Best Civil War Revolver?

tiriaq said:
Were extra cylinders routinely carried for reloading?
Isn't a capped, detached cylinder a bit of a bomb?
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Purely speculation; but I would think loaded, but uncapped. Everything I ever read talks more about the carry of multiple revolvers. More so by guerillas than regulars as I understand. I would imagine there was a lot more discipline in the regular forces with regards to carry & more opportunity for a guerilla to pick up or steal another. I realize a lot of soldiers carried more than one, but have read about some mauraders & assume their horse, carrying 5 to 7 pieces at a time...
 
tiriaq said:
Were extra cylinders routinely carried for reloading?
Isn't a capped, detached cylinder a bit of a bomb?
Click to expand...

my impression is that carrying a spare cylinder was fairly common during the Civil War. As long as you only carried one already capped in a otherwise empty pocket, it probably was not that unsafe or at least was the least of your worrying while charging towards the enemy (calvary charge)

cheers mooncoon
 
I've shot all of the Colt "wedgies" in CAS from the .31 to the .44 Walker, including two 9" 'Texas' Patersons. I sold all of them but the little .31 (cute) and the 2nd gen Colt 3rd Model Dragoon. Why? The Dragoon ALWAYS works, doesn't fall apart and never has caps fall into the works.

For the past few years, my .44 Remingtons have been my main CAS guns. Low maintenance with solid frames, very reliable, no screws to come loose at inopportune times, no wedges to work loose or fall out, they throw off fired caps, etc.

I have an old copy of the NRA "rifleman' magazine that shows a Colt '51 Navy and an Austrian Naval (!!!) holster that has an attached pocket for a spare cylinder and an inline capper. I presume that the spare cylinder was carried capped, but that is speculation.

Changing cylinders on a Colt 'wedgie' during a firefight sounds like a recipe for disaster. I mean, what could go wrong ..... Eastwood makes it look easy with Remingtns, but that is the stuff of movies. It ain't that easy!

I recommend buying a copy of "Civil War Revolvers" - Myth vs Reality by Peter Schiffers. He tests nine original issued revolvers for accuracy and efficacy out to 55 yards (50m) as well as several "privately purchased" models, twenty revolvers in total. He gives his findings along with the original US Ordnance evaluations.

Schiffers also has a similar book where he rates Civil War carbines out to 220 yds (200m). Both books will change your mind about what arms you would want to have carried if your life was on the line.
 
I suspect that if more than one cylinder was issued (or used) with Colt percussion revolvers during the Civil War there would be a lot more of these revolvers around today with mismatching cylinders. ?????
 
I've never read anything extra cylinders being issued, so you are probably correct. It is known that Cavalrymen and Irregulars carried multiples if they could get them. This started with the use of the Paterson by the Texas Rangers against the Commanches.
 
The two gun man like wild bill was a popular concept during the percussion era for some as it gave back up to a gun in case of misfires etc which died off in popularity once cartridge guns came into being and ammo became more reliable.There are plenty of pics of civil war guerrillas sporting 3 or more revolvers which gave them a lot of firepower in a skirmish ,probably a lot easier than trying to change a cylinder on a revolver on horseback during battle.i ve read also that the average soldier (infantry)preferred to carry a nice large knife to a revolver as a secondary weapon to their musket because of the added weight of the revolver and ammo
 
The Smith & Wesson No.2 Old Model Army Revolver .32 rimfire was the first cartridge revolver used during the Civil War and was in fact later found on Bill Hickok the day that he was killed.

 
Coachgun67 said:
...Rogers&Spencer in .44...fugly as well, not as sleek as the Remington or the Colt, but built solid like a hammer and when in competition way more accurate ( altough that fact might have to do with my repro being built by Feinwerkbau ( Germany ) and not Euroarms). For frame strength back then with material thickness and all, the Rodgers rather compares to the ROA these days, yet disasembly is easier than the Remington.

CG
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I do believe the Rogers & Spencer never actually made it into battle (not issued) before the Civil War came to an end.

So technically not a real Civil War revolver.
 
As I mentioned before; I believe something like 800 R&S were sold privately. But the ones purchased by the government went straight to storage. Bannerman bought them up in 1901.
 
You guys really gotta get a copy of that book I mentioned ...... available at "Man At Arms" publishing. Xmas present to your self.
 
Two martially marked ’51 Colt Navy revolvers both manufactured in 1857.
No remaining original finish but with very clear markings and cylinder scene.



Inspector’s cartouches (MM) for M. Moulton and (WAT) for William Anderson Thornton.




Serial numbers show on both revolvers as well as the small U.S. stamp indicating purchase by the U.S. Government.

 
drm3m said:
Two martially marked ’51 Colt Navy revolvers both manufactured in 1857.
No remaining original finish but with very clear markings and cylinder scene.



Inspector’s cartouches (MM) for M. Moulton and (WAT) for William Anderson Thornton.




Serial numbers show on both revolvers as well as the small U.S. stamp indicating purchase by the U.S. Government.

Click to expand...

Beautiful!
 
Here's a quick pic of some that made it, and some that tried. Maybe ugly was part of the decision making.
#1 60 Colt, been there, done that condition. #2, big Remington. #3, Remington Beals, never noticed til today that it is marked. #4 and 5, Starr Arms, single and double action both marked.
#6, a Freeman. Didn't make the cut. #7, Pettengill Army, rejected, later accepted. It's so awkward, and front heavy it should have wheels. #8, the Savage, accepted, hard to handle, and had
break-downs. (and ugly). #9, a Rogers and Spencer, seems like a good gun. Inspector marks, but ran out of war before delivery.

 
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drm3m said:
Two martially marked ’51 Colt Navy revolvers both manufactured in 1857.
No remaining original finish but with very clear markings and cylinder scene.



Inspector’s cartouches (MM) for M. Moulton and (WAT) for William Anderson Thornton.




Serial numbers show on both revolvers as well as the small U.S. stamp indicating purchase by the U.S. Government.

Click to expand...


Oh Baby!!....nice brace ya have there........
 
oldiron---you have some pieces that I would love to have---very nice!

Here are some examples of private purchase revolvers during the Civil War period.
From top to bottom;
-‘49 Pocket Colt
-’62 Colt Police
-Manhattan Series One Navy
-Smith & Wesson No.2 Old Model Army revolver

On the right side;
-61 Colt Navy
-Another Smith & Wesson No.2



Two ‘51 Colt Navies with a ’61 Colt Navy.




No original finish remaining on this 1862 manufactured M1860 Colt Army revolver.



Faint inspector's cartouche on the right grip.



Serial number 48595 on the frame.



Faint barrel address.



Faint markings on the cylinder.



This Model 1860 Colt Army revolver still has a very crisp action.

 
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