Walsh 12 shot Revolver

[Cowboy45j]

I was reading a short story by Louis L'Amore (actually I was listening to Wille Nelson read me a Short story by Luis) and in it he talked about a Walsh 12 shot navy gun. Does anyone have any information on this thing?

 

[biliff]

Walch Navy Revolver

 

[Poor Private]

Now isn't that a coinkidink. I am reading Louis Lamours' The Sackets vol#3 "Lando". And it mentioned the Walch Navy so I looked the bugger up last night on the net. Boy what a dangerous weapon that is. only 8 or 9 known left to exist.

 

[torn moc]

Amazing....I need one...but untill then I am happy with my Lemat!

 

[Russ T Frizzen]

There weren't many made--maybe 200 or so. They were felt to be somewhat awkward in the handling department. Apparently no one wanted them and they stopped making them very quickly. I believe a so-called second model soon appeared, but it was a more conventional .31 caliber revolver.

 

[Zonie]

Very interesting gun.

It only had 6 chambers in the cylinder. These were loaded with a stacked pair of charges, that is, powder, ball, powder, ball.

It is a single action and cocking it actually cocks two hammers. It also has two triggers side by side with the right trigger slightly ahead of the left trigger.
Pulling the right trigger releases the right hammer which hits the outer percussion nipple. This fires the forward shot in the chamber.
Pulling the left trigger releases the left hammer which hits the inner percussion nipple firing the rear charge.


Cocking the hammers rotates the cylinder to ready the next chamber for firing.

The gun was patented in Feb 8, 1859 and made by the Union Knife Company, Naugatuck, Conn for Walch.

I wonder if they were worried about chain firing?
With a Superposed load it is a possibility.
On the other hand, if that happened the target would be twice as dead. :grin:

 

[Cowboy45j]

You guys are awesome, I love this forum. Thanks for all the replies.

 

[almrl]

I wonder if they were worried about chain firing?
With a Superposed load it is a possibility.

The patent describes the projectile as follows:

(the balls)are made either ...by attaching a thin plate,...to a half ball by means of a very thin piece or by connecting two half-round balls by means of a very small piece in such a manner as to have a recess all round. This recess is filled with a composition consisting of three-fourths part of soap and one-quarter of oil.

By loading the chambers a sufficient charge of powder is put in, and then one of the balls, either with or without paper over the powder.

By ramming the ball down the recess of the ball will become compressed, and thereby the above-mentioned grease or composition will be forced out of the same, filling in every part between the ball and the barrel. By this arrangement the chamber will be well greased and the barrel by each discharge will be thereby well cleaned. By the forcible pressing out of the grease so as to fill every crevice between the ball and the chamber every danger is likewise prevented by which the after-charge might be ignited when the forward charge is fired off, and as this forms a perfect airtight packing for the ball the powder will have more force and be able to send the ball at greater distance.

Seems like a second revolver would be more practical. You could reload the first and still have the second for defense/offense while reloading. Also less trouble since the lubricant/sealant compound would have to be properly transverse in the chamber.

Still, a neat pistol.

Oh, in case you want to look it up, the patent number is 22905.

Old Coot

 

[Russ T Frizzen]

I agree--a pair of Colts would be a much more practical solution all around. And a lot simpler to load, too.

 

[Zonie]

Thank you for the information. It was very interesting.

It does sound like loading one of these would be a PITA and I guess if the owner ran out of these special split balls he would have to resort to loading only 6 shots in a more conventional way using regular roundballs.
That, or just say to hell with it and load up the double loads and put up with the BLAM-BLAM of two rounds firing in very rapid succession. :rotf:

 

[NRAJOE]

Learn something new everyday...never hears of them before... :hatsoff:

 

[brubincam]

-----i REMEMBER SEEING AT THE eagle museum A CAP AND BALL PISTOL WITH 2 HAMMERS 12 NIPPLES AND 6 HOLES IN THE CYLINDER-----years ago-----