Revolvers with no loading lever

[tom in nc]

I intend to get a couple, or more, cap-n-ball revolvers in calibers smaller than the .44s that I now have. I might find, and buy, one without a loading lever. I wonder how big a pain in the butt is it to load one?
I believe the cylinder arbor was intended to be used to push the projectile into the cylinder? I'm thinking that as much pressure as is required to push a ball into the cylinders of my Colt & Remington, shaving off a ring of lead, it might be tough to do without the built in lever.
Maybe I want to avoid the ones without a lever..

 

[CaptainVane]

I have a Colt Uberti .31 1848 model no loading lever. Everything says remove cylinder to load. No. Enough space on right side to load powder, wad, ball, then i got a 1/4” wooden dowel rod (3’ at Lowes cut to 6” lengths), i use to seat charge with a couple taps of a small gunsmith hammer. If that makes sense. Really takes no more time than one with a lever, and on the small .31, its a lot less clunky looking than the’49 model with lever.

 

[tom in nc]

Good to know. If I run across a deal in one without a lever I'll go for it. The one in your pic is beautiful.

 

[M. De Land]

I intend to get a couple, or more, cap-n-ball revolvers in calibers smaller than the .44s that I now have. I might find, and buy, one without a loading lever. I wonder how big a pain in the butt is it to load one?
I believe the cylinder arbor was intended to be used to push the projectile into the cylinder? I'm thinking that as much pressure as is required to push a ball into the cylinders of my Colt & Remington, shaving off a ring of lead, it might be tough to do without the built in lever.
Maybe I want to avoid the ones without a lever..

They are designed with " cylinder removed" loading from a press or dowel rod at home. These are concealed carry weapons for personal protection.

 

[springfield art]

But one or two extra cylinders for when you go to the range for plinking.

 

[B P Arn]

"We don't need no steenkin' loadin' levers!!!"
...or extree cylinders!

 

[M. De Land]

But one or two extra cylinders for when you go to the range for plinking.

Extra, capped,loaded cylinders is like carrying a cocked single action around in your vest pocket and if not capped then subject to misfires by moisture contamination or lint blocked nipple orifices.
Neither is particularly safe or practical in my opinion.

 

[Smokerr]

Those reloading tools look awkward to me. In the gun the Rammer is contained in a sleeve, per the one above its kind of free floating.

 

[Smokerr]

Extra, capped,loaded cylinders is like carrying a cocked single action around in your vest pocket and if not capped then subject to misfires by moisture contamination or lint blocked nipple orifices.
Neither is particularly safe or practical in my opinion.

I have been loading at home and have two extra cylinders for the one NMA, so I have 3 loaded for that gun and one pre loaded with the older ASP NMA. No problems but I keep them cased.

Pre load with a pellet would also look to be a good option though that is more the ROA than the others.

In my case, despite overhead heaters, trying to reload at temperatures in the low teens on up is no fun and where you are supposed to charge powder is not under the heaters.

Last session I just shot off the cylinders I had loaded and did one more and went onto a couple other guns.

I tend to think that the substitute black powders are far less prone to moisture but I could be wrong (we also have low humility in the winter). I have yet to see any true Black Powder up here

 

[1stnamebassist]

You can take a small block of wood (4”
x4”x1” etc…) and drive a nail or bolt through it that the cylinder will fit on. Then use a a piece of wooden dowel or brass rod and hammer to seat the ball over the charge. Cut the nail or bolt so it doesn’t stick up out of the cylinder if you would like, so it’s not in the way.

 

[JT1200R]

"We don't need no steenkin' loadin' levers!!!"
...or extree cylinders!

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I like that short Walker

 

[B P Arn]

I have the original barrel for it, too.

 

[Codger Craig Wilcox]

I have a .36 "Police Pocket" with a brass piece that inserts, allows you to load the cylinder without removal. Fairly accurate, 7 - 25 yards.

 

[firescout13]

Extra, capped,loaded cylinders is like carrying a cocked single action around in your vest pocket and if not capped then subject to misfires by moisture contamination or lint blocked nipple orifices.
Neither is particularly safe or practical in my opinion.

"But one or two extra cylinders for when you go to the range for plinking".

Having one or two extra cylinders at the range while you're plinking is not the same as carrying around one or two loaded/capped cylinders in your vest pocket. Does tom in nc even wear a vest when he's shooting at the range?

 

[Packrat]

If I remember the original Patterson revolvers came with a tool that fit into the wedge slot on the cylinder pin, a special tool was than used to seat the ball

 

[B P Arn]

Yes, but that tool, at least on the repros (I haven't fired that many originals!), is worthless. Same for the multi-chamber powder dispenser, in my experience.

 

[tom in nc]

A guy like I enjoy seeing take one between the eyes in a western.

 

[B P Arn]

A real classic!!!

 

[PluggedNickel]

"We don't need no steenkin' loadin' levers!!!"
...or extree cylinders!

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WOW, you was da Judge, before the Judge was “Cool!”

 

[springfield art]

I have a Pietta 1860 Colt cut-down into a "shortie" and am waiting for a supply of conversion cylinders for it, too. There's a back log of Pietta 1860 cylinders and I've been on a waiting list at Taylor's over two years.