Personal Protection - black powder????

F

Famas

New member
Here is an odd question which a friend asked me today, to which I had no idea what to say. Has anyone ever/does carry a cap-n-ball black powder handgun for personal protection??

I can think of several disadvantages to this, mainly in very slow reload, caps, powder and ball all needing compartments.....but yet there is that bright flash of the muzzle and loud cannon-like roar, definately attention getting. In this era, has/does anyone do this?

Just curious, thank you.
 
A friend of mine has a 44 black powder revolver that he cut down to a 2" barrel. He doesn't carry it but it looks like a fun project.
 
You could do it today as that was done for decades before modern cartridge rounds were availible.

But most of the dangers of misfires and jamfires would still remain especially if you did not mind the gun extremely well.

I think it would be so much work probably only the most dedicated blackpowder shooters would do it right.

The modern cartridge seals the charge and holds the bullet firmly so there is no contamination of the charge or the primer that fires it-that's a huge advantage when carrying a handgun for self defense.
 
Ive often wondered what would happen if you used a black powder firearm for home defense.

Would it look better? like, would it look like it was your last resort?

or would it look like you were a cowboy looking to shoot an indian?

I guess in the end it doesnt matter. Any judge or jury who would even know the difference would probably be pro gun anyways.
 
You could do it today as that was done for decades before modern cartridge rounds were availible.

But most of the dangers of misfires and jamfires would still remain especially if you did not mind the gun extremely well.

I think it would be so much work probably only the most dedicated blackpowder shooters would do it right.

The modern cartridge seals the charge and holds the bullet firmly so there is no contamination of the charge or the primer that fires it-that's a huge advantage when carrying a handgun for self defense.
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This.
 
I don't see a big advantage in using a black powder for SD, but some guys do like to carry them. Nothing wrong with it, just not for me. The law's a little vague & it's still debatable among LEO's, but here in TN you don't need a carry permit for black powder revolvers & oddly enough convicted felons can legally purchase & own black powder guns for HD since the BATF doesn't consider black powder guns as "firearms".
 
In this era, has/does anyone do this?
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My first guess is that there are people who do this. My second guess is that there aren't many of them. My third guess is that nearly all of them do it because it's the only legal avenue open to them for "firearm"/handgun self-defense...
 
I've often wondered if it would be legally "possible" to carry some black powder cap & ball in places that prohibit firearms due to the legal allowances for them.

In the end, it seems like you MIGHT have a prayer if you got caught with one in an otherwise benign situation... but if you USED one in a place where a firearm was prohibited, you'd need a pretty good lawyer to talk your way out of it.
 
I have wondered about doing this..But what happens if the need arises to use it, and the shooting or circumstances are questionable..either due to fact..or the b.g.'s legal defense? What if the weapon is confiscated until trial is over?...what will the bore look like after being left uncleaned for who knows how long?
 
I've read of people doing it on this forum (I think?) for kicks, although personally I'd hate to risk my life on it.

Although there aren't many, I've read of others with a record carrying them since background checks aren't required for purchase.
 
I carried a cut-down .44 Griswold once, back when I was a teenager expecting trouble from a certain competitor for what we'll call a 'recreational resource' that had just arrived in the area. Now I didn't know it at the time, but the competitor held a legal title to it. He and some friends showed up with sports equipment, intending to play ball with my head. The 'snick' of the hammer coming back was enough to cancel the game and send the visiting team back to their native lands. Lessons learned on both sides, I assure you.
 
Has anyone ever/does carry a cap-n-ball black powder handgun for personal protection??
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I only really "carried it" maybe once or twice, but, yes, I bought a .36 cal. cap and ball pistol for personal protection.

I was under 21 at the time & going through a nasty divorce. I also had sole custody of our two kids. My ex wife told me to my face that she'd hired somone to "take me out" for $500.00 & a romp in the hay. I got a $500.00 charge on a credit card from a service station, where my ex had apparently loaned somone the credit card to have work done. (The idiot signed my name to the bill - which I believe to this day is the only thing that saved my ass.)

I went to one of the local gun stores. Actually, the only local gun store at the time - Avon Gun and Tackle, in Avon Ohio. They told me that since I was under 21, they couldn't sell me a handgun. The only way I could get a handgun would be to buy one used from a private seller or buy a black powder pistol.(which they didn't stock)
I didn't know anyone selling a handgun - well - not legally anyhow & I wasn't about to risk everything by buying one on the street.

My need was immediate, so I went down to The Log Cabin in Lodi and picked up a .36 cal Colt Pocket revolver.
It was a tense few weeks until the forged signature on the credit card put the kabash on my ex wife's little scheme. My lawyer got word to my ex and her - whatever - that unless the credit card bill was cleared immediatly, he was going to go ahead with charging everyone involved with forgery.

As an FYI on how serious I took her threat. Some years and a few husbands later, she shot husband number 5 ( I was husbad number 1) and spent 12 years in prision for attempted murder.

There wasn't any "kicks" involved & I had no intensions of playing cowboy.
I did what I had to do to protect my children and myself via the only legal avenue open to me at the time.
 
Black powder firearms are *great* fun but I doubt many people use them for the reasons stated above.

I love my black powder revolvers but I prefer to carry something much more simple and reliable. Preferably tupperware.
 
I've been shooting black powder revolvers for over 30yrs. Since I first saw the movie The Outlaw Josey Wales. Originals , replicas and modern Rugers. I've never had a chain fire and very rarely had a misfire. Usually only had a problem with old or cheap caps.

Though not my first choice , I wouldn't feel sorry for myself if all I had was one of my BP revolvers in a dire situation. That .44cal soft lead ball is quite deadly. The Civil War proved that.

One of the gun magazine did a hog hunt with Ruger Old Army revolvers and they killed some nice size hogs very dead.
 
Has anyone ever/does carry a cap-n-ball black powder handgun for personal protection??
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Yep, Jim did here in Omaha till he was killed in his home. Guy tried to make it look like suicide but everyone knew Jim carried BP only so it was changed to a murder investigation.

I was tending bar one Dads day when Jim came in for a drink. I askedd him if he was carring that hogleg, he was so i took it out back and took aim on the tail feathers of a small bird. I took them feathers right off that bird. Them BPs are very accurate with the newer sabot rounds. Load it right, use grease as you should and it will work every time.

No need for a permit to buy BP either.

Folks killed folks with these for many years.
 
One of the gun magazine did a hog hunt with Ruger Old Army revolvers and they killed some nice size hogs very dead.
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Was it like that magazine article where the shooter went out to kill a polar bear with a .44 magnum...and had several guys with large caliber rifles providing overwatch? :confused::rolleyes:
 
I'd be afraid I'd run into a cop who'd decide I needed to be disarmed for "officer safety", and he'd accidentally shoot both of us trying to figure out how to unload it.
 
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