Were percussion single shots carried capped?

[toot]

as for a six shot revolver, with only 5 chambers loaded, why did they make them with six chambers? I think that it is a modern thing for safety. back in the day you needed all the shots that you could get. jmho.

 

[Dusty_Traveler]

I would never Carry Hammer down on a cap. One little bump ....

It actually takes a pretty substantial bump...

 

[Dusty_Traveler]

The five shot load is at least mentioned. Hammer down on an empty chamber

as for a six shot revolver, with only 5 chambers loaded, why did they make them with six chambers? I think that it is a modern thing for safety. back in the day you needed all the shots that you could get. jmho.

I believe the OP is about single shooters.

 

[user 48702]

If Barney Fife carried one, Andy would have made him keep the cap in his shirt pocket.

 

[nick_1]

Dusty. It may well take a substantial bump but i simply won't test that theory. Half cock on the otherhand if functioning properly and tested frequently is a perfectly adequate safety. Pinch your caps and you won't have to worry about retention.

 

[senseisugarbear]

I always load 6 rds, In my 58 Rems.Cap them all too, I was taught to lower the hammer on the High spot between nipples. Always ready, and Indexes to the 1st. live round upon cocking the hammer. I cannot believe that I'm the ONLY one that learn this Method of carry.......BE Safe>>>>>>>>Wally

 

[Dusty_Traveler]

Dusty. It may well take a substantial bump but i simply won't test that theory. Half cock on the otherhand if functioning properly and tested frequently is a perfectly adequate safety. Pinch your caps and you won't have to worry about retention.

Your initial reply had nothing to do with the OP's question.

 

[dylan84]

As a rural plainsman, I carry revolvers with 6 loaded and hammer between cylinders as designed in a flap holster. They are completely protected that way and no way for a cylinder to get turned. I plan on acquiring or building a flintlock 50 cal pistol and will carry it on half cock with pan primed. I would think that is pretty safe really as the cock dropping from half cock to the frizzen wouldn't spark if at all. The half cock notch is pretty substantial. Otherwise what would be the point of carrying it if it can't be deployed quickly for a shot? I carry my rifles flint and cap on half cock. If I was to have a cap pistol in a compromising carry position it would be on half cock.

 

[russellshaffer]

It's easy enough to test how much of a blow is needed to fire a cap with the hammer down on a cap or down on a piece of leather over the cap. Just be sure the weapon is empty and pointed in the proverbial safe direction.

 

[dylan84]

I was always curious if anyone used a safety device such as a cylinder made out of wood to go around the nipple. Draw pistol, cock hammer vertically (wood cylinder falls off), ready to take care of business.

 

[senseisugarbear]

I've not heard of any wooden saftey device,,,,,I wouldn't use them if I had them, Just 1 more thing to drop into the cocked hammer.Caps are notorious for this........ So NO thank you......Be Safe>>>>>>>>Wally

 

[Pukka Bundook]

I am a bit surprised by the amount of folk who think hammer down on the cap was a good idea.

The half bent position was expressly made for safety.
The hammer protects the cap without being in contact with it. the action on half cock is as safe as it could be made.
Those locks with a safety bolt lock the action at Half cock. that should tell us how they were meant to be carried.

If I may, I'd just like to say that some of our ideas about the hammer down on the cap so it doesn't fall off is built on a false assumption;
The old caps were made of thicker copper, and were much tougher than the crappy thin flimsy caps we have now.
they were a better fit and stayed on. I have some still that belonged to great grandfather. they are beautifully made.

There., had my say!
All the best,
Richard.

 

[Pukka Bundook]

Dylan,
Here are a couple of pics of caps made the first time around. Belonged to Great Grandfather.
He carried the caps in his weskit pocket. hole made in the lid so one or two could

be shook out. cap tin held 250.
If you want these daps back off, you need a knife to pry them off with.

