People overestimate how often percussion revolvers were reloaded...

[Flintlock Whiskey]

I think that “psyche” prevails today . . . . .
My local gun shop had several guns in whose owners PAID the shop to clean them!!

I, for one, would never let anyone else clean my firearms for the same reason I won't let someone repair my vehicles. When ever I've had anyone do work on a car/truck, they always screw it up somehow. Not sayin I'm better than anyone else, just the way I roll.

 

[zimmerstutzen]

I've noted more than one Western where a guy was shooting a lever action or SA revolver, and his shots, often just two, came so fast after one-another, that it could only be done with a semi-automatic firearm. Even finer films like Open Range and Valdez is coming. Just part of being a fan and movie geek, like the extensive sites where film flubs can be seen. (A wrist watch on a Union soldier in "Glory", very briefly but there. )

Or the Winchester highwall in 1883, and the model 92 Winchester in the movie Commancheros which was supposedly 10 years after Texas Independence. Or the model 88 Mausers in the Movie Zulu.

I did run across a strange English cap and ball revolver years ago that had a 7 shot cylinder in about 32 caliber.

 

[Bobby44]

I saw an old newspaper article where Hardin was attacked by a school mate when he was twelve, because Hardin was accused of insulting a girl in school. The classmate attacked Hardin with a knife, Hardin took the knife away from the kid and stabbed him with his own knife. The article said Hardin (his Dad was the school principle) "almost got in trouble" over the incident. My, how times have changed!

My father was a no nonsense type. I was very young when he gave me some 'armed' advise. If you are going to pull a weapon - use it! if you do not and you lose that weapon it will be used on you. Never forgot that advise and it was close to 70 years ago.

 

[GREENSWLDE]

You sir are correct. This is a picture from the IMFDB.ORG website regarding the Remington he was using. I'll have to watch it again. Still kind of wary of carrying a loaded cylinder though.
View attachment 128054

Shouldn't be too wary with the Remmie or other R/F convertions. The rim is enclosed in the back of the chamber and would be well protected as it's only the rim that has detinator in it . Short of knocking the hammer forward hard.. ? OLD DOG..

 

[Flintlock Whiskey]

Shouldn't be too wary with the Remmie or other R/F convertions. The rim is enclosed in the back of the chamber and would be well protected as it's only the rim that has detinator in it . Short of knocking the hammer forward hard.. ? OLD DOG..

Apologies, was referring to the cylinder with percussion caps.

 

[Stantheman86]

I watched The Good, the Bad and the Ugly last night and Lee Van Cleef was packing an 1858 Remington with caps on the nipples and a belt full of looped cartridges....oh well it's a movie

 

[garra]

I catch those mistakes all the time, especially around the time of the Civil War. I sort of solved the reloading issue on my 1858 by buying a couple more cylinders. Now I can reload them on the bench with a homemade press and just add caps when I am at the range.

 

[smoothshooter]

I'm mostly impressed you were willing to burn 100 #10 caps ....I hold on to those things like they're made of gold....

100 rounds without wiping the gun out is impressive .

My Walker gags up after about 12 through it

I typically get 75 to 90 shots from most of my Colt-type percussion revolvers before really needing to clean. Wetting my thumb and wiping off the chamber mouths while rotating the cylinder about every third time I load up again works wonders in keeping the cylinder rotating freely.
I also make my own lube by mixing olive oil and melted beeswax. The ratio varies.

 

[Stantheman86]

I typically get 75 to 90 shots from most of my Colt-type percussion revolvers before really needing to clean. Wetting my thumb and wiping off the chamber mouths while rotating the cylinder about every third time I load up again works wonders in keeping the cylinder rotating freely.

This is a good tip , I've just been cleaning them out when they get "gummy" and I also always forget a nipple pick, so when they get stubborn it usually coincides with chambers needing a second cap to fire

Treso nipples seemed to have solved that issue

 

[Stantheman86]

I catch those mistakes all the time, especially around the time of the Civil War. I sort of solved the reloading issue on my 1858 by buying a couple more cylinders. Now I can reload them on the bench with a homemade press and just add caps when I am at the range.

The Outlaw Josey Wales has a few Trapdoors......during the Civil War...plus Garand slings on 61 Springfields...I guess it's whatever is in the prop room

I bought one of those loading presses but haven't used it....I figured it would save wear and tear on my brass Navies

 

[Stantheman86]

My question was always about how rare that system would have been since spare cylinders were probably fairly hard to come by and likely would have had to be hand fitted. If we are talking about battlefield pickups then why would a guy throw away the rest of the revolver to keep just the cylinder? These folks didn't waste much unlike modern folks.

You're 100% right, If soldiers were scavenging around for weapons after a battle, no one is gonna pop out a cylinder and toss the frame and barrel away. They'd just stick the whole functioning revolver in their belt.

 

[Stantheman86]

I remember seeing a sign from an old Gunsmith's shop and it gave a price for "reloading revolver" Now I can't imagine this would mean anything but a cap and ball gun and that apparently some guns were carried by people who did not have the skill, supplies or desire to reload themselves.

