Cap and Ball Revolver For Personal and Home Defense

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The people here at this black powder forum are divided into two categories in experiences with black powder revolvers, Dino.
There are some have vouched for the reliability of black powder fire\arms, even in comparison with modern firearms and there are people that have trouble with theirs from time to time. You may want to examine what you know, what you are doing and the blackpowder firearms you use and maintain before you continue your misguided assumptions.:cool:
 
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The people here at this black powder forum are divided into two categories in experiences with black powder revolvers, Dino.
There are some have vouched for the reliability of black powder fire arms, even in comparison with modern firearms and there are people that have trouble with theirs from time to time. You may want to examine what you know, what you are doing and the firearms you use and maintain before you continue your misguided assumptions.
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I'm sorry Tim, but for self-defense, there are far better choices.
That's not just my "opinion", it's fact.

Anyone who thinks otherwise has either had their head burried in the sand for the past 150 years, or have been terribly mis-guided, or both.

Nuff said.
 
Solution

I think I've found a compromise...Now if I could only figure out how to keep all the BP fouling from jamming up my 1911.:D

RemTim: I think I saw one of those deep in the Pisgah!
 
even in the event that luck be on your side and your gun
does actually fire
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So you're saying that there's a better than 50% chance the gun won't fire?

I'm sorry, but I have a hard time believing this...
How is there a market for a product that more often than not doesn't work?
Why are there black powder hunting licenses/seasons?
Why do so many different companies even bother making guns or manufacturing black powder and percussion caps?
How did so many men die in 3 days at Gettysburg if nobody's gun was functioning properly and they were lucky to get off a shot?
Pickett's Charge!! Imagine how quick that would have been over if the Fed's guns had actually worked! :eek:
 
i brought up semi-auto to eleminate you from using them as an example right out of the gate (obviously with you capacity comment THAT didn't work). now there have been several testimonials to the reliability of modern black powder and you continue to spout your b.s.... get a life, move out of your mother's basement and go shoot a gun for once. and if YOUR black powder is "prone to misfires" then maybe YOU are the problem because mine isn't and nor are any of the peoples' i shoot with. also since you want to play the capacity game, give me one 6 round 1858 remington with 1 dud chamber against your 1911 colt with 1 dud round and lets see you stay in the fight while i'm still shooting at you.... i'm done with this thread as tim and i and a few others have posted all the valuable information and you have just spewed your uneducated opinion...
 
Remember, Bill Hickok's life was once saved by a cap not going off.
I have a diary of a local Civil War veteran - it was written from 1876 - 1879. He knew weapons, he loved to hunt, but he had a hard time with caps not going off in his shotgun.
As far as home defense, you gotta think about the smoke and sparks if you fire in a house.
I'd rate a BP revolver at 75 - 80% reliable in a life and death situation, which isn't bad. My Ruger Speed Six 38/357 I'd rate at 99%. Gotta go with the odds. Back in the day, everyone had the same odds, more or less, because they had the same technology.
And you should remember that, even though a cap and ball is not considered a firearm under Federal law and most local laws, once you conceal it, or add a conversion cylinder, everything changes.
 
:p

gunfacts.com is your friend... doesn't matter how many bullets you pack. Research shows you don't need a bunch, no matter if you're a crack shot or not!

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Not sure if anyone has mentioned it but Hickok was said to unload, clean, and reload his pistols every day. Was this a case of undiagnosed 1800's OCD or did his experience tell him he needed to minimize the chance of misfire?

Personally, for self defense I wouldn't use my hands if I could get a stick, or use a stick if I could get a BP pistol, or use a BP pistol if I could get a 1911. I also wouldn't use a horse and buggy if I could get a Porsche 911.

I admit it would be cool to be able to brag about doing away with a bad guy with an "old" gun, that is if I was still around to brag.
 
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Hickok was said to unload, clean, and reload his pistols every day.
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Hickock was in the Union army during the Civil War and I'm sure he picked up a cleaning routine because his life depended on his weapon, as do all modern military service personnel. He also was considered an eccentric (heard of the ivory grips?) so it's not far-fetched to think of him as OCD about making his guns work as good as I'm sure he kept them looking.
 
Nuff said.
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Not quite ... I'll take it that most of this was in jest, and you bein' the Jestor are capable and knowledgable enough to handle a Black Powder hangun with a C&B or a Cartridge in it...ya see they is both Revolvers the utilize Holy Black as a propellent.
But after all the funnin' I just finnished reading I can tell that you just may not be BP Rev educated enough with BP Revs to feel safe with usin' one for protection. The Rev has to be right before it is usable, jus' like any other hangun...then alot of practice and earned respect of the Rev. Respect is the key word to becoming a good Shootist.
So now you can say "Enough Said" :O) heehee!
 
