1858 Speed Shooting video

[.36Rooster]

Heres one for you. Hit the one above and missed the one below. Not too far off though. But shooting semi from the hip...can't really expect much unless you're one of those cowboy action shooters who practice obsessively behind the scenes. They sure have my respect. This was me when i was tinkering around a lot with my (then new) colt navy. I wore out the hammer and had to replace it (no surprise with that kind of shooting. Now it hits to the left. With that new hammer). One of these winters im going to do a dovetail on the muzzle and put a pretty solid brass sight on there to adjust the windage at the same time...

That clip is from a range about 30 miles south of deadwood...a lot of drunk poker players were shot on those streets in the 1870s with remingtons and colt navy/armies.

 

[Red Owl]

Except for the reference of Frank James picking up the spare cylinder- I myself have never read any other mention in the diaries, etc. of the day. There is also the issue of where you would carry one.

 

[nhmoose]

Once that ball clears the cylinder, it would lose a tremendous amount of velocity. There would be no danger. Much like brass cased ammo in a house fire. Loud and it will get your attention but almost zero risk.

Big difference. Brass cased ammo in a fire by itself no problem. brass cased ammo in a cylinder Ball with BP in a BP cylinder about the same. Bullet will come out with velocity enough to cause injury.

Dropping a loaded primed cylinder will cause injury IMHO Same as a loaded 1 17/8 fired by a modern firearm will if fired by a fire it is involved in.

The cylinder of steel is why. In a brass case case blows off or splits as the bullet is way more weight. Same as cylinder out weighs the ball even more.

I have shot off boxes of modern ammo rifle, pistol does not matter set on a hot plate covered with a card board box fr a couple dozen recruit and in-service training classes. Nothing ever came out of the box.

I am a retired professional Firefighter/Fire investigator/ Deputy Sherriff with over 20 years experience.

 

[Red Owl]

Actually- I am not much of a safety fan but I agree that a loaded, capped cylinder is probably a potential hazard if you tend to be a "butterfingers type". If we want to relive history, I really don't think carrying extra cylinders was a common practice. I have never heard of it except for that one reference. The more common practice was to simply carry more revolvers.

 

[TrapperDude]

Big difference. Brass cased ammo in a fire by itself no problem. brass cased ammo in a cylinder Ball with BP in a BP cylinder about the same. Bullet will come out with velocity enough to cause injury.

The question is, at what distance will the projectile still cause injury? The reason I ask is because chain fires have happened to people from time to time, and the chambers that go off from behind sections of frame don't blow the gun to pieces, which indicates that the projectiles aren't exiting with all that much speed.

Would it cause injury at point-blank range? Most certainly, it would. Would it cause more than a welt beyond a couple of feet? Well, there's a question worth some investigation. Someone with a Colt could probably mount a cylinder on its arbor, without the barrel, and fire a round over a chronograph at a few different diatances to see what kinds of velocities are being achieved. Something could be used to keep the cylinder fixed to ensure the cap goes off reliably.

Any takers on this one? I'd do it myself if I had a Colt. I can't do it with my Remington.