How fast can BP revolvers be reloaded?

[Loyalist Dave]

That makes a lot of sense and best tactic to do. That begs another question. Were there possibly leather holsters sewn on each side of a saddle aside from any holsters worn on a belt or a shoulder holster?

Saddle holsters aka "pommel guns" go back to the days of wheel-lock pistols, and continued into the 20 century...

Washington during AWI

.

Unknown Officer 2nd MN Cavalry ACW

General Ulysses S. Grant

Kaiser Wilhelm I of Germany

NOW how common was that in the American West is another matter, but the idea was pretty well known.

LD

 

[Packrat]

No one has ever watched Josy Wales, he carried a bunch of revolvers. And yes they had Pommel holsters ro go along with you hip holsters. Bowie knifes or sword is the back up

 

[Mike in FL]

I never thought much about being in a hurry. I enjoy the process; just part of the fun to me. If it were a concern though, I'd just carry 2 revolvers. Can't get any faster than that.

 

[m4fun]

This is a great topic that I have thought/wondered about.

Cylinder swapping does seem more 20th-century - dealing with the added wedge on my 1851 Navy for a cylinder swap is just asking for trouble and dropping something. The 1858 certainly lends itself way better for swapping out. I can see this being done "fairly" quickly.

Reloading a different story. Paper cartridges would rule the day here over flask powder and balls. Quick capping with a capper too. The 1851 out is easier to access the nipples. The 1858 is harder to get to unless you perform the cylinder hack of milling some of the area around the nipple on the cylinder.

I love this site! Lots of great questions and info!

 

[Sparkplug]

With my paper cartridges in a tin and a modified capper with commercial caps (my homemade don't work well in a capper) laying beside it, I can reload my 1858 in just over a minute, counted from firing my last shot.

Loading by hand using a brass powder dispenser with a 30 gr tube, roundball, and a capper, closer to 4 minutes from the last shot.

If I'm loading from a horn, ball or bullet, and hand setting my caps...

Just sit back and enjoy a drink. I'll be with ya in a bit. Lol!!!

 

[Johnny Tremain]

No one has ever watched Josey Wales

He also carried extra cylinders.

 

[Flintlock Whiskey]

I’ve often wondered how fast 19th century black powder revolvers could successfully be reloaded in the civil war or confronting desperadoes given the stress of a situation. Excluding possibly having an extra loaded cylinder acting like a modern day speed loader or having several loaded revolvers, I’m curious just how fast a BP revolver can be quickly loaded using paper cartridges and a capper? I’ve never read any 19th century literature for the civil war or armed confrontations mentioning how quick a BP revolver can be reloaded. Has anyone read or even timed how fast a BP revolver can be loaded without fumbling the paper cartridges, dropping caps on the ground, etc. and all the rounds in the cylinder fire successfully without a mishap?

Paper cartridges make it faster and certainly more convenient. I shoot up to 50 of them in one session with my Colt 1851 and Remington 1858. It makes for a more fun day at the range not having to fiddle around with the powder flask and loose balls. I suppose on the battlefield, if they had the chance to reload, it would be with paper cartridges. It seems to not take much more time than metallic cartridges imho.

 

[mushka]

Never timed myself for loading BP revolvers but it probably takes me 12 to 15 minutes to load 6 rounds. Arthritis isn't my friend loading those guns. The capping is the frustrating part of the load. I'd never consider using a BP revolver for defense or combat, I've other better suited guns for that if necessary. I rarely shoot more than three cylinders worth BP revolvers due to the loading problems that I have. I do enjoy the shooting them, then switch to the MZ long gun. Easier to load. I do like loading and shooting my single shot pistol.

 

[Sparkplug]

This is a great topic that I have thought/wondered about.

Cylinder swapping does seem more 20th-century - dealing with the added wedge on my 1851 Navy for a cylinder swap is just asking for trouble and dropping something. The 1858 certainly lends itself way better for swapping out. I can see this being done "fairly" quickly.

