I load mine for the first hunt and it stays loaded until I take a shot. Of course, at the end of the hunt I remove the primer/cap until I begin another hunt. Last season I loaded my Mustang for the first morning hunt. Took out the cap and put it in the camp around noon, and loaded the Zouave for the evening hunt. Took off the musket cap at the end of the hunt and used the Mustang the next day. At one point, I had the Mustang, the Zouave, and the New Englander loaded and sitting in the camp while I was hunting with my .41 mag Blackhawk.Variety is the spice of life.