of a type suitable for hunting. Ref 18 USC 922(y)(2).

2) A firearm, regardless of age, that does not use fixed ammunition is not a firearm under federal law. Ref 18 USC 921(a)(16).

 

[splattergun]

"Also how save is it it to keep a black powder weapon "chambered." I mean obviously it was done all the time back before the development of the non-BP guns, but I always wondered how safe it was."

The Pietta '58 New Army has slots cut between the chambers so the hammer can be safely lowered and carried with 6 full charges. Cock and squeeze as needed, up to 6 times per cylinder.

 

[gfanikf]

"Also how save is it it to keep a black powder weapon "chambered." I mean obviously it was done all the time back before the development of the non-BP guns, but I always wondered how safe it was."

The Pietta '58 New Army has slots cut between the chambers so the hammer can be safely lowered and carried with 6 full charges. Cock and squeeze as needed, up to 6 times per cylinder.

Thank you.

Sent from my DROIDX using Tapatalk

 

[Legionnaire]

BP revolvers get around the firearms laws here in upstate NY by virtue of not being considered 'firearms'.

You can legally purchase and possess a muzzle loading pistol or revolver in New York State without having a valid pistol permit ... SHOOTING it is another matter: you need a pistol permit. Possessing a BP pistol or revolver, black powder, balls and caps of the correct size without a pistol permit can get you into a lot of trouble if your'e caught at it.

Thor beat me to it. A cap and ball revolver better be on your permit if you plan to shoot it. I loved living in Upstate NY, once I got my unrestricted permit (and that took me years). I hate that now that I've moved out of NYS I can no longer carry there, or hunt with a revolver, even though I had a NY permit for years.

Sorry. Not meaning to hijack the thread. Just don't want the OP getting caught by NY's stupid laws.

 

[andrewstorm]

permit if you shoot it?

Mich. had this silly law at one time,then they passed the Janet kukuk act,which aligned michigan's law with the federal law, search "Michigan antique firearms bill signed into law"

 

[Burt Blade]

One can be a hunter without ever actually shooting a critter. Otherwise there would be many fewer hunters any given season. (Thus it is called "hunting" not "harvesting".) Philosophically, it probably should involve at least one actual licensed walk in the woods, in-season and suitably attired in orange, to unarguably establish one's status.

If the only way to be armed is to be a hunter, it is not that difficult to get that paperwork, schedule a trip to legal hunting lands, and walk around hunting for a day. You might even like actual hunting.

Competition may be a less-elaborate path in Florida. There are plenty of muzzle loading clubs and completions there.