Carrying your BP revolver...

<NOW thats one cool picture.>
I'll second that statement! And... I reiterate five chambers loaded is the safest and most correct method. Mykeal explained it perfectly.
BB in SC
 
Well, the Remington safety notches are a lot more positive than the Colt safety pins, especially since most of the clones don't even have the safety pins.

Just FWIW, don't forget that while percussion revolvers are not firearms under Federal and most state purchase/transfer laws, they are still firearms or deadly weapons under other laws, like armed robbery, illegal carry, ADW, etc.

Jim
 
Let me presume you are not that familiar with a Remington revolver hammer and cylinder safety feature.
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Actually I do have a Pietta 1858 Remington New Navy. It was my third bp revolver, following a Pietta 1851 Navy and a Euroarms Rogers & Spencer. I bought it in 1981, so I guess I don't have as much experience with it as some. It was not one of Pietta's finer examples, but I've enjoyed shooting it over the years - a fine weapon that I've grown very fond of.
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I also have a Ruger Old Army; it has even deeper safety notches on the back of the cylinder.

So the concept is well known to me; you might note that I used the term 'safety notches' as opposed to 'pins' in my dissertation.

The depth of the notch certainly affects how far the hammer must move back before the cylinder can rotate, and the notch design is pretty clearly safer than the pin design on some Colts. In this sense the Ruger would seem to be the best of what's currently available.

Nonetheless, the premise stands: the hammer must move even further back to allow the bolt to clear the cylinder stop notch, and the cylinder must rotate twice as far to move into battery when you carry with the hammer down on an empty cylinder. It's simply geometry. Whether it's sufficient is, as I stated before and you reiterated, a matter for personal choice.
 
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Now that everyone has given their input on safety notches..........I prefer a single action revolver over all other handguns in the woods or backcountry. I carry a Chinese Makarov concealed as it fits me and feeds XTP's 100%. Now that's around town. I carry a Keltec .32 with XTP's at the beach or when clothing will only allow a tiny "thumper". Before you say it, no rocks/sticks for me, and a handfull of sand is no match for the .32. I've only once had to use a handgun to protect my family while in the forest. It was in Wyoming in '83 and we were hiking as a family with a small dog. My daughter screamed and I turned to see two large dogs(breed?) running hard towards her and our dog. To this day all I remember next was standing between her, the dogs and the echo of the report from the .41 Mag. I do not remember running, drawing or the actual shot. One shot stopped it all and I still had 5 remaining. The .41 magnum at that time was the smallest handgun caliber that was legal to hunt with in Wyoming. I NEVER go unarmed. As a wiseman once said the only gun you will ever NEED is the one you didn't have. I feel very well armed with a loaded 1858 anywhere in WV woods. If you don't carry all the time, practice all the time and only shoot occasinally. I would suggest a 12 gauge pump or auto loader w/sling for walks in the big woods......................Mike P.S. the biggest danger anywhere are 2 legged varmints.
 
I'm gonna say this then shutup about it. With a proper holster and a hammer thong or strap the hammer isn't going to move while holstered. I suppose it would be possible to have the hammer move while reholstering, especially with a cheap holster. If you're careful about what you're doing and don't jam the gun into the holster there's very little danger involved in carrying six loaded and the hammer on the safety pins or notches. A good holster will be stiff and the gun will just drop in easily. A cheap one will be soft and fit too snug and after awhile the lips will tend to fold inward making holstering more difficult. That's where the danger lies.
 
Hawg,

Yep, you're absolutely right on all counts. I agree 100%. Especially if you're careful and pay attention to what you're doing. I wish we could say that we all do that all of the time, so there's no need to take any extra precautions. But I still haven't perfected the walking on water trick yet...
 
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I can walk on water just fine......................................Only it's the bottom of it not the top.:D
 
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