Will a wet revolver fire?

[FishDFly]

I don't have a horse to contribute to the test, but I can loan a cow if someone wants to swim it across my lake.

 

[rafterob]

:rotf:

 

[rafterob]

Always melt wax in a double boiler set-up. I usually use an old can to put the wax in and set it in a small pot of water. That way the maximun temp applied to the wax is 212 degrees.

 

[Billnpatti]

You would have to add in some caps from the day. The author didn't say exactly when his character was doing this feat but if he is carrying a cap and ball revolver, it is most likely in the pre 1870s. Does anyone have any pre 1870 caps they are willing to donate to the cow riding experiment? They have to be good working caps or the experiment will be thrown off.

If I remember correctly, the caps in that day were made using fulminate of mercury. That is not used in modern caps, plus, modern caps have a moisture barrier to protect and preserve them. I'm not sure, but I doubt the caps in that time had such a sealant.

I think it would be extremely difficult to nearly impossible to repeat the event so we are left to speculation. I 'spec he would have at least one and possibly more misfires. :idunno: That would probably be the safest supposition to keep his character believable. Of course, at least one chamber must fire so he can kill the bad guy........unless he is the bad guy, in which case all chambers could misfire and the good guy could either kill or capture him and there would be a happy ending. I love stories that have a happy ending like that. :haha:

 

[rodwha]

If someone is willing to donate the caps (I only have Rem #10's) and a proper pistol (mine is a ROA), I'll bring some Olde Eynsford and ride the cow!

 

[Dickydalton]

listen up pardner, If John Wayne's 6 shooter can shoot 9 times this guys cap n' ball can swim the English Channel and invade Europe without miss-firing! :surrender: :rotf:

 

[Kirby Jonas]

Howdy all,

So being new here, I'm not sure I'm just replying to the last post made, or to this whole thread. Wow, first off, I have to say I have never felt more immediately welcome to a forum than I have here. Thank y'all for your hospitality.

I should have given a bit more detail here. First off, the book, Knight of the Ribbons, takes place 1863-64, between Ohio, the California Trail, Utah, and Idaho.

Secondly, I guess I made it look a bit like I have NO experience with muzzleloaders. My wife would laugh up a storm if she got involved in this, since she is always yelling at me for buying yet another "old gun." I am now the proud owner of somwhere around 45-55 guns, probably 70% of those percussion. I have a large collection of the replica revolvers, starting with the Walker and going all the way up to the 1863 Remington. Included in that collection are even a Colt Police and a Colt Army. So my question really ONLY referred to getting a gun wet and having it fire. Normally, I always do this kind of research for myself, such as experimenting to see just how far an old Colt .44 WILL shoot through an oak table. :grin: I just didn't want to go throwing any of my loaded guns in a bucket if one or more of y'all had already had any mishaps in this arena that you could help me out with.

Thanks a heap for your information. Now.... if only one of you had been attacked by a moose, my research would be complete!!! hahaha

Kirby Jonas www.kirbyjonas.com

 

[cynthialee]

There was a fella up in Alaska a number of years ago who had a moose go at his dogs while he was mushing.
He had to kill the moose with an ax!!!

Can't remember all the particulars but I don't think he got hurt to bad in the confrontation. Certainly not a feat that the average person could pull off, but those guys who do them long distance dog sled races are a breed of tough that most of us never even encounter.

 

[shunka]

There are any number of internet posts claiming Colt had a sales demonstration/side show in which he sealed his cylinder at both ends with wax, dunked the revolver in a bucket of water, and succesfully fired off all shots.

I seem to remember, (but cannot document) an account of Colt doing such a demo for the Navy.

yhs
shunka

 

[Billnpatti]

Any excuse to go cow riding. :rotf:

 

[bpd303]

I have some very old original caps dating from the 1870s. Just tried an experiment with them using my 58 Remington.
I took 6 caps and dunked them into water one at a time then capped the cone and fired them. The first cap that was dunked for the count of ten fired. The second cap was dunked for the count of twenty and it fired.Third-30 fourth-40 fifth-50 and sixth-60 and all of the caps fired up to sixty seconds under water.

I then took five caps and submerged them for five minutes and three of the five fired. The test was done without the caps being seated over loaded chambers. It appears that the old caps do have some resistance to water.

 

[Bon Sauvage]

Thank you for your hands on approach!

 

[cynthialee]

Thank you for using your ancient caps for this experiment!!!
Most interesting.

 

[Zonie]

Your test reminded me that a lot of the caps that were made back in the day were waterproofed.

I'm sitting here now looking at a tin of very old percussion caps.
The label says,
"100 FOIL LINED
F.L.
CENTER FIRE
STAYNLESS
Winchester Repeating Arms
Division of Olin Industries
MADE IN UNITED STATES
OF AMERICA
NEW HAVEN, CONN. U.S.A."

Each cap has a silver foil cover over the priming compound.

IMO, caps like these could raise a dunked revolver to over 90 percent reliability.

 

[nmarlowe]

Decided to take one for the team. After reading this I just had to know if my Remmy would function after being submerged for a period of time. I simply filled up a pot with water and let the cylinder soak for about a good 10 minutes. To make a long story short, all 6 chambers went off without fail. I didnt add finger nail polish or any other mumbo jumbo. Just #10 Remington caps powder and ball. Your welcome. :thumbsup:

 

[Dickydalton]

Read the topic "Reliability of long loaded C & Bs"
It was done before!