On a 5 day moose hunt @ -3 down to -45C, my rifle was loaded when I got to the hunting area, on the way in. In the evening, the nipple was covered with a strip of 1/4" leather, cock down on that & applied a strip of electricians tape over the muzzle. The gun was stored underneath a tarp, leaning against a tree, as were every one else's guns that hadn't been fired that day. Every morning, I'd wipe off the frost and snow crystals that accrued around the butt, sling the rifle & I'd head out hunting. My rifle has been loaded thus for 3 to 5 days in horrifically cold weather, then going off instantly, as it should, when needed. At that time, I was using mink oil from Track for lube as a patch lube. Taking proper precautions, I don' t see why a flinter couldn't be stored the same way.
If fired, they were cleaned, of course - you want to see a white rifle? Hunt in -40 or so, then take it into a building or tent where the temp is 85F. Instant frosty rifle. Once it dropped down to -56C. No one went hunting that day. That's hard on mainsprings TOO. After beeing fired and stored behind the stove and up to temp, they are cleaned, wiped dry, oiled, wiped dry and re-loaded then stored inside until the next day - after that, if unfired, they are stored outside as noted above. Want a misfire, hunt all day with your rifle in cold weather then bring it inside overnight, - then, take it out the next day and expect it to go boom.
Of course, hunting in warmer climates would allow bringing the loaded rifle inside at night. If Taylor's flinters have a charge down them, they puts a strip of masking tape on the frizzen's face. Sounds fine to me. I also like to plug the vent with a 'round pic'. The patched ball plugs it from the other end.
I've left my .69 hanging on the mantle place for 2 month's loaded after a journey behind the neighbour's house looking for 'the' bear. Apparently, it came up onto their rear deck looking for the people's baby. The baby had been wailing, so she brought it inside and a bear showed up 5 min. later. People are funny - they were anti-gun until that happened. Few min. after than, I was coming hole from hunting, having not fired a shot and she hailed me over, told the story and asked if I'd go shoot that bear. So- down the green belt i went, looking for it, behind all the neighbour's houses along our street. No bear was found, so I kept the rifle on the mantle, expecting to go hunting again - didn't happen. It remained there, loaded from mid. Oct. through to after New Years. It was taped, and nipple sealed with the 1/4" leather fob so we all knew it was loaded. I finally got around to taking it to the range to shoot the charge off and it went instantly, as it should.
