Single shot pistols and horses

[kBob]

A recent Gary James article in a Guns & Ammo and the recentrelated revolver question got me wondering. WHen a Dragoon had an M1842 or other big single shot horse pistol in its pomel holster what kept the ball seated on the powder. Appearently the issue cartridges were paper and I have difficulty believing even a top wad made from the entire cartridge paper would hold one of those big lead balls in place for long.

Anyone have any ideas?

-kBob

 

[Jaymo]

If the paper of the cartridge surrounded the ball when loaded, the friction of the paper could have held the ball in place.

 

[junkman_01]

Didn't they just rap the grip on the horse's head several times to re-seat the ball before firing?

 

[YumaKid]

junkman; I've only shot black for a couple of years; but have spent a lot of the last 30 years on the back of a horse. Only had ONE really well-trained horse out of all of them, and based on my experiences, your suggestion would probably have introduced the concept of Airborne Cavalry about 200 years before it actually came about!

Just sayin'

 

[Snowdog]

I'm not exactly new to black powder, but I'm far from an expert.

My 1805 Harper's Ferry (Pedersoli) does have a rifled .58 barrel, unlike the smoothbore original, but it grips .570 roundball like a vise when using .010 patch. I don't know if the original loads involved patch, but when my Harper's Ferry is loaded, it will need a bullet worm or a primed pan to get a patched ball out.

I just fired a few shots out of mine this morning... what fun!

My next pistol will likely be a .58 Dragoon.

 

[4v50 Gary]

Didn't they just rap the grip on the horse's head several times to re-seat the ball before firing?

Bwahahahahahahahaha.

 

[arcticap]

The pistol has a hinged ramrod and no one ever claimed that these pistols didn't have hangfires.
If they couldn't insure that the ball stayed down then at least they had an attached ramrod to use that wouldn't be dropped and lost while riding.

There's some photos here:

http://www.collectorsfirearms.com/admin/show_inventory.php?catID=3&subcatID=22

 

[45-70 Ranger]

junkman 01,

You can start your new training with my wife's horse. I hate that paint and would be glad if you could smack that mare on the head!

I've carried a loaded T/C Hawken in a scabbard for many a mile and never had the ball unseat. Same with C&B revolvers. However, I cannot say if the ball would unseat with the big horse pistol. Restored an original years ago for a local state college's museum. It was an interesting weapon and quite a project, but that's another story.

Wade