Is there a good one available and do I really need one? The Traditions one looks to be a little flimsy by my standards. I'm certainly capable of constructing one and there seems to be some good plans out there. I just don't want it to be another one of those things that I think I need but really don't as I have developed a good one-handed method of holding the gun and indexing the cylinder with my thumb. Most of my shooting is from a bench so I was thinking it might be a good idea.
Revolver reloading stand
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I built these, one for my 1851 Colt and one for my Remington Army out of a couple of pieces of walnut, some felt and a brass hinge.
There is a small block where the butt of the grip fits against the bottom board to keep the revolver from slipping.
Nice to look at and they do work but I'll admit that after building them, they didn't get a lot of use.
There is a small block where the butt of the grip fits against the bottom board to keep the revolver from slipping.
Nice to look at and they do work but I'll admit that after building them, they didn't get a lot of use.
They do look good and with walnut instead of some softwood and a decent brass hinge look to be sturdy. But if you don't use them to load they would make a nice display stand. I think that's the best way to show off a C&B revolver, at least for anyone who knows why it's in that position in the first place!
The kids and I have made four or five similar to this one, our first. All are made of pine and this one in particular is used for the Walker, they are plenty tough in pine.
Doesn't fold down, our stuff goes to the range in crates, so it doesn't need to fold. Note the two trays for wads and round ball or whatever.
They're all glued and screwed together and were made from scrap wood, what they lack in looks they make up for in function!
They also do double duty as shooting rests sometimes too!
Doesn't fold down, our stuff goes to the range in crates, so it doesn't need to fold. Note the two trays for wads and round ball or whatever.
They're all glued and screwed together and were made from scrap wood, what they lack in looks they make up for in function!
They also do double duty as shooting rests sometimes too!
That does look sturdy and functional. I like it. Is that a shot ball in the tray? Here's a bullet trap I built out of a cattle water trough. It saves all the bullets and I just scoop them out occasionally for recycling.
http://i720.photobucket.com/albums/ww209/DWeise16/StockTank.jpg
http://i720.photobucket.com/albums/ww209/DWeise16/BulletTrap006.jpg
http://i720.photobucket.com/albums/ww209/DWeise16/BulletTrap014.jpg
http://i720.photobucket.com/albums/ww209/DWeise16/BulletTrap009.jpg
Cut it in half, joined the 2 halves, that's a 1/4" steel plate in back, filled it with sand and finally put a 4'x8' piece of cellotex in front to staple targets. That's a yard of sand and it stops everything.
http://i720.photobucket.com/albums/ww209/DWeise16/StockTank.jpg
http://i720.photobucket.com/albums/ww209/DWeise16/BulletTrap006.jpg
http://i720.photobucket.com/albums/ww209/DWeise16/BulletTrap014.jpg
http://i720.photobucket.com/albums/ww209/DWeise16/BulletTrap009.jpg
Cut it in half, joined the 2 halves, that's a 1/4" steel plate in back, filled it with sand and finally put a 4'x8' piece of cellotex in front to staple targets. That's a yard of sand and it stops everything.
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That's a great idea and came out nice lookin too!
Nope, that was a .50 cal round ball that I had just slugged a .44s bore with. The stands are tough enough to take that kind of beating.
Nope, that was a .50 cal round ball that I had just slugged a .44s bore with. The stands are tough enough to take that kind of beating.
I'm completely ignorant of cap and ball revolver shooting and it's use in an historical context. But, have one question.....how were these revolvers loaded "in the field"? They surely didn't drag along a loading stand.
These guns had only 6 shots, so did they carry 2 w/ one in the belt for a total of 3? Just thinking that "shoot outs" req'd more than 6 shots....just curious....Fred
These guns had only 6 shots, so did they carry 2 w/ one in the belt for a total of 3? Just thinking that "shoot outs" req'd more than 6 shots....just curious....Fred
Some carried 2...some raiders carried 6 or more, with 2 of them slung in pommel holsters. There usually wasn't time for reloading.
flehto said:
They rammed home paper cartridges containing the powder and conical bullet in their hands and capped afterwards. For example, left hand would hold the grip and right would drop the paper cartridge down into the chamber and then operate the loading lever.
Mike B. (duelist1954) demonstrates this sometimes in his videos.
Especially for the Confederate Cavalrymen, they carried two or more sixguns, engaged them murderous yankee invaders until their guns were empty, retired to a wooded area to reload and engaged them again and again like that till there were no more or they were pushed from off the field. :wink:
Evidently they didn't load fast enough or kill enough of "them murderous Yankee invaders"? Perhaps loading stands weren't thought of by the Confederacy? Otherwise the outcome would have been different?. Not wanting to start another war...just thinking out loud..... :wink: ....Fred
Many Klatch
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If you shoot at a range with a safety officer you had better have a loading stand. They hate to see someone trying to load a cap and ball revolver while waving the barrel around. I load my 1858 Remingtons with a Traditions Revolver Loading Stand. They cost about $30 and you load the cylinder out of the gun. It's faster and safer.
I pop out the cylinder on the line. Put the pistol in the stand and the cylinder in the loading stand. Load the cylinder, take cylinder and pistol to the line. Put the cylinder in the pistol, cap the cylinder and then fire. No one gets "painted" with a loaded gun.
I pop out the cylinder on the line. Put the pistol in the stand and the cylinder in the loading stand. Load the cylinder, take cylinder and pistol to the line. Put the cylinder in the pistol, cap the cylinder and then fire. No one gets "painted" with a loaded gun.
Many Klatch said:
I can certainly see the safety concerns at a public range. I'm fortunate to have some property with my own range and bullet trap that I posted in the reply to swathdiver. However, I think it would be handy to have a reloading stand to free both hands and keep things a little safer for those who might be shooting with me.
flehto said:
The Johnny Rebs ran out of people and supplies. When the Yankees ran low on people, they just brought in hired guns from Europe, like them '48ers, Yankee ranks were full of communists. :wink:
Many Klatch said:
If one turns 90 degrees to he shooting bench to reload, one can reload in their hands with the barrel either pointing up or downrange without sweeping anybody.
This new breed of RSOs are about the most nonsensical group of people I ever did meet. Some seem genuinely afraid of guns and act as if we shouldn't even be shooting them. :youcrazy:
Boy, I cannot wait to get out of the city and onto some land of my own!
Part of the reason for reloading stands at some ranges has more to do with safety during a cease-fire than for loading.
Where I shoot, when a cease-fire is called, all modern arms must have it's action open and an ECI in place. All muzzleloaders must be upright.
The stand is a good way for the RSO to look down the line and have a reasonable assumption it is safe to go downrange to pull or place targets.
Where I shoot, when a cease-fire is called, all modern arms must have it's action open and an ECI in place. All muzzleloaders must be upright.
The stand is a good way for the RSO to look down the line and have a reasonable assumption it is safe to go downrange to pull or place targets.
What an ECI? A flag?
One range I used to shoot at, when they called a cold range, everyone put their gun down and stepped away from the benches until it was hot again. Didn't matter if the gun was empty, had half a mag or was just capped.
One range nearby had no protocol for dealing with me and my cap and ball guns when they wanted the actions open. So I used the stand to point it up. They called the range cold so often that I just finished loading before I had to lay it down and step away!
Out on the cowboy action range at another place, we would charge the cylinders at the picnic tables under cover from the sun and cap and shoot on the line. They had a conniption until I explained it to them. They also had near heart failure when we shot our pistols on the rifle range at 25 and 50 yards. When they fired the guy who let me do it there went my permission to shoot these things as they were intended! Knuckleheads I tell ya!
It also irks me to no end that the rules change with every visit.
I long for the old days when RSOs could think on their feet and treated folks right. Also long for the day when I can pop a rabbit from my front door on my own land! :hmm:
Nowadays, at my station I use one loading stand and usually have 2-4 sixguns for folks to shoot. My girls are nearby with their own stands and sixguns too. They used to use the same station but last time were made to separate for some reason. Anyhow, the loaded and capped guns are moved off to the right and pointed downrange with the hammer on the pins or in the safety notches. When empty, the hammer is at halfcock and this we teach to the RSOs for a visual check when the range is cold.
Sorry for the rant fellas! :yakyak:
One range I used to shoot at, when they called a cold range, everyone put their gun down and stepped away from the benches until it was hot again. Didn't matter if the gun was empty, had half a mag or was just capped.
One range nearby had no protocol for dealing with me and my cap and ball guns when they wanted the actions open. So I used the stand to point it up. They called the range cold so often that I just finished loading before I had to lay it down and step away!
Out on the cowboy action range at another place, we would charge the cylinders at the picnic tables under cover from the sun and cap and shoot on the line. They had a conniption until I explained it to them. They also had near heart failure when we shot our pistols on the rifle range at 25 and 50 yards. When they fired the guy who let me do it there went my permission to shoot these things as they were intended! Knuckleheads I tell ya!
It also irks me to no end that the rules change with every visit.
I long for the old days when RSOs could think on their feet and treated folks right. Also long for the day when I can pop a rabbit from my front door on my own land! :hmm:
Nowadays, at my station I use one loading stand and usually have 2-4 sixguns for folks to shoot. My girls are nearby with their own stands and sixguns too. They used to use the same station but last time were made to separate for some reason. Anyhow, the loaded and capped guns are moved off to the right and pointed downrange with the hammer on the pins or in the safety notches. When empty, the hammer is at halfcock and this we teach to the RSOs for a visual check when the range is cold.
Sorry for the rant fellas! :yakyak:
Never shot at a "range". Dont think I could do it :td:
Some long while ago:
I used to shoot at a range that had 4 positions (way down on one end) with 25yd and 50yd targets and a separating berm that was used by 22 rimfire and BP long rifle shooters. At that time they had a RO on the 100/200yd range but the short range was "community" controlled. Basically, when paying the range fee you would simply ask who was shooting on the short range. With a little discernment you would soon learn what days/times were best and you could easily have the range to yourself during mornings or other low volume times. The pistol range was another separate range for all handguns as was a completely separated range for metallic silhouette (club competition). My point is that ranges can be very shooter friendly if you do a little research and find the right one. I'm referring here to the Dietz gun range in New Braunfels Texas. I'm sure things have changed considerably since I've been there but at the time Howard Dietz was a respected gunsmith and range owner.
The registered Black Angus cows that roamed the range are another story and I have a good one to tell about a friend of mine who shot one's ear off with a 340 Weatherby.
I used to shoot at a range that had 4 positions (way down on one end) with 25yd and 50yd targets and a separating berm that was used by 22 rimfire and BP long rifle shooters. At that time they had a RO on the 100/200yd range but the short range was "community" controlled. Basically, when paying the range fee you would simply ask who was shooting on the short range. With a little discernment you would soon learn what days/times were best and you could easily have the range to yourself during mornings or other low volume times. The pistol range was another separate range for all handguns as was a completely separated range for metallic silhouette (club competition). My point is that ranges can be very shooter friendly if you do a little research and find the right one. I'm referring here to the Dietz gun range in New Braunfels Texas. I'm sure things have changed considerably since I've been there but at the time Howard Dietz was a respected gunsmith and range owner.
The registered Black Angus cows that roamed the range are another story and I have a good one to tell about a friend of mine who shot one's ear off with a 340 Weatherby.
At the muzzleloader range where I shoot, the rules are strict and pistols and revolvers much face upward when not firing at the shooting line.
Without the tight rules, the club could not get insurance.
Here is the loading stand I built from an old, wooden basket for that range:
There is dense foam padding under the pieces of carpet.
Ron
Without the tight rules, the club could not get insurance.
Here is the loading stand I built from an old, wooden basket for that range:
There is dense foam padding under the pieces of carpet.
Ron
