Novel Research Questions re Colt C&B

[Awful GoodShot, SASS #32736]

My historical novel is set in 1848 and along the way the protagonist procures a pistol, a .36 caliber, 5 shot Colt percussion revolver. According to my research that would be historically correct, but I have further questions/concerns that I have been unable to resolve through google-fu.

 

> For the time period, does anyone know whether most folks would typically have carried such a piece with four chambers loaded and the 5th empty in the way that SAA's were carried (30 years later) with an empty chamber for the hammer to rest on?

 

> If all five chambers were loaded, would a .36 Colt of the era have had resting places for the hammer between the nipples to allow safe carry with all 5 cylinders loaded?

 

> If such a revolver, with caps for the period, were dunked in water, would it be likely, unlikely, or certain to render the caps useless and the revolver un-fireable?

 

Thanks in advance.

[Larsen E. Pettifogger, SASS #32933]

You are right at a transition period in Colt history. Not much chance of a .36. Patersons were mostly in .28, .31 and .34 with very few holster models in .36. In 1848 the only other Colts around were the Walkers and Dragoons. Both were very large heavy guns. The most likely gun in 1848 for a civilian to be carrying would have been a baby dragoon in .32. Most people would have carried it with five shots loaded and the hammer resting on one of the safety pins that were found between the chambers. Caps were much more water resistant than flintlocks and after a brief dunking might still fire. The most popular .36, the 51 Navy, came out in 1851 and it was a full size six shot revolver. The only five shot .36s found in any numbers were the Pocket Navy and Pocket Police. They didn't come out until 1862,

[Brasspounder]

If the percussion revolver is loaded properly with balls that fit and seal the chambers at the front, and if it

is capped with caps that fit the nipple cones correctly so they seat and grip the cones tightly, it can be expected to take a pretty good dunking and still fire reliably.

 

I once had some loaded and capped percussion revolvers in a canoe and we turned it over under a RR bridge. Hours later after we fished everything we could find out of the river downstream, both revolvers fired all six just fine.

 

It was customary to carry a percussion revolver with all chambers loaded and capped and the hammer down on

the safety pin beteen two of the chambers.