Taylor's .31 Remington Pocket Revolver

[Pulp]

"I was sad not to see the chrono shots and milk jugs of water though."

Trust me, you didn't miss much! Mine would penetrate two 20 oz soda bottles, and the bullet is caught in the third. No explosions of water by any means.

IMHO, they should be pretty high on the list of "Most Useless Guns Ever Invented". But they are fun to shoot, and fun is as good a reason to have one as any reason, and better than most.

 

[45 Dragoon]

Nice vid.! ( enjoy all your vids. and the pub. you write for !)

My sons first revolver was a .31 Remy (17 yrs ago !!!!) It was his 10th birthday and we were at a friends place in the N. GA mtns. We loaded it up and I told him to go down to the dock and shoot a fish !!! Danged if he didn't !!!!! First shot !!!!!

 

[SleazyRider]

... they should be pretty high on the list of "Most Useless Guns Ever Invented". But they are fun to shoot, and fun is as good a reason to have one as any reason, and better than most.

Is anybody aware of an instance or event, historically speaking, where this pistol (Colt or Remmy) was used successfully against an adversary?

 

[Pulp]

No, but as many as were made you'd have to assume it happened a time or two. I'd be more inclined to say that the chances are higher that the presence of one stopped a fight, rather than the use of one stopped a fight.

That little .31 caliber ball doesn't have a lot of energy, but on the other hand, if someone is pointing one at me, I'm gonna take evasive action. I would expect most other folks feel the same way.

Getting shot back in the day was way more serious than it is now. I'm not saying it isn't serious now, but we do have better medical equipment and procedures than in the 1800's.

 

[45 Dragoon]

I know a fish you could ask that to !!!

 

[72coupe]

Back in the 60s I used a Colt's 1849 Pocket pistol to kill jackrabbits, skunks, rats & mice so I know 31 cal balls are lethal on some things.

 

[faustopph]

Just got off the phone with Taylors and the price they quoted is $210.00 for the Conversion cylinder.

Pulp ,what did you load in yours. I always use 4F like was recommended back in the day.

Rodwha, I stuff 12.5grs with a lubed wad . I would bet I can get 15grs if I tried.

I have shot mine through a 1 gallon milk jug full to the cap of water at ten paces. I know I wouldn't be to comfortable standing in front of one pointed at my body.

 

[JRH6856]

Back in the 60s I used a Colt's 1849 Pocket pistol to kill jackrabbits, skunks, rats & mice so I know 31 cal balls are lethal on some things.

I don't think they would have sold many "back in the day" if they hadn't been somewhat lethal for man-sized varmints as well.

 

[rodwha]

faustopph: The ball went completely through the gallon jug?
The 4F charge you use is of Goex?
I've wondered if these little pistols can handle 4F wouldn't they be able to handle 3F Triple 7?

 

[kituwa]

I dont think the little guns have any sort of weakness as far as bowder charge goes. Its just that with BP a small bore can only do so much. In a small bore even if your cylinder was long so it held a big charge, the powder collum would be long and i imagine would blow a lot of powder out the barrel before it had a chance to ignite.And they have a short barrel on top of that.Its like those .32 cal squirrle riffles,,they just cant use very much powder.

 

[Busyhands94]

I love these little guns. I have always wanted one but I just keep buying pre-99's in .32 S&W though.

I load my .32 rounds with Pyrodex FFFG, a Winchester magnum primer, and a .313 roundball. Out of my breaktop Thayer Robertson and Cary they are a hoot to shoot and have a nice "bang" sound too. Only problem is the gun only fires when it wants to, so I'm hankerin' fer a new .32 once again.

Judging from the penetration on pine these rounds are rather impressive. They'll blow a hole clean through 1/2" of pine and will make the back on another board of the same thickness bulge. The 8 gophers, 2 snakes, and numerous steel plates killed with the gun didn't think it was weak either!

 

[faustopph]

rodwha, I have used T7 also with pretty much the same results. I only had the one jug so I have no idea on any other performance .
Mine is the steel frame model and this little bit of 4F will not produce a grenade out of your Remmie . 4F has been used and was fine in all the revolvers up until lawyers started thinking they new something about BP.
Yes Goex but will do the same when I can get some others soon.

 

[kituwa]

Someone needs to test one with that fine grain swiss null.

 

[45 Dragoon]

By the way, where can i get a trigger for a remy .31 like this? I'm going to go over my sons (that he got in the little story above) and present it to him. He's all grown up now and married (back in Dec.). He will get a kick (little kick) out of it!!
Thanks,
45 Dragoon

 

[Pulp]

Faust, I use a 0.7cc lee dipper of whatever powder I have available, right now it's loaded with FFFg 777.

 

[Dan D]

For a trigger, try here:
http://www.vtigunparts.com/store/shopdisplayproducts.asp?id=72&cat=Pietta+1863+Remington+Pocket
Hope this helps,
Dan

 

[Gordon]

I have an immaculate 1849 Wells Fargo by Uberti with a supply of balls I'll trade for an 1862 Police or Pocket. The little .31s are all well cute and all, but a .36 with a little longer barrel and a rammer seems more usefull to me. PM me if interested, my 1949 is gorgeous and only fired 10 times,I want a smooth and reliable .36 and it can look a little used.

 

[Pancho]

Gordon, I certainly agree with you about the 62's vs. the hide-away guns but I do want a remmie.

 

[Busyhands94]

Come to think of it I really like my full sized Remington .44's and have two. I'd like to get a steel framed Remmy pocket and make a piggyback holster for em' both.

 

[45 Dragoon]

Thanks Dan D

 

[Crawdad1]

Gordon, you'll need the '62 Police made by Uberti because they build the true Colt Police by using the small 'Pocket' sized frame. The Pietta built '62 Police are built on the Navy sized frame.
Rodwha, I just keep the cap off of the nipple and place an oiled piece of cloth between the hammer and uncapped nipple while being carried, but I guess there are safety concerns with that also.

 

[Gordon]

Thanks good to know!

 

[Dan D]

Dragoon, No problem, glad I could help,
Dan

 

[Gaucho Gringo]

The Colt .31 cal pocket pistol which came out in 1848 was the all the sales leader in percussion revolvers. More of them were sold than any other model or brand of percussion revolver. They probably killed or maimed their share of people. You have to remember any kind of cut, stab or gunshot wound of any size was potentially deadly. People tried to avoid getting shot if at all possible, especially gut shot. A long lingering death is not a pretty sight and extremely painful. In 1881 President James A. Garfield was shot with a .44 Webly Bulldog, a very weak round and it took him 80 days to expire. I am sure there lots of similar cases. I have a Uberti 1849 and a Uberti 1862 Pocket Police and I wouldn't want to get shot with either one.

 

[Pulp]

The founder of "The Box of Truth" made, IMHO, an excellent statement regarding handguns; "Will a handgun kill an attacking bear? Yes, but probably not in your lifetime."

That kinda goes along with my thinking about the .31 as a defensive handgun. Causing someone to die 80 days later of peritonitis is not in your best interest.

The following is called The Musings of Pulp. Whether it is fact or not is irrelevant, just my way of seeing the world. 1. Most bad guys will stop and rethink their career choice when they see a handgun pointed at them. 2. A smaller number will not stop until gunshots are fired. 3. An even smaller number will not stop until shot. 4. An even smaller number will not stop until incapacitated by a CNS shot, they are dead, or their victim is dead.

So based on my thinking, a .31 will stop the majority of most attacks, just by the badguy seeing you have it. But #4 is why I carry a 1911 instead of a .31.