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RE: [DL] Question on Black Powder, Cap and Ball Revolvers
As to the question "What is a loading lever?".
Lets cover a few other items at the same time.
Open these webpages in new windows for further reference:
Colt
http://www.midcoast.com/~mystical/Army.htm
Remington
http://www.cs.uit.no/~ken/images/big/remington.jpg
In one picture you see two of the model 1860 army revolvers by Colt.
First, you will note that the cylinder is exposed at the top. That is there is no frame holding it in. This is what makes the colt and its copies of the "open frame" style as opposed to the "solid frame" type.
On the open frame revolvers the barrel is not attached to the rest of the revolver and is held in place by a wedge of metal which goes through the barrel assembly and the cylinder pin, upon which the cylinder rotates.
If you look under the barrel in this picture, you will see two cylinders of metal. One is nearly as long as the barrel. The other is very short. You will notice that these two cylinders appear to be connected by a flat piece of metal. They are. The longer of the two cylinders is the loading lever. The shorter of the two is the plunger. If you look at the front of the loading lever you will see a clip which holds the loading lever against the barrel when not in use. The loading lever is uncliped from the barrel and folds down to force the plunder back into the cylinder. That is what compresses the powder charge and projectile.
The other picture is of the Remintion model 1858.
Note how the frame of the pistol goes all the way around the cylinder and that the barrel is part of the pistol as a whole. This makes it a "solid frame" revolver. Also you can see there is no wedge holding the pistol together. The loading lever and plunger are much as on the colt.
Its a little hard to see in this picture, but at the back of the loading lever you see something sticking out. This is actually a handle for the cylinder pin, upon which the cylinder rotates. When the loading lever is swung down partially, the cylinder pin may be removed. and the cylinder removed. This was how the percussion cylinder could so easily be replaced with a cartridge cylinder after the war.
As a personal note from using replicas.
The Colts fire the most naturally and are the most accurate for that reason.
The Remingtons are strongest and easiest to maintain.
The LeMat is the most fun and has the largest capacity. It is however the most delicate and finicky to maintain.
G'day
Kevin Jameson
Marshal Mike <deadlander624@yahoo.com> wrote:
>Wow... that's some great info. This will come in very
>handy. I'm sorry... but as I'm getting more and more
>into this game, I've been curious and interested in
>learning as much as I can of the fire arms of the era.
> The percussion ammo weapons particularly peak my
>interest.
>
>Now, another question... as mentioned in your reply
>and as I've read in other places, you mention a
>"loading lever." I think this is one of the things
>that I was interested in seeing illustrated or a
>picture of... in order to get a better idea of how
>that worked and was done.
>
>THANK YOU SO MUCH for the info. Believe me, ANY info
>of this nature that anyone can give is VERY much
>appreciated. ^_^
>
>Marshal Mike
>
>
>--- Frempath2@netscape.net wrote:
>> Actually, the only major manufacturer percussion
>> revolving pistol that you had to disassemble to load
>> was the Colt Patterson. From the Colt Walker on the
>> loading lever was integrated into the pistol.
>> Loading from loose powder you:
>> 1) Hold the pistol upright.
>> 2) Set the pistol at "half cock" so that the
>> cylinder rotates freely.
>> 3) Pour the measured amount of powder into
>> chambers.
>> 4) Using the loading lever, compress the powder in
>> all chambers.
>> 5) Place a slightly oversized ball onto a chamber.
>> 6) Rotate the cyclinder so that the ball is under
>> the loading lever.
>> 7) Depress the loading lever so that ball is
>> depressed until it is against the powder charge. You
>> should get a small ring of lead.
>> 8) Repeat steps 5-7 unil all chambers are filled.
>> 9) Rotate the cylinder and place a percussion cap
>> on nipple at the rear of the cylinder.
>> 10) Repeat step 9 until all cyclinders are capped.
>> 11) Pull the hammer to "full cock".
>> The weapon is ready to fire.
>>
>> Linen or animal skin cartridges were developed
>> shortened the loading to :
>> 1) Hold the pistol upright.
>> 2) Set the pistol at "half cock" so that the
>> cylinder rotates freely.
>> 3) Rotate the cylinder and insert a cartridge as an
>> empty chamber comes around.
>> 4) Using the loading lever compress the cartridge
>> into the chamber.
>> 5) Repeat steps 3 and 4 until all chambers are
>> loaded.
>> 6) Rotate the cylinder and place a percussion cap
>> on nipple at the rear of the cylinder.
>> 7) Repeat step 6 until all cyclinders are capped.
>> 8) Pull the hammer to "full cock".
>> The weapon is ready to fire.
>>
>> The open frame pistols, like the Colts, had to be
>> dissasembled to remove the cylinder for say,
>> cleaning. Solid frame pistols like the Remington
>> are easier to remove the cylinder as the center pin
>> can be extracted and the cylinder just pops out.
>> Remington sold a 2 piece cylinder after the civil
>> war which allowed it to use Smith and Wesson
>> cartridges without infringing upon the bored through
>> cylinder pattent. This cylider could could be
>> popped into the same space as the percussion
>> cylinder with no further conversion.
>>
>> http://pscnet.net/poulsbosportsman/Exploded.htm
>>
>> Has a number of exploded drawings from percussion to
>> modern.
>>
>> Kevin Jameson
>>
>>
>> Marshal Mike <deadlander624@yahoo.com> wrote:
>>
>> >I'm looking for a good place that may have pics and
>> >detailed descriptions on the loading of Cap and
>> Ball
>> >guns.
>> >
>> >Actually, I've found a good place online with some
>> >detailed intructions for loading at
>> >http://www.blackpowderonline.com/Capball0901.htm
>> >
>> >I'm having trouble finding pics of what it looks
>> like
>> >when you remove the cylinder for the revolver. I
>> just
>> >want to get visuals in order to better understand
>> the
>> >process.
>> >
>> >Hope someone can help me out here.
>> >Thanks,
>> >
>> >Marshal Mike
>> >
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>> >
>>
>>
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