Revolver carry safety

[.36Rooster]

Actually, you period correct guys are spot on.. I just remembered hearing once about when they ran a guy out of deadwood back in '53 after they found out he was loading 5 in his six shooter:

Guy patted his holstered revolver, and said, "you know, I'll load 6 when I'm going up in the hills after somebody and figuring on doing some shooting, but otherwise, I like to just keep that one chamber empty unless I'm figuring on needing the extra load. And that was the end of it.. they said, dad burn it! This is deadwood. What in tarnation are you thinking? We don't tolerate none of that period uncorrectness out here. This is 1853! Now you load up that last chamber or git the hell out of here! You're gonna make a fool of us!

 

[.36Rooster]

Actually, you period correct guys are spot on.. I just remembered hearing once about when they ran a guy out of deadwood back in '53 after they found out he was loading 5 in his six shooter:

Guy patted his holstered revolver, and said, "you know, I'll load 6 when I'm going up in the hills after somebody and figuring on doing some shooting, but otherwise, I like to just keep that one cylinder empty unless I'm figuring on needing the extra load. And that was the end of it.. they said, dad burn it! This is deadwood. What in tarnation are you thinking? We don't tolerate none of that period uncorrectness out here. This is 1853! Now you load up that last cylinder or git the hell out of here! You're gonna make a fool of us!

Sorry couldn't resist that one. But in all likelihood, common sense says there probably were people who loaded 5 for that same reason. And still loaded 6 when they were headed to a likely gunfight.

 

[B P Arn]

The pins work as a loading notch on a five shooter but not on a six shooter. The designers intended them to be safety positions for full cylinder carry in my opinion.

I wan't talking about the pins, or the notches in the cylinder between the cones..

 

[B P Arn]

...As far as the effectiveness of cap and ball revolvers? There are plenty of gravestones from the 1800s, and beyond to testify to that.

Very effective for what they were designed for, then and now.

That is all they had available to use.

The Ford Model T was effective in its day, buy no one today would use it for his daily drive. For rational people, they are now used as entertainment only.

 

[Hawken]

It isn't irrational to purchase a percussion firearm for people who are precluded from owning cartridge firearms in the first place, for political reasons.

The fact there are better weapons available today is kind of a moot point, or a straw man argument. Nobody in the free states are buying them for self defense, because they don't need to. The people who are buying them are not feeling very entertained right now I'd wager. They are a viable personal defense weapon, certainly better than a sharp stick or no gun at all. I'm sure you'd agree.

 

[brewer12345]

It isn't irrational to purchase a percussion firearm for people who are precluded from owning cartridge firearms in the first place, for political reasons.

The fact there are better weapons available today is kind of a moot point, or a straw man argument. Nobody in the free states are buying them for self defense, because they don't need to. The people who are buying them are not feeling very entertained right now I'd wager. They are a viable personal defense weapon, certainly better than a sharp stick or no gun at all. I'm sure you'd agree.

And if you miss a close range assailant you will at least probably set them on fire!

 

[Hawken]

I didn't really catch how the convo veered off into using them as a defense weapon to begin with. Like I said though, while they wouldn't be my first choice there are places and peopel where they are the only choice.

I can say that I have been impressed with how accurate they are at fairly long distance. Practice always helps, but they are very natural "pointers" with good balance.

 

[SDSmlf]

Ain't the first time around this barn here, and its always a barn burner.

For the record, there are few if any recorded instances of accidental discharges due to loading six in the period where these guns reigned, and no one was going to give an extra round advantage to the opposition.

The SASS boys invented this one because they have participants too stupid to shoot properly without hurting themselves. So rather than training/experience they went with "rules".

As far as the effectiveness of cap and ball revolvers? There are plenty of gravestones from the 1800s, and beyond to testify to that.

Very effective for what they were designed for, then and now.

Yep, the ‘The SASS boys invented this one’...... Curious why my old man was teaching me to load 5 in a Ruger Single 6 and then in an original 1858 in the 1960s? Curious why Elmer Keith would have suggested loading 5? He was supposedly taught by ‘cowboys’ and Civil War veterans, learning to shoot both percussion and cartridge guns in the early 1900s and starting his writing career in the the mid 1920s. Specifically remember one of his stories about a saddle stirrup hitting and exposed hammer and killing the cowboy from the leg wound, though the gun was probably a 1873 or other early cartridge type. Curious why you say the SASS boys invented this one when SASS didn’t start until the 1980s?

 

[TNGhost]

That is all they had available to use. I would bet they would be using a 9mm with high capacity magazine if it were available.

The Ford Model T was effective in its day, buy no one today would use it for his daily drive. For rational people, they are now used as entertainment only.

Its not the pistol that makes the pistolero.

 

[TNGhost]

Yep, the ‘The SASS boys invented this one’...... Curious why my old man was teaching me to load 5 in a Ruger Single 6 and then in an original 1858 in the 1960s? Curious why Elmer Keith would have suggested loading 5? He was supposedly taught by ‘cowboys’ and Civil War veterans, learning to shoot both percussion and cartridge guns in the early 1900s and starting his writing career in the the mid 1920s. Specifically remember one of his stories about a saddle stirrup hitting and exposed hammer and killing the cowboy from the leg wound, though the gun was probably a 1873 or other early cartridge type. Curious why you say the SASS boys invented this one when SASS didn’t start until the 1980s?

Having met some, and known of others of the gun writer ilk, all I can say is that embellishing the facts with them is generally an understatement.

I'd be interested in reading that story if you can tell me where to find it. I have a couple of his books already, have had for a while.

 

[TNGhost]

Sorry couldn't resist that one. But in all likelihood, common sense says there probably were people who loaded 5 for that same reason. And still loaded 6 when they were headed to a likely gunfight.

Find us a citation if you want us to believe that.

 

[SDSmlf]

I'd be interested in reading that story if you can tell me where to find it. I have a couple of his books already, have had for a while.

I’ll see if I can find it. It’s been a while since I’ve seen it, though I know I have it somewhere.

 

[GomezMunoz1951]

Is it safe to carry an 1858 with the hammer down over an empty chamber and the rest of the chambers loaded and capped? Can't really see how it wouldn't be, but figured I would ask.

It depends on what I am doing. If I am out target shooting a lot of different guns, I load all 6 and put the hammer on the safety notch. If I am just out carrying the gun for extended periods of time, such as hunting or doing whatever, I load 5. Got in the habit of loading 5 because of CAS/NCOWS shooting. They only let you load 5 or in the case of a 5 shot, load 4; hammer on empty cylinder. In my house, I have .45 conversion cylinders and I load all 6 and keep the guns where I can get to them. If I carried them in the house I would just load 5.

 

[M. De Land]

Yep, the ‘The SASS boys invented this one’...... Curious why my old man was teaching me to load 5 in a Ruger Single 6 and then in an original 1858 in the 1960s? Curious why Elmer Keith would have suggested loading 5? He was supposedly taught by ‘cowboys’ and Civil War veterans, learning to shoot both percussion and cartridge guns in the early 1900s and starting his writing career in the the mid 1920s. Specifically remember one of his stories about a saddle stirrup hitting and exposed hammer and killing the cowboy from the leg wound, though the gun was probably a 1873 or other early cartridge type. Curious why you say the SASS boys invented this one when SASS didn’t start until the 1980s?

Yes, the five shot carry rule really was about the 73 Colt cartridge gun where the hammer with an integral firing pin only had half **** to keep the firing pin from riding against the cartridge primer. A blow to the hammer spur would clip off the half **** notch and fire the cartridge.

 

[.36Rooster]

I'm loading 6 from now on. It's just less of a headache.

 

[SDSmlf]

I'm loading 6 from now on. It's just less of a headache.

If that works for you great. Unfortunately, it will get you banned from some ranges. Recently had an ‘accidental discharge’ at a range I have shot at. Loading six without a hammer block design in the gun will get you a permanent lifetime ban. Immediate, no appeal.

 

[.36Rooster]

Can't win for losing I guess.

 

[Grumpa]

Just a reminder - this is a muzzleloading/cap & ball forum. We are not concerned with what happens with cartridge revolvers. It's easy to slide back and forth between say a Colt 1860 Army revolver and a Colt 1873 Army, but the latter isn't relevant to this forum.

For the record, I would not carry an 1873 Army with all six chambers loaded, unless I was going into a dangerous situation. A Colt or Remington Army, in good condition, I would load all 6. But more likely, I would carry the Colt 1911.

And I think the Elmer Keith quote is in "Sixguns". Don't have time right now to look.

Richard/Grumpa

 

[M. De Land]

I'm looking for a used 51 Navy that needs and overhaul. First thing I'm going to do is cut a dovetail and fit a blade up front for elevation and widage instead of working over the hammer nose with a V file..

 

[Cpt Flint]

I have been loading six and capping five since 1962.