My ultimate gripes are ahistorical designs and poor logic in the reproduction and use of percussion revolvers. This assumes that the primary value of making reproductions is to relive history in order to deduce best practices for actually carrying and shooting these sidearms without buying and wearing out an original.
It irks me when:
Brass frames are mass produced and given bogus historical provenance simply because some insignificant number were made experimentally by CSA gunsmiths. Brass is already weak for a trigger guard. For a frame, it’s even more ill suited.
.44 caliber, or Army caliber, is treated as the default, even going so far as to mass produce fanciful “Navy” models in .44 (When a brass frame is added to one of these fantasy weapons, it’s especially egregious). The Army pistols were the lowest selling pistols of the time, so, why aren’t there more reproductions of dedicated Navy caliber pistols, since they outnumbered Army pistols by a large amount and there are many historical examples that have never been properly reproduced? Why are pocket models not better represented since they were conclusively the most popular? This caliber “inflation” is especially ridiculous when owners typically underload these guns using inferior powders anyway. If fully loading the pistol is not desired, why purchase the .44 at all when one could simply buy the .36 and load the same 22 grain charge (still underloaded) with the added benefit of historical authenticity? Using the logic of most modern shooters, it isn’t like these pistols could be good for anything more than punching paper… right?
Loading these guns with pathetically small powder charges when they are made with more consistent quality steel than the originals. This rule is not followed evenly though, since no one I know seems to load a Walker or Dragoon with less than 50 grains, yet feel that smaller models made of the same steel can’t handle more than 20 grains without blowing up. It’s poor logic. Modern companies let their lawyers pick the recommended powder charges. Imagine men on the frontier loading 15 grains (about half capacity) in a .36 with a cornmeal filler or greased wad the day before imminently expecting to use the gun for self defense. If any of them actually did this would they seem prudent or foolish? If these same dubious pistoleros then started claiming that their ridiculously underloaded gun is only good on small game, would they seem wise? Does anyone actually think Bill Hickok loaded 20 grains or less when he depended on those Navy Colts in battle or on patrol?
Not troubleshooting percussion pistols with the same care as modern pistols. I’ve seen shooters pay hundreds of dollars trying to make their new $1,500 Kimber 1911 run reliably with overpressure self defense cartridges but never spend a cent on optimizing a $400 percussion pistol they claim is too unreliable for self defense. My guns run with 95% reliability and lethal power when loaded for carry. I make sure of it and so can anyone else with the motivation and patience to experiment.
