How fast can BP revolvers be reloaded?

I have two 1858 clones with 2 spare cylinders apiece so total of 36 rounds before I even have to think about full reloads. As for swapping the cylinders I have timed myself and can consistently swap cylinders in 8 seconds per gun. As for reloading if I have gone through all 36 rounds then I would probably withdraw and give myself time to reload

jdn262 said:

That's an excellent question. Does any civil war buff in this thread know if there was some type of capper used for revolvers during the civil war? Either home made or army issued? If someone has a photo of a civil war capper, please post the photo in this thread.

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snakedoctor690 said:

View attachment 222795

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Thanks for the photo.

snakedoctor690 said:

I have two 1858 clones with 2 spare cylinders apiece so total of 36 rounds before I even have to think about full reloads. As for swapping the cylinders I have timed myself and can consistently swap cylinders in 8 seconds per gun. As for reloading if I have gone through all 36 rounds then I would probably withdraw and give myself time to reload

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Impressive skill!

Hollywood and Louis L’amour novels have filled our imaginations with fallacies. Civilians just didn’t get into the big shootouts we see portrayed on the screen. They were quite rare.

The capabilities of one’s weapons dictate tactics, not the other way around.

And before anyone blasts me, I loved reading Louie L’amour books!

Widows Son said:

Civilians just didn’t get into the big shootouts we see portrayed on the screen. They were quite rare.

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I think that's still a totally valid statement today. I read somewhere that the average number of rounds fired in a self-defense situation, today, is usually 3, fired from 3 feet, within 3 seconds.

Chicago reload ... work for me ..

Felonious said:

I think that's still a totally valid statement today. I read somewhere that the average number of rounds fired in a self-defense situation, today, is usually 3, fired from 3 feet, within 3 seconds.

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My thinking is not having ever been in a fire fight with hot lead buzzing by my ears I don't really know how I would react in such a deal ! One can train and imagine what it would be like but until it actually happens to them I doubt they will actually know.
Reloading a percussion revolver under such conditions when ones brains tend to turn to oatmeal, I would expect cause a person to grow a couple more thumbs.

jdn262 said:

Impressive skill!

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Lots of practice

M. De Land said:

My thinking is not having ever been in a fire fight with hot lead buzzing by my ears I don't really know how I would react in such a deal ! One can train and imagine what it would be like but until it actually happens to them I doubt they will actually know.
Reloading a percussion revolver under such conditions when ones brains tend to turn to oatmeal, I would expect cause a person to grow a couple more thumbs.

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That is why we trained so much in the military it becomes muscle memory, you don't think it all becomes reaction and you are correct until you have been under fire you dont know

jdn262 said:

I would be very interested in a more detailed procedure that you used to taper your capper as to length of taper and how much material you removed. If you have a digital camera, possibly a close up photo of the end of the capper that you can post for all in this thread would be great.

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Out of town at the moment, but I'll get a pic when I get back.

Just get a cap at the end like you are going to load. Then, without moving the cap, use a sharpie to mark the exposed brass past the center of the cap. This includes the side wall of the capper beside the cap (where most of the interferencehappens). Then file down the extra metal. Only leave what is needed to hold the cap in place.

I did this to one of mine and it allows me to place caps straight on the nipples without modding the cylinder. I still seat them with my thumb just to be certain they are down all of the way.

MSW said:

Chicago reload ... work for me ..

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Is that when you run out of bullets doing a drive by you stop and break into a car and steal a loaded firearm?

Widows Son said:

Hollywood and Louis L’amour novels have filled our imaginations with fallacies. Civilians just didn’t get into the big shootouts we see portrayed on the screen. They were quite rare.

The capabilities of one’s weapons dictate tactics, not the other way around.

And before anyone blasts me, I loved reading Louie L’amour books!

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Never been a big Louis L'amour fan, though I did run across 'The Furgeson Rifle' which was pretty good because I've always been fascinated by Furgeson rifles in general. If you haven't heard of it, a friend of mine that had nearly everything L'amour wrote said it was a rather obscure title. I originally got it for him but ended up reading it myself because of the subject matter.

The OK corral only took 30 seconds, about 10 participants and three were killed, range about 20’

The OK corral must of had the best PR team in history... heck we have dozens of gunfights that big every year now and no one remembers them unless a bunch of school kids get shot.. It's a crazy world.. a few of the bigger ones that come to mind. the FBI Miami shootout in 86. way bigger than OK Corral and doesn't even rate a movie that I am aware of.. LA bank job in the 90s with full auto converted SKS with drum mags.. home made body armor, etc. That has one movie and still nothing like the name recognition that OK corral has.

Well, the OK involved Wyatt Earp, his brothers Morgan and Virgil , Doc Holiday, Johnny Ringo, the "Cowboys" in general . . . These were folks of some notoriety to certain degrees in "new territory" with "folks back East" waiting for any kind of news. So, it wasn't "common place" such as it is today. The "firsts" are remembered everybody else is an "also . . . ."
Who's the 2nd man to climb Everest, walk on the moon, in space, . . .

Mike

M. De Land said:

My thinking is not having ever been in a fire fight with hot lead buzzing by my ears I don't really know how I would react in such a deal ! One can train and imagine what it would be like but until it actually happens to them I doubt they will actually know.
Reloading a percussion revolver under such conditions when ones brains tend to turn to oatmeal, I would expect cause a person to grow a couple more thumbs.

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I think you just summed it up for most people. I haven't been in a firefight, and don't want to again, no thank you Sir

cynthialee said:

Takes me about 10 minutes.
Even with pre-made carts it will take a couple of minutes. Add in an advancing column of soldiers coming your direction, ducking behind a log and trying to watch your six, with occasional bullets going over head...?!?
I suspect the answer to this is 'screw that, draw sabers and prepare for melee'.

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The time required to load a percussion revolver under battle conditions is inversely proportional to the time it takes to soil one's self.

Mike . thats kind of my point. that crew had dime novelists embellishing every move they made.

Pete453 said:

I think you just summed it up for most people. I haven't been in a firefight, and don't want to again, no thank you Sir

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Have been in a firefight, or two. Not with C&B revolvers, in an 'Old West' style shoot out but in Viet-Nam. It's nothing you can prepare yourself for. don't care how many scenarios you run in your head, it's like nothing that's ever happened to you before, until the next one, then you're just as unprepared as your first time.