Not when the information can get somebody hurt or killed! I have been carrying
and shooting SAA for over 50 years. I have seen accidents . I know what can
and has happend. I would never, never put 6 in a SAA. Not even if I was going
to shoot it right away. C&B revolvers same way. I have in 50 years ever loaded
more than 5 and never will. Seems like every new generation has to re-learn
this. Some the easy way, some the hard way. You fall into the false sense of
security thinking, well it hasn't happened to me yet, so it can't happen . Ask all
the ones that have been shot . But you do what you think best.
And it seems like everyone with a few gray hairs thinks their way is the only right way. Age (and growing up watching Bonanza) doesn't necessarily bring wisdom or make you right. It amazes me how many people are afraid of SA revolvers. Why do you shoot them at all? Why not get the latest and safest new plastic "wondergun" with four different safeties, so you can sleep at night? I have read about folks accidentally shooting themselves with modern "safe" guns too, sport. Common sense plays a big part in things of this nature. Of all the "accidental" shootings I have read about that involved SA revolvers, more often than not had the "victim" doing something careless or just plain stupid. Do you really think that every one way back when, or since then, that hung their well being in their guns only carried five rounds in a six shot revolver? I'm not talking about cowboys (just over worked laborers) I mean lawmen, soldiers, frontiersmen that might have to deal with anything from wild animals to hostile indians etc. In his 1882 book about the life and death of Billy the Kid, Pat Garrett mentioned that he examined the Kid's revolver after he was shot by Garrett. Garrett said his gun contained five cartridges and one spent shell. That the shell didn't seem recently fired and that "some" carried their guns in this manner for safety. The word "some" is important. He didn't say "every one", or "most" or "we". " He said "some". Another example, When John Ringo's body was found in July of 1882, from what the coroner determined was a self inflicted gunshot to the head, the coroner listed Ringo's belongings. Among them was his revolver (used to commit suicide) listed as "one Colt's revolver, calibre 45, NO. 222, containing
five cartridges" Years later Robert Boller, a member of the coroner's jury that examined Ringo's body and belongings, said "there was an empty shell in the six-shooter and the hammer was on that". Five cartridges and one empty shell (fired into his head)= 6 beans in the wheel. In the military, pistol ammo was issued in packs of six. Paper cartridges for percussion revolvers were sold in packs of six. I have read extensively about the guns and the era, a lot of first hand accounts about these things and while there were some, have found little mention of "accidental" shootings. And of the ones mentioned, a surprising number involved "gun twirling" by a young show off. You find numerous examples of six rounds being carried in revolvers. Heck, read about old gun fights. I occasionally carry six in my guns when I have to hike into the woods looking for a missing cow, to fix a broken fence or for whatever reason and don't want to or can't carry a long gun. There have been packs of wild dogs around that have made off with a few calves. The area is also home to coyotes, copperheads and a few nefarious "redneck" types (I don't mean country folk, I mean the kind you find running a meth lab). Like I mentioned before, I don't just shoot at paper or steel and play "cowboy". My guns are 'working" guns. For protection, pest control, putting down an injured cow, etc. I do not see the point in handicapping myself with one less round. In a five shot revolver, would you carry four? These guns were designed to safely carry six rounds. The most common way was to put the firing pin between the case rims. Just like the percussion revolvers with the safety pins, or notches on the Remingtons, between the nipples. If the idea of carrying a fully loaded SA scares you, then I would advise against it. I don't care what you do with your guns, but as far as this nonsense.."
Not when the information can get somebody hurt or killed!"...Information doesn't hurt or kill people. Careless actions do. That's kinda like blaming a gun for a crime. But you do what you think best.