Loading Gates on the Right... Why?

[ljnowell]

The concept loading was that you eject one and load one. The ejection should happen as soon as you index the cylinder. Skeeter also later on in that text said this was true more with heavy loads, as extraction of semi-stuck cases was a lot easier with the single action, as you are only ejecting one at a time.

Skeeter was truly the last of the real single action guys. He was carrying a colt SA long after they were out of style, all the way into the 1960s. He was also one of the most knowledgeable men when it came to one. I recommend reading his works to anyone.

Some nice reading material:
http://www.darkcanyon.net/skeeter_skelton.htm

 

[Lastmohecken]

The concept loading was that you eject one and load one. The ejection should happen as soon as you index the cylinder. Skeeter also later on in that text said this was true more with heavy loads, as extraction of semi-stuck cases was a lot easier with the single action, as you are only ejecting one at a time.

Skeeter was truly the last of the real single action guys. He was carrying a colt SA long after they were out of style, all the way into the 1960s. He was also one of the most knowledgeable men when it came to one. I recommend reading his works to anyone.

Some nice reading material:
http://www.darkcanyon.net/skeeter_skelton.htm

You have a point there, when considering unloading and loading one at a time. And it is definately eaiser to punch out one fired case then 6 at once, when shooting heavy loads. I have practically brought blood, many times, when kicking out a cylinder full of brass, from a hot loaded 357 or 44 mag doubleaction Smith.

 

[Stophel]

I load a S&W with the gun in my left hand, loading with my right too. It's natural.

And you sure ain't gonna swap cylinders in a percussion Colt in the heat of battle!!!!

 

[oldfool]

I don't care why...
it's on the WRONG side !

 

[funkychinaman]

I think the key here is the fact that you have to eject the spent shells first.

I think they were describing how cavalry men were supposed to do it on Tales of the Gun or something, and you were supposed to hold the reins and the gun in your left hand as your ejected and loaded cartridges with your right. Now, did that procedure come about because that's the way the Army always did it, or as a result of the loading gate being on the right?

The loading gate on the Nagant was on the right as well, and I doubt we can blame Sam Colt for that.

 

[TheRodDoc]

I do know that the loading gate or opening on early ball and cap style guns had to be on the side that the fired shot in the cylinder rotated towards. To put it on the other side would mean redesigning the whole action to make the cylinder turn the other way.

This is so a spent cap that has opened up and might jamb the gun can fall out rather then have to go all the way around and maybe wedge at the bottom of the frame.