 

[dylan84]

Dylan,
Here are a couple of pics of caps made the first time around. Belonged to Great Grandfather.
He carried the caps in his weskit pocket. hole made in the lid so one or two could View attachment 178570View attachment 178571be shook out. cap tin held 250.
If you want these daps back off, you need a knife to pry them off with.

That is just what I was always wondering! I figured they had mastered the art of making caps if that is what they had to use. Thanks for the pictures. Yet another thing to make. If you want it done right anymore you have to build it yourself! lol

 

[Stantheman86]

Either way, they weren't as concerned about gun safety , especially in hostile conditions

They worked with the technology they had

In 100 years when the military has rifles that read your hand print and only fire when activated by your Commanding Officer, and won't let you shoot anything you're not supposed to.....using tungsten bullets and polymer cases that self guide to a target ........people are going to wonder how guys like us fought wars with antiquated junk like M16's that will be viewed like we view smoothbore muskets now. It's all relative. I've seen more than a few ND's , some inside vehicles, with our "modern" weapons and likely our soldiers and police accidentally cap off more rounds out of pistols today than were ND'd out of single shot .54 pistols from the 1830's-1860's

 

[dylan84]

Either way, they weren't as concerned about gun safety , especially in hostile conditions

They worked with the technology they had

In 100 years when the military has rifles that read your hand print and only fire when activated by your Commanding Officer, and won't let you shoot anything you're not supposed to.....using tungsten bullets and polymer cases that self guide to a target ........people are going to wonder how guys like us fought wars with antiquated junk like M16's that will be viewed like we view smoothbore muskets now. It's all relative. I've seen more than a few ND's , some inside vehicles, with our "modern" weapons and likely our soldiers and police accidentally cap off more rounds out of pistols today than were ND'd out of single shot .54 pistols from the 1830's-1860's

Be a good name for a new western. "The Safe and the Dead"

 

[Stantheman86]

I was always curious if anyone used a safety device such as a cylinder made out of wood to go around the nipple. Draw pistol, cock hammer vertically (wood cylinder falls off), ready to take care of business.

I guarantee at least one guy made something like this

Hunters have used 9mm cases to cover a cap during muzzleloader season

If it were 1847 and I had a pair of .54 pistols I needed to keep loaded I'd just put a wad of cloth over the cap to help protect the cap from popping and shooting my horse in the side , or my leg. And just pull it off when I cocked the gun or just play around with it until I got it to fall off when cocked since I'd have had lots of free time in between fighting Mexicans to play around with stuff

 

[Stantheman86]

Be a good name for a new western. "The Safe and the Dead"

Gun Safety during an era when dying from food poisoning, tonsillitis or an infected cut was a worse threat than a pistol capping off in a holster

I read an excerpt from a book about the old West and dude said he kept his revolver half cocked in case a Mountain lion attacked the herd or some such. Those people weren't worried about gun safety

Or in the book "The Rifled Musket in the Civil War: Facts and Myths" where the guy was talking about a presumably mentally challenged soldier who would cap his musket off all over the place , almost hitting other soldiers and would often fall down and fire in whatever direction the muzzle was pointed, until I guess they got rid of him , he deserted or was killed, I don't know.

I'm like yes, we had a guy like this on my deployment and he was digging trenches for internet cables and scrubbing pots until they could get him out of there to process his General Discharge paperwork..after he fired a burst from his SAW into the ground during a mission and almost shot another guy in the leg......it wasn't all like "hahaha Ole George keeps fallin down and shooting wherever again that's crazy , dumb ole George shoots all over the place "
Things were way different back then

 

[toot]

I believe the OP is about single shooters.

right , you are but revolvers were mentioned and I responded to the post. my mistake.

 

[toot]

Dylan,
Here are a couple of pics of caps made the first time around. Belonged to Great Grandfather.
He carried the caps in his weskit pocket. hole made in the lid so one or two could View attachment 178570View attachment 178571be shook out. cap tin held 250.
If you want these daps back off, you need a knife to pry them off with.

that is neat. could I see a side view of it.? I am going to try and make one.