Smokin Gun brought up a good point, probably the best point - it all comes down to the shooter. You could hand someone a modern, high-tech Cadillac of a gun and they might shoot themselves in the foot. Or you could hand an 1851 Colt Navy .36 to a guy like Hickok and he'll put a roundball in your heart at 75 yds, under fire. It's not the wand, it's the magician.
Good one, Mr S. Gun.
 
What was the historical bore of the .44 Colts and Remingtons (and others)?

Reading threads like this makes me think that background checks, waiting periods and permits should be required - for computer ownership and use. :rolleyes: ;)
 
:) JNewell, now that was funny... I do know that the first Remington Conversion was .46 cal Rimfire cartridge...that's all I got at the moment.
:cool:
 
Thank you, sir.

I would have ass-u-med that they .44s were actually .429ish rather than .452/.454ish, but I wouldn't have had any basis for that and am betting someone here knows the answer.
 
Not positive, but purdy sure them .44Colt were heeled bullets same as the .45 or .46 were. The Conversions that I've seen had had room for 6 chamber straight up no angular degrees to um... Im' sure someone in here can shed a better light ont them Colt carts and conversions than I have done.
I still kick myself for not gettin' Conversion for my Rems in .44Colt/would need heeled boolits, when I had the chance.
I'm workin' on a Gated kirst in 38spl, jus' found loally a box of 158gr .358" hollow base wadcutters for $32 for 500... I wanted to try um first, but that's a pretty good price in lue of Hornady by the 100 or heeled boolits...
What I really want is a Mold for both to use in my Pietta 1861 Navy short barreled .36 cal in .375". The Kirst is .375" chambers and throat...love the gate too.
 
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Don't get me wrong, I love BP guns....
But for self-defense, you're better off using one as a club.
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I had to tone down my first post after reading those words, Then I calmed down and remembered what I was here for. I used humorous of a way of expressing myself. I like humor, just in case no one here noticed.
I came into this forum armed with little more than borrowed opinions expressed by guys like you all in this forum. In my amateur effort to put it all together in a fitting pattern, I made statements that offended some. Those who know me here, know I have no problem with humble heartfelt apologies. This is the first time I can say I ain't apologizing for one thing I have said in this thread or how I said it.
For someone to just pop in with a disrespectful remark and nothing to back it up with, I have little I have apology, I will use humor, sarcasm and anything else I can muster up without regret, and if you don't like it, then that's just too bad.
Opinions are always welcome in a debate. Stupid disrespectful sniper remarks are unwarranted. If you are going to rattle your trap, find something to support your babbling. I would like to know what major advantage, other than fast loading ammo, the modern firearm has over black powder firearms that are properly maintained, handled and shot. If you had one, I'm sure you would have shared.

But for self-defense, you're better off using one as a club.
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Heard that one before, somewhere in the forum pages. I don't know who said it and do not care. May have been you for all we know, or perhaps you were trying to stimulate a debate; nothing wrong with that as I have used unconventional methods to achieve topic participation here. However, if you are serious, then you are hilarious.
This thread has turned into a rigorous debate in which you have few that shared your position. The majority of these guys know how to get the maximum performance out of their black powder arms where you have difficulty with reliability. Try learning instead of trying to be something you are not. Don't blame the gun, blame yourself.
I learned a lot on this thread, but nothing to support the black powder reliability issue. I got a bonus though, a new signature.............................

RemTim: I think I saw one of those deep in the Pisgah!
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If was strapped with these two toy guns, it was me.
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Does anyone want to throw rocks and raise a stick?????????????????????????????????????????
cowboypistol.gif

chup1.jpg
 
Take a 36 c with 22 or 25 grains of pyro or the real stuff packed w/wad / ball and capped. Stand 30 feet from a solid 1x4 board and fire. Now look at the back of the boad where the bullet exited and say to yourself--"would I be a happy camper if was standing in that spot when the gun was fired!" The only time the gun isn't lethal is when it misfires. Keep it clean, loaded properly and again I reiterate---the nipples have to be cleared!! Use a nickel 26 guage guitar string . The nikel wrapping is rough and probably won't scar the insides but it will scub out excess rust and powder residue. Hell, they had guitars back then---maybe those cowbows used them too:D
 
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