And what country can preserve its liberties if their rulers are not warned from time to time that their people preserve the spirit of resistance? Let them take arms. The remedy is to set them right as to facts, pardon and pacify them. What signify a few lives lost in a century or two? The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants.
I have a repro 1851 Colt Navy cap and ball revolver given to me that was really worn and didn't want to hold at half-cock. That's bad when you get to capping loaded chambers. I replaced several parts and had to file, fit, and retemper some of them. I thought it was a surprisingly good little revolver. No wonder Wild Bill Hickock and others were still using them well after the SAA came out.
Speak of the Devil. Mine is sitting right next to me, ready for things that go bump in the night. With a 4'5/8" barrel, if the zinging lead doesn't scare them the muzzle flash will.
Elmo, Some of the old Colt single action army revolvers would break off the bit of metal that comprised the half-cock notch on the hammer. Then a pull on the trigger would allow the hammer to fall. Then it would depend on a number of things what might happen. If the revolver had only been cocked to half cock, the firing pin would fall on either the base of one of the cases or between them, not on a primer. If it had been fully cocked and the hammer lowered to half cock, then it may or may not have had enough energy to set off the now aligned primer. Basically going off half cocked means not being full prepared for what may happen.
I couldn't afford Colts, but I have a brace of US Arms Abilene's that have served me quite well. I keep hoping ammo prices will come down and I can get in a little range time.
Best way to put an old cap and ball revolver on safe is to rotate the cylinder so you can rest the hammer between the chambers. When you cock the hammer the cylinder will realign.
I inherited a J. P. Sauer & Sohn Chief Marshal 44 mag from my grandfather. It is getting to where it hurts to shoot six shots with full 44 mag load. Anything I load up for it will be 44 Special from now on.
I'm with you, Tsquared. The .44 mags that I loaded over the weekend are way down on the velocity scale. Closer to top end .44 Special. It really does suck getting old.....
I had one of those J.P. Suer & Sohn's in .44 magnum when I was 20 and that thing felt like it was breaking my wrist every time I fired it. Nowadays,37 years later, my three screw Ruger Super Blackhawk in .44 magnum is a completely different story. It shoots with low recoil, is accurate, and totally reliable.
Reminds Alec Baldwin of Bad old times.
ReplyDeleteThat just won’t ever get old… 👍🏻
Deletelet's go Brandon! :)
DeleteAlec Baldwin, cheating at Russian roulette ....
DeleteI've often wondered if the old Colt SAAs were the origin of the expression "Don't go off half cocked".
ReplyDeleteI have a repro 1851 Colt Navy cap and ball revolver given to me that was really worn and didn't want to hold at half-cock. That's bad when you get to capping loaded chambers. I replaced several parts and had to file, fit, and retemper some of them. I thought it was a surprisingly good little revolver. No wonder Wild Bill Hickock and others were still using them well after the SAA came out.
DeleteAs much as I love my semis I always end up gravitating back to my SA wheel guns. I just loaded up about 250 rounds this past weekend for the .44......
ReplyDeleteMy friend needed a good gun, sold him my Ruger Blackhawk .357, man do I miss that gun!
ReplyDeleteSpeak of the Devil. Mine is sitting right next to me, ready for things that go bump in the night. With a 4'5/8" barrel, if the zinging lead doesn't scare them the muzzle flash will.
DeleteMuzzle flash simply puts a little light on the subject. For me, four-inch barrel is an all around good choice.
ReplyDeleteElmo,
ReplyDeleteSome of the old Colt single action army revolvers would break off the bit of metal that comprised the half-cock notch on the hammer.
Then a pull on the trigger would allow the hammer to fall.
Then it would depend on a number of things what might happen.
If the revolver had only been cocked to half cock, the firing pin would fall on either the base of one of the cases or between them, not on a primer.
If it had been fully cocked and the hammer lowered to half cock, then it may or may not have had enough energy to set off the now aligned primer. Basically going off half cocked means not being full prepared for what may happen.
HTH
Thanks!
DeleteI couldn't afford Colts, but I have a brace of US Arms Abilene's that have served me quite well. I keep hoping ammo prices will come down and I can get in a little range time.
ReplyDeleteDon't hold your breath. I get sales notices everyday off the internet and seems like once a week the ammo prices jump up a few cents per cart!
DeleteBest way to put an old cap and ball revolver on safe is to rotate the cylinder so you can rest the hammer between the chambers. When you cock the hammer the cylinder will realign.
ReplyDeleteI inherited a J. P. Sauer & Sohn Chief Marshal 44 mag from my grandfather. It is getting to where it hurts to shoot six shots with full 44 mag load. Anything I load up for it will be 44 Special from now on.
ReplyDeleteIt sucks getting old.
I'm with you, Tsquared. The .44 mags that I loaded over the weekend are way down on the velocity scale. Closer to top end .44 Special. It really does suck getting old.....
DeleteRemind yourself, getting old still beats the alternative of not getting old...
DeleteI had one of those J.P. Suer & Sohn's in .44 magnum when I was 20 and that thing felt like it was breaking my wrist every time I fired it. Nowadays,37 years later, my three screw Ruger Super Blackhawk in .44 magnum is a completely different story. It shoots with low recoil, is accurate, and totally reliable.
ReplyDeleteSauer. I missed the "a".
ReplyDelete