Reloading a different story. Paper cartridges would rule the day here over flask powder and balls. Quick capping with a capper too. The 1851 out is easier to access the nipples. The 1858 is harder to get to unless you perform the cylinder hack of milling some of the area around the nipple on the cylinder.

I love this site! Lots of great questions and info!

I actually fixed my capper issue by tapering the end of my inline capper. It only too a couple of minutes on a stone, and didn't have to mod the gun at all.

 

[Plainsman]

I’ve often wondered how fast 19th century black powder revolvers could successfully be reloaded in the civil war or confronting desperadoes given the stress of a situation. Excluding possibly having an extra loaded cylinder acting like a modern day speed loader or having several loaded revolvers, I’m curious just how fast a BP revolver can be quickly loaded using paper cartridges and a capper? I’ve never read any 19th century literature for the civil war or armed confrontations mentioning how quick a BP revolver can be reloaded. Has anyone read or even timed how fast a BP revolver can be loaded without fumbling the paper cartridges, dropping caps on the ground, etc. and all the rounds in the cylinder fire successfully without a mishap?

I bet in some instances not fast enough, even with multiple cylinders. Hopefully you had a steed that could hall ass on command.

 

[AlexB]

Good horses and dogs are a mans best friends indeed.

 

[Griff093]

I've never timed myself... but... I often try to be the first to shoot a stage in whatever cowboy action match I'm entered in, then charge* the cylinders while manning the "unloading table". It usually takes me about 3 other shooters to completely charge the two revolvers (1851s). Then I'll begin other duties, spotting, timing, scorekeeping, etc. until it time to move to the next stage, where I'll repeat. I'll cap my revolvers and load the rifle while the stage description/instructions are read. Using either an in-line or a snail capper, it takes no longer to cap than it does to load a suppository gun.

Using a stand, loose powder from a flask, a "Wonder Wad" and a round ball, is quick, simple and leads to fairly consistent loads. Since the goal is simply to ring steel, sometimes topple a knock-down, it doesn't take a heavy load, even with the little 77 grain round ball.

* Charging the chambers consists of loading powder & ball with either a wad between them or grease over the ball. Loading is then placing the cap in place and is only done at the "loading table" in preparation to shoot the stage.

 

[Felonious]

I have no experience with black powder revolvers.

However, I used to live close to a major civil war battlefield, and I took a bunch of tours. I was told that firearms were treated like "single use" weapons. They would generally be fired dry, then put away while a sword, bayonet, or other firearm was used.

Without physically leaving the area of the battle, I imagine it would be pretty difficult to reload a BP revolver.

 

[maillemaker]

In N-SSA competition, with target benches, loading stands, and your gear all at hand, they give you 5 minutes to load. this includes smearing lube over the bullets in the chambers, but does not include capping. After everyone is loaded, you have 2 minutes to cap. While paper cartridges are allowed, few use them currently.

As has already been said, cavalrymen generally carried multiple pistols and would shoot one dry and then pull another. Even with paper cartridges, I can't imagine trying to load a revolver on a moving horse, and you'd be a target standing still. I doubt these guns were ever loaded under fire except in the most dire of circumstances.

I suspect that even officers on the ground seldom used their revolvers. They were leaders, not fighters, unless things had gone horribly wrong and they were caught up in the actual fighting. But while they had a holster to carry a revolver, they had no accoutrements for carrying extra caps and ammo. It's possible they had an extra box of ammo tucked in a coat pocket. They were not set up to be a continuous combatant with their sidearms.

I don't think cylinder swapping was ever a common thing. I do recall someone finally produced some historical evidence for them being issued or used (I can't remember), but that was extremely rare documentation. There just aren't tons of quartermaster reports documenting the issuing of pistols with matching spare cylinders as there are for the standard issues.

I also don't know how common capping tools were or if they were issued or even existed in period.

 

[Whitworth]

In N-SSA competition, with target benches, loading stands, and your gear all at hand, they give you 5 minutes to load. this includes smearing lube over the bullets in the chambers, but does not include capping. After everyone is loaded, you have 2 minutes to cap. While paper cartridges are allowed, few use them currently.

As has already been said, cavalrymen generally carried multiple pistols and would shoot one dry and then pull another. Even with paper cartridges, I can't imagine trying to load a revolver on a moving horse, and you'd be a target standing still. I doubt these guns were ever loaded under fire except in the most dire of circumstances.

I suspect that even officers on the ground seldom used their revolvers. They were leaders, not fighters, unless things had gone horribly wrong and they were caught up in the actual fighting. But while they had a holster to carry a revolver, they had no accoutrements for carrying extra caps and ammo. It's possible they had an extra box of ammo tucked in a coat pocket. They were not set up to be a continuous combatant with their sidearms.

I don't think cylinder swapping was ever a common thing. I do recall someone finally produced some historical evidence for them being issued or used (I can't remember), but that was extremely rare documentation. There just aren't tons of quartermaster reports documenting the issuing of pistols with matching spare cylinders as there are for the standard issues.

I also don't know how common capping tools were or if they were issued or even existed in period.

Many revolvers (some still loaded and cocked) have been dug up on Civil War battlefields by relic hunters like myself and are pictured in books and other CW publications but I have never seen a picture or read of a recovered cylinder loaded or empty. YMMV

 

[M. De Land]

Multiple pistols. Not multiple cylinders. How many spare wedges do you want to carry?
Sabres are primarily slashing/bludgeoning weapons and best used from a saddle.
I have seen Civil War Bowie type knives that are like small cutlasses. They may have been the soldiers' answer to reloading a revolver.

Well, carrying loaded and capped spare cylinders are like handling loaded and cocked revolvers with no safeties !

 

[Plainsman]

Probably a lot more risk than that back then.

 

[user 33697]

I actually fixed my capper issue by tapering the end of my inline capper. It only too a couple of minutes on a stone, and didn't have to mod the gun at all.

I would be very interested in a more detailed procedure that you used to taper your capper as to length of taper and how much material you removed. If you have a digital camera, possibly a close up photo of the end of the capper that you can post for all in this thread would be great.

 

[user 33697]

Well, carrying loaded and capped spare cylinders are like handling loaded and cocked revolvers with no safeties !

My sentiments exactly.

 

[user 33697]

In N-SSA competition, with target benches, loading stands, and your gear all at hand, they give you 5 minutes to load. this includes smearing lube over the bullets in the chambers, but does not include capping. After everyone is loaded, you have 2 minutes to cap. While paper cartridges are allowed, few use them currently.

As has already been said, cavalrymen generally carried multiple pistols and would shoot one dry and then pull another. Even with paper cartridges, I can't imagine trying to load a revolver on a moving horse, and you'd be a target standing still. I doubt these guns were ever loaded under fire except in the most dire of circumstances.

I suspect that even officers on the ground seldom used their revolvers. They were leaders, not fighters, unless things had gone horribly wrong and they were caught up in the actual fighting. But while they had a holster to carry a revolver, they had no accoutrements for carrying extra caps and ammo. It's possible they had an extra box of ammo tucked in a coat pocket. They were not set up to be a continuous combatant with their sidearms.

I don't think cylinder swapping was ever a common thing. I do recall someone finally produced some historical evidence for them being issued or used (I can't remember), but that was extremely rare documentation. There just aren't tons of quartermaster reports documenting the issuing of pistols with matching spare cylinders as there are for the standard issues.

I also don't know how common capping tools were or if they were issued or even existed in period.

That's an excellent question. Does any civil war buff in this thread know if there was some type of capper used for revolvers during the civil war? Either home made or army issued? If someone has a photo of a civil war capper, please post the photo in this thread.