Black Powder Revolvers for Self Defense

[Hrfunk]

Something to consider if the local gun store is closed.


https://youtu.be/cS7PajUiSNc

Howard

[onelight]

Another great video !
You forgot to mention they can be a lot of fun , and about about the cheapest ammo cost you can find for an afternoons entertainment .
Thanks for posting brings back a lot of good memories .

[contender1]

I didn't watch the video,, (too slow internet here,) but when I saw this thread,, I was immediately reminded of a local guy who killed a man with a BP handgun. He was a felon,, and knew he couldn't buy a regular firearm. So,, he bought a BP handgun,, and later used it to kill a man. (Drug deal issue if I recall correctly.) He buried the body,, but was found out & convicted of murder. He was given 20 years. I got paroled last year, after serving 20.
I know the family.

So,, yes,, a BP handgun was and still is a viable tool for serious gunplay.

[rintinglen]

Very interesting. I have a pair of 1860 Army Colt replicas--also Piettas--which I have purchased conversion cylinders for. Cleaning black powder from handguns, especially revolvers, is best left to those who like being filthy. I shoot low-powered 45 Schofield loads, 38 S&W Standard velocity equivalents, albeit with a 200-230 grain boolit but I would not feel naked if one of those was all I had to defend my self with. I like the Colt's feel and (slightly) better reliability. IME, a Colt BP replica will go about 10 more shots (with Black Powder, cap and ball) before fouling out than a similar Remington, but the Remington design is clearly stronger.
One draw back not mentioned is the comparatively large size of these guns, making concealment pretty iffy, unless you go with a Clint Eastwood Style poncho.
261838
Smile when you say that, hombre.

Oh, for those who are interested, after all this is a cast boolit website, that boolit is an Ideal 456-401 pointy-nosed 193 grain wadcutter that was designed as a 45-70 plinker. Mine runs a bit too small for my Marlin CB 1895, and a little heavy at ~201-202 grains, but it works very well in my Pietta's.

[Win94ae]

I still need to get me a pocket muzzle-loading revolver... and some real black powder!

[Outpost75]

Good video. Would have been interesting if he had extra loaded cylinders in pouches and timed the "Pale Rider Reload."

Also, a Kirst, Taylor or Howell cartridge conversion provides another useful option.

261849261850

[root]

Luv your video's

I have that exact same model with a 45 LC conversion.

Still sits NIB though since I have a brace of Ruger Old Armies for shooting and I collect the 2nd Gen cased Colts for looking at.

I'd agree not the best for defense but until the metallic cartridge was perfected it was the best there was.

Lots a dead targets, game, & people, from C&B pistols.

It is said the 44 C&B is about equal to a 38 spcl. and that other guns like my Dragoon and Rugers can be powered up to 357 mag status.

My next cased Colt will be a Walker then two more Dragoon's to fill out all three models. Who knows after that.

The 2nd Gen colt's are def. eye candy and the remakes are def. not toys.

Rich

[GregLaROCHE]

You will never be able to compare a BP handgun to something like a fifteen shot Glock, but I would sure take a BP handgun over nothing at all.

[onelight]

I still need to get me a pocket muzzle-loading revolver... and some real black powder!
That is funny I moved a few months ago and found a 31 cal. Brass frame Spur trigger pocket Remington Kit I must have bought in the 70's I forgot that I had .
I need to put it together.😎

[charlie b]

Back when I worked places where 'normal' firearms were not allowed I used to keep a 'chopped' 1858 Remington (Navy Arms, cut from 7.5" barrel to approx 5" and grip made into a birdshead). I had coordinated it with the local security folks and they agreed the 'rules' did not apply to a cap and ball revolver.

One precaution I did take was to fire the pistol at the range every two or three weeks and clean/reload it with fresh charges.

[sonoransixgun]

Enjoyed the video...seems totally adequate for every home defense story I read in the news...thanks for posting...

[Hrfunk]

Enjoyed the video...seems totally adequate for every home defense story I read in the news...thanks for posting...

Thanks everyone! The only thing I think about with regard to using a BP firearm for home defense (admittedly, in a humorous way) is the giant cloud of smoke that would end up engulfing your living room! I'm not sure how many fans you would need to clear it all out!

Howard

[Earlwb]

One could add the large bore single shot pistols too. It is hard to imagine more stopping power than a .69, .70 or .75 caliber round ball would have. Even those .50 caliber ones being commonly sold nowadays would still have serious stopping power. It is better than nothing when you might have nothing otherwise. American Guncrafters sells the awesome 12 gauge double barrel pistols too. Heck those monster 12 gauge pistols makes one want to carry one as a anti-car hijacker gun.

[Silver Jack Hammer]

The overpressure from the discharge of a black powder Fire-Arm in your living room and night will blow out all your kerosene lamps!

