Alpo Posted July 5, 2021 Share Posted July 5, 2021 Let's ignore for the moment whether carrying a single action for self defense is a good or bad idea. Let's also ignore for the moment whether carrying a cap and ball single action for self-defense is a good or bad idea. What do you think about carrying an 1849 Colt (reproduction)? A .31 cap and ball pocket pistol. Seems to me to be an extremely stupid plan. But I decided I would see if others also thought it was a stupid plan. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michigan Slim Posted July 5, 2021 Share Posted July 5, 2021 If it's all ya got, carry what ya got. But no. Not good Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DeaconKC Posted July 5, 2021 Share Posted July 5, 2021 Before self contained cartridