Why the prejudice?

[glen walker]

Speed with BP

I only use my '58's and Colt 1849 pocket for hunting and self defense if ever needed. Now, I have no idea if what I'm going to type here is true or not, BUT I can see where it MIGHT be true for some folks. I read somewhere that with lot's of practice a man can change cylinders in a '58 as quick as the 'better than average' person can get fresh biscuits in the oven with a speedloader. I never have really thought about it much. My mind dosen't dwell on such things. I know that over time I have learned to roll a cylinder out and in with hardly any effort at all compared to the trouble I had as a young man.... Well, I'm prejudiced anyway I guess. I just love building my own shell, the sense of knowing that I'm doing it like the old folks did it years ago, hunting some of my food, squeezing off the shot, the buck and the jump in my hand, the cloud of smoke, seeing the fresh meat laying there and knowing that I done it YES, BY GOD! I, me, myself! I hunted it, and I shot it, and by God I'm going to dress it out and eat it!...I don't know, but for some reason it just taste's better to me, plus it's a lot cheaper than buying it out of some grocery store...

 

[glen walker]

me again

I just had to get back in here one more time. Now, please understand one thing. I don't give a rat's rectum what any of you carry, but don't some of ya'll think you might be over doing it just a wee bit? How much do you think it takes to stop a man? Like that other gentleman said; ya'll go out here and hunt a little white tail deer from just a few yards away and you carry a big ass 30-06 or Rem. 7 millimeter mag? Hell, either one of them will knock a full grown charging grizzly bear completely down. Granted, if you don't hit him or her just right, they will get back up, but I promise you faithfully that every time you hit them you will knock them down. (If you have the right load in there. For a 30-06 you can buy a load for everything from a grasshopper to a Cape Buffalo)....I can tell ya'll right now that a Colt 1849 Pocket .31 with a four inch barrel will knock your ass a flopping in the corner, and you'll need a whole lot of help to get back up....That other gentleman was right to. If you clean your gun, load it properly, (and like he said: seat the caps properly) there is absolutely nothing wrong with carrying a BP handgun. I mean, hey, come on man! You're not in combat with the Marines. All you're looking at here is a couple of pieces of trash trying to break into your house or threatening you or your family out on the street. What do you care what kind of gun they're carrying? You worry about YOU and YOUR gun. Put the damn bullet where it goes and you won't have to concern yourself with what he's got. I can guarantee you that if you have done your part, you don't have to worry about that bp handgun. It will fire, first time, every time, and that soft round lead ball will smash the hell out of whoever it hits, no question....

 

[logical]

They do now make modern weapons over .380 so the choice isn't between a big ol' cap and ball or a small modern weapon.

 

[Smokin Gator]

I'm a cowboy action black powder cartridge shooter myself. I wouldn't feel underpowered with my 45 Colt and my blackpowder loads. But I use a 44 special snubbie and a full size 1911 for carry or defense. The power of a particular load when using black powder can vary a lot depending on what brand and granulation of powder is used. The 250 gr 45 Colt load can vary from approx. 700fps when using some cheap lowgrade 2f powder to well over 900 fps when using high quality Swiss 3f black powder. These would both be full case loads.

 

[Davo]

Its not that BP cant do the job, its that there is now better stuff out there. Im sure I could get around in a Model A, but I like AC, radio, and being able to go the speed limit.

 

[glen walker]

to davo

I understand your point, and it is well taken. I guess I just love BP and like doing most of my own work. I know I used a Marlin lever action .45-70 for a few years, and the ammunition you buy off of the shelf (ie Remington and Peters) states on the box '.45-70 US govt. For all rifles'. Well, I found out that they were only loaded to around 36,000 psi. The modern Marlin lever is built to withstand many times that amount of pressure. The end result was that if I didn't want a rainbow round, I had to load my own. (which I did) So I can readily understand what you're saying. But there's just something about building your own shell and keeping it dry, and feeding yourself and having the security of it,...I don't know; it just make's me feel like I'm accomplishing something. Sort of like gathering up tinder and using the char on a wet miserable day and getting a good hot fire going, as opposed to dumping a quart of diesel fuel on a pile of wood and striking a match to it, I guess...Respectfully, Glen..

 

[Husker1911]

Do you use a kerosene lantern instead of a Surefire?

 

[Correia]

Yeah, we had this discussion, oh, a hundred and twenty years ago.

My side won. Deal with it.

Metallic cartridge vs. blackpowder for serious self defense.

Why the cartridge wins?

1. Reliability
2. Reliability
3. Reliability
4. Size
5. Maintenance
6. Capacity
7. Reload speed
8. Convenience
9. Reliability
10. Reliability

 

[Sean85746]

I LOVE old percussion revolvers. You'd be in a losing battle to tell me there is a more elegant, or well balanced single-action revolver than the classic-lined 1851 Navy Colt, other than POSSIBLY the 1860 Army.

I have a BALL shooting them. I love the fact that I can make a billowing cloud of gun smoke if I use traditional black powder, or use pyrodex if I don't want to smoke guys out of the lanes next to me.

They are pure FUN FUN FUN.

But let us also not forget for a long stretch of time, the percussion revolver was THE ne plus ultra of defensive sidearm, even into the cartridge era.

Sure, I carry a modern automatic every day, my charcoal burners are "fun guns"....so ease off Tactical Teddy....don't get your 5.11 "shoot me first" vest in a ruffle.

But let's take a LONG stretch of imagination here...almost to the point of ridiculousness.

Suppose the ****e HAS hit the proverbial fan. You have survived a while. Your new fangled cat'ridge guns are without ammo, your primers are gone, you have no more IMR or Blue Dot.


But wait! You have the Navy Six, or the Dragoon, or the Insert-Name-Here percussion wheelgun, a few hundred caps, and some lead, and a bullet mold, and a pound or two of powder.

Are you going to eschew it in favor of a club? Will you lament the fact that you have no Galco IWB holster? Will you piss and moan because it lacks a rail and your tactical light just doesn't fit?

~Or~

Are you gong to load it up and thank the lord you have it?