DanChamberlain
45 Cal.
- Joined
- Jan 11, 2007
- Messages
- 612
- Reaction score
- 9
Having had an interest in the Civil War weapons and accompanying literature and lore, I have yet to find a credible reference to the practice of carrying additional preloaded cylinders for cap and ball pistols. I've seen it written in modern articles, but cannot find mention of it in any writing contemporary to the war or from that period.
In the past couple of weeks, I've viewed perhaps 25 or 30 cased sets of Colt cap and ball revolvers, and with the exception of two (one Patterson and one was a cased pair of "51" Navies) There were no other accessory cylinders.
In the case of the Pattersons, since they were not supplied with a loading lever on the weapon, I can see where it may be been of interest to the owner to have an extra cylinder when away from his accessories. In the case of the cased pair of Navies, it appeared the extra cylinder was special ordered. At the same time, I have several photos in books in which there are matching pairs of cap and ball pistols in cased sets without additional cylinders in evidence.
I would be interested to know of any period literature in which the practice of swapping out cylinders was referenced.
Regards
Dan
In the past couple of weeks, I've viewed perhaps 25 or 30 cased sets of Colt cap and ball revolvers, and with the exception of two (one Patterson and one was a cased pair of "51" Navies) There were no other accessory cylinders.
In the case of the Pattersons, since they were not supplied with a loading lever on the weapon, I can see where it may be been of interest to the owner to have an extra cylinder when away from his accessories. In the case of the cased pair of Navies, it appeared the extra cylinder was special ordered. At the same time, I have several photos in books in which there are matching pairs of cap and ball pistols in cased sets without additional cylinders in evidence.
I would be interested to know of any period literature in which the practice of swapping out cylinders was referenced.
Regards
Dan