[GregLaROCHE]

How about a double barrel muzzleloader shotgun cut down, barrel and stock.

[Golfswithwolves]

Mr. Hrfunk- I have enjoyed all of your videos whenever I have come across them on the Internet and this one is no exception! As to the smoke cloud from these revolvers, I have read that ducking down after a first shot allows vision under the smoke in a closed room. Please consider carrying with only 5 chambers loaded even though the C&B revolver may have safety slots or pins, as these are not 100% effective. I reckon that as with any gun, some shooters just like the way their black powder revolver feels to them and generally works for them as the reasons they might use them for all purposes even though they could have a more modern weapon (Wild Bill is a good instance). Thanks for your video! Bob

[nicholst55]

One precaution I did take was to fire the pistol at the range every two or three weeks and clean/reload it with fresh charges.

Wild Bill Hickok emptied and then reloaded his C&B revolvers every night, according to legend. One must assume that he also cleaned them between discharging and reloading.

[M-Tecs]

Wild Bill Hickok emptied and then reloaded his C&B revolvers every night, according to legend. One must assume that he also cleaned them between discharging and reloading.

I have read that Hickok didn't have a lot of faith in the reliably of the early cartridges so he opted to stay with the tried and true. Also at the time cartridges were very expensive.

Today with the very limited experience for most with Cap and Ball revolvers and the limited components reliability is a major concern.

[justashooter]

a guy killed another dude DRT with a remington 44 cap and ball in a louisiana gunfight in the mid 80's.

[NyFirefighter357]

Here in NY you can have the gun but if you have any of the loading components you need a pistol permit. They are considered firearms once they can be armed.

[Earlwb]

How about a double barrel muzzleloader shotgun cut down, barrel and stock.

I suppose one could do it, but it is hard to not want one of these American Guncraft inline double barrel 12 gauge pistols. It uses shotgun shell primers.

https://americanguncraft.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/diablo-blue-rosewood_107-600x600.jpg

[Silver Jack Hammer]

Shooting cap and ball revolvers is addictive. I suggested to Roy Huntington that Wild Bill couldn’t get a strapped model in Deadwood in 1876. Mr. Huntington said it was his understanding Wild Bill chose the Navy ‘6 because he didn’t trust cartridges loaded by anyone else.

[plowboysghost]

I've toted several cap and ball revolvers to the woods and to town for defense over the last 20+ years. I still do ever once in awhile when I give one of my single action cartridge revolvers the day off.

I use SlixShot SS nipples and CCI or Winchester #11 Magnum caps and Goex 3F exclusively, and have what I consider a reliable method/level of cleaning and making certain that no moisture/oil is in the chambers or in/on the nipple that can foul the cap.

Not contending that they are the best option, but all the spare Glock magazines in the world won't help someone who's just caught a soft lead roundball from a .36 or a .44 between his front teeth.

[Mr_Sheesh]

I've been told that it's legal for felons to own C&B revolvers, and have wondered if they could also use conversion cylinders legally. Not a lawyer & not in that boat so YAY! :) I like my modern toys, but C&B is also lots of fun. Just messier! (You think Unique is dirty? Heh!)

[Doughty]

Several years back there were several articles written about adapting the stainless Ruger Old Army for this purpose. If I recall correctly, it involved shortening the barrel to 4 inches, getting rid of the under barrel loading ram, reshaping the grip to take round butt rubber grips, and some modification to keep fired caps from jamming things. Probably some other items I can't remember. I will try to find the articles. If successful, I'll try to post them or a link.

Oh, and a duplicate revolver for a quick reload!

[Earlwb]

I've been told that it's legal for felons to own C&B revolvers, and have wondered if they could also use conversion cylinders legally. Not a lawyer & not in that boat so YAY! :) I like my modern toys, but C&B is also lots of fun. Just messier! (You think Unique is dirty? Heh!)

It really depends on how the laws are worded in each state. Some states it is illegal for felons to possess any firearm, other states it is a gray area, and some states didn't word their laws to block it.

Here in Texas, some years ago, some activists started open carrying Cap and Ball revolvers as then they didn't need a handgun carry license for it. But they were confronting the police who arrested them anyway for other reasons.

[Thumbcocker]

I've been told that it's legal for felons to own C&B revolvers, and have wondered if they could also use conversion cylinders legally. Not a lawyer & not in that boat so YAY! :) I like my modern toys, but C&B is also lots of fun. Just messier! (You think Unique is dirty? Heh!)

Felony in Illinois.

[Good Cheer]

Pulled out the box of .45 molds yesterday to review what might work best in a 1858 Pietta, the ones with the smallish diameter chambers. There's several designs that should work well if swaged to .450 and then the hind end sized to slip into the chambers.

[Good Cheer]

Lyman #452400 (plain base round nose 240 grain) looks promising.