Cap and Ball for self defense

[M.E.Eldridge]

Suppose you lived in the 1860s and had enough cash/coinage, whatever, to buy any one cap and ball revolver to use for self defense from outlaws, drunks and Indians on the war path. What revolver would you choose? I'd get a LeMat. Nine shots in the main cylinder plus a shotgun barrel rigged below the main barrel, all in one convenient pistol.

 

[MCgunner]

Nine shots in the main cylinder plus a shotgun barrel rigged below the main barrel, all in one convenient pistol.....

.........the size of a small artillery piece. I think a Remington converted to .44 henry rimfire with several cylinders to switch out ala Pale Rider.

 

[ribbonstone]

Think there were conversion by the gun companies, had to be some made on an indivial basis...local gun smith jobs. Probably shortly after the introduction of the .44Henry there were gunsmiths figuring out how to convert percussions to that caliber.


But sticking to cap and ball...might have to give the British Adams a look-see, but wuld probably keep it more portable than the LaMat or a Dragoon...not much wrong with a basic 1860 or 1851.

 

[RyanM]

Probably an 1862 Pocket Police, with a 3 1/2" barrel and no rammer. Small, light, and concealable. A lot of towns back then had laws against open carry, but nothing banning concealed carry.

 

[Steve499]

1858 Remington .44 with 3 or 4 extra cylinders.

Steve

 

[RON in PA]

Colt 1851 or 1861 Navies. Good enough for Wild Bill. If I wanted to shoot a horse than I'd want an 1860 Army.

 

[Low Key]

1858 Remington .44 with 3 or 4 extra cylinders.

Steve

+1 Steve, another vote for the 58 from me also.

 

[JMusic]

Colt Navy

 

[Cap n Ball]

1858 Remington with extra cylinders in bandolier...and a really good Bowie knife.

 

[armoredman]

+1

 

[BP Hunter]

my ruger old army. but i wished i had spare cylinders. thinking of getting the 1858 from cabelas. just received a $20 off coupon from the yesterday. so an 1858 blued 5 1/2" barrel would come out to be only $179. should i, should i not? am leaving for a hawaii vacation next month. need evey penny. argh. decisions. decisions. :banghead:

 

[RyanM]

Will the coupon still be good after your vacation? If so, save it. I doubt Cabelas will stop selling 1858s any time soon. A vacation to Hawaii can't be put off as easily.

 

[Weird Guy]

I would want my Ruger Old Army.

......But I would want three of them. Two on my hips, and a short barreled one hidden from view.

 

[dwave]

I would have to go with my 51 navy. I shoot it more than any other gun I own, and would be the most confident hitting my target with it.

 

[bakert]

Colt 1851 Navy, 1860 or Remington 1858 would all be pretty good choices. In his book Sixguns, Elmer Keith states; "Great Grand Dad was far from being disarmed or helpless with a cap and ball pistol, fully loaded and capped, swinging from his hip".

 

[ArmedBear]

Cabela's $20 coupon is good 'til 3/31/06.

I would want my Ruger Old Army.

......But I would want three of them. Two on my hips, and a short barreled one hidden from view.

You'd also need some chewing tobacco so you could spit before you used 'em.

 

[Manyirons]

Got FOUR Old Armies, and ya didn't see me spit? Pity ya missed it cause....

 

[saboteur]

But do you have a .45 ACP Cylinder for that Old Armyhttp://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=186248?

 

[Bart Noir]

I'd have the Remington Army on my strong side hip, and for that "New Mexico reload", the Remington .36 carried crossdraw on the other side. I think the second one may have been called a "Navy" to imitate Colts, but I'm not sure.

The idea of carrying extra, loaded cylinders bothers me a bunch, if you mean ones that are already capped. I think you can figure out why.

Bart Noir

 

[Manyirons]

No need for an ACP cylinder, beyond that with the local smiths 'Power-Pills' aint an acp load in tha book can touch the ballistics and thats if i don't use one of my .50 caliber conversions!

I carry routinely four extra loaded&capped cylinders, (For Remington) velocity from cylinder only is under 200fps (Tested!) and i read today in 'SHOOT' magazine and previous sources, Quantrills raiders carried CAPPED cylinders they wer'nt ABOUT to try capping one while riding hell for leather!

Course iffin yer a clumsy type or twit as friend Duncan in France would say.....yer probably already called 'Three toes' by yer buddies.....

 

[Steve499]

Well, Bart, I'd take a chance on carrying a few capped, loaded Remington cylinders if the alternative was the certainty of becoming a pincushion full of arrows if I had to try to load without'em.

Steve

 

[oneshooter]

Hey guys! Remember that the RUGER Old Army was NOT available in 1860!!!

Oneshooter
Livin in Texas

PS: A matched pair of Fluted cylinder 44cal 1860's, strong side carry and crossdraw.

 

[Old Dragoon]

Crap! I just counted and I have 4 '58 Remmys and a '58 Remmy Carbine. Bring them on!

 

[sundance44s]

sundance44s

good greif Charlie .. i just took a head count 5 remmies ...lol oh lord someone stop me !

 

[Manyirons]

Ruger Old Armies not around but Gatlings were! Now just what was that scene from Terminator with tha mini-gun?