A guy would buy a cap and baller for defense and pay the extra $1 to have the shop owner load it for him , and it would probably have stayed loaded forever since few "regular" people actually fired their guns.

I think even in recent history , S&W had some statistic that over 60% of the revolvers they sold are seldom if ever fired outside of the owner maybe running a few cylinders through it , cleaning it and just keeping it loaded.

 

[zimmerstutzen]

The Outlaw Josey Wales has a few Trapdoors......during the Civil War...plus Garand slings on 61 Springfields...I guess it's whatever is in the prop room

I bought one of those loading presses but haven't used it....I figured it would save wear and tear on my brass Navies

The first Allin conversions in 58 centerfire were turned out in July 1865, so depending on how long the boys resisted surrender, it is technically possible, but not likely. As I recall the missouri boat ride was prompted by a shot from a metallic cartridge Sharps.

 

[jimhallam]

I catch those mistakes all the time, especially around the time of the Civil War. I sort of solved the reloading issue on my 1858 by buying a couple more cylinders. Now I can reload them on the bench with a homemade press and just add caps when I am at the range.

You just have to hope that the powder granules are bigger than the flash holes in the nipples (cones). A friend made some plastic caps to go over the rear of the cylinder to contain "leakage".
I have an 1851 Adams with FOUR numbered cylinders -- - three on spigots in the case. Sold by a Liverpool gunsmith, possibly bought by the captain of a slaver, who would then have 20 shots available.

 

[Eutycus]

It seems like a small single circle or "wad" of nitrated paper pushed down into the very bottom of the chamber would stop or at least slow down the granual/powder leakage.The same kind of paper you'd make cartridges with.A single thickness of paper should greatly slow down the leakage yet a cap should be able to blast through it.

 

[PastorB]

Many years ago, while working towards my degree in Political Science and Western History, I spent much time reading books (long before the internet was even thought of) in a large research library. I distinctly remember the first hand account of a Union officer saying that if a reload was needed, a canteen of water was poured on the revolver, in this case a Remington, wiped dry, and then reloaded. It sounded like this was a fairly rare occurrence, and of course was only done in a lull in the action. Don't remember the book title, that was over four decades ago, and many things read since. As far as modern shooting, I lube with regular old Crisco, and can shoot as long as I want with out binding up with either a Colt or Remington design. Without Crisco, my Remingtons start getting sticky with a cylinder or two at most. Colts are a little better. I do run a spit patch through the barrel every cylinder or two to maintain accuracy, but as long as I use Crisco, I never have a problem with binding.

 

[Flintlock Whiskey]

I watched The Good, the Bad and the Ugly last night and Lee Van Cleef was packing an 1858 Remington with caps on the nipples and a belt full of looped cartridges....oh well it's a movie

I caught a few mistakes like that in that movie. But for such a great movie to watch, we can let them off the hook for it.

 

[GREENSWLDE]

Apologies, was referring to the cylinder with percussion caps.

Apology accepted.Thought we were talking about the Pale Rider convertion. Thanks for your reseach. Photo shows the convertion well.even what appears to be a slide ejector replacing the loading lever. I had an Ivory handled,Nickel plated Beale's thru' my hands recently to replace the main spring that semed to be stiffer than the cap gun. Any more info or photo's would be interesting as it ran along side the Cap & Ball pistol. Thanks Flintlock -- have the Whiskey on me.. Mines a 12 y/o Macallam.. OLD DOG..

 

[Stantheman86]

You just have to hope that the powder granules are bigger than the flash holes in the nipples (cones). A friend made some plastic caps to go over the rear of the cylinder to contain "leakage".
I have an 1851 Adams with FOUR numbered cylinders -- - three on spigots in the case. Sold by a Liverpool gunsmith, possibly bought by the captain of a slaver, who would then have 20 shots available.View attachment 128247View attachment 128247

That's like an 1850s high capacity handgun

Maybe in case of a slave revolt

 

[Stantheman86]

Many years ago, while working towards my degree in Political Science and Western History, I spent much time reading books (long before the internet was even thought of) in a large research library. I distinctly remember the first hand account of a Union officer saying that if a reload was needed, a canteen of water was poured on the revolver, in this case a Remington, wiped dry, and then reloaded. It sounded like this was a fairly rare occurrence, and of course was only done in a lull in the action. Don't remember the book title, that was over four decades ago, and many things read since. As far as modern shooting, I lube with regular old Crisco, and can shoot as long as I want with out binding up with either a Colt or Remington design. Without Crisco, my Remingtons start getting sticky with a cylinder or two at most. Colts are a little better. I do run a spit patch through the barrel every cylinder or two to maintain accuracy, but as long as I use Crisco, I never have a problem with binding.

I read something similar , in a book with a letter home from a young Union Lt talking about how he was issued (or bought I forget ) the new Colt's Army .44 and it was the handsomest firearm he's ever seen, but it got downright cantankerous after 2 cylinders fired....