1853 engraved Colt Dragoon revolver - photo

[Altair]

1853 engraved Colt Dragoon revolver.

Fullsize image: https://diqn32j8nouaz.cloudfront.net...r_fullsize.jpg




Previously:

Wooden 1948 Colt Dragoon revolver - video and photos
Miniature Colt M1911 - video
World's biggest revolver - GIF

[Scotsman Hosie]

Beautiful to look at, but ill-fated for actual use. Had to be very careful when loading, with powder and ball. Those models had the nasty propensity of lighting-off all six chambers at once, when fired. Causing a characteristically violent cylinder explosion, that usually destroyed both the gun, as well as the shooter's hand.

[jdurand]

My wife and I have black powder revolvers, if you're careful in loading you don't have problems.

Some people smear a ton of grease OVER the balls which just makes things worse. Aside from the first shot blowing most of the grease out, powder sticks and when you reload you wind up with powder trails along the balls. We use paper discs and lube cookies (home made of bees wax and lard). No sticky residue on the gun so no powder trails. Also the lube cookie and paper disc make a spacer so if any flame DID get around the ball it's stopped by them.

In any case, never use petroleum based lube in the barrel. Plant/animal lube only.

[owen moore]

I bought a bees wax toilet ring sealer at the hardware store and used that to seal off the cylinder holes to prevent a chain fire. Works pretty good and you don't have lard or grease running out of the bottom of your holster on a hot summer day.

[Scotsman Hosie]

Thanks to both of you guys, for explaining the more modern work-arounds, than the grease the old-timers were supposed to have used. And what a mess to have to carry around, as well as reload. Thank (that Guy up there) for modern cartridges. (I never was a fan of black powder myself.)

[jdurand]

There's not a lot of evidence the old timers used grease, a LOT of black powder lore is a modern invention.

Also, people didn't shoot a lot. Especially away from town. You had to carry balls and powder with you on your horse along with food, sleeping gear, etc. So, you make every shot count.

Here's me with a more modern muzzle loader. Still counts as not needing to be registered as it's a stretching-the-limits replica of an old gun.


Here's my wife with one of our pistols

[Scotsman Hosie]

Surprised to see your everlovin' shooting that dragoon one-handed. You definitely walk the talk. Thanks for sharing.

[NeiljohnUK]

'Tis a thing of Beauty m'boy...

interesting comments about safe loading methods, IIRC the NRA (US not UK, though they are following I'm told) has initiated a safe loading scheme, using paper cartridges, some with ball some plus ball, to eliminate the biggest issue of hot residue igniting power pouring from a flask into the cylinder or down the bore, a shooter lost his hand and sight in one eye on a UK range from that not so long ago. As a ROA shooter I do 'cap' the loaded cartridge and ball with soft bee's wax and oil mix (Renapur leather balsam) to seal the chamber from the front, even though with the correct sized ball is should shave on loading to give a perfect seal on the chamber mouths sharp edges, and no wad between the 30 Gn's of 777 and the ball. Post incident analysis showed most chain-fires occurred due to poorly fitting percussion caps and worn nipples allowing leakage out and into the next cap, something Bill Ruger's design of safety notches helps avoid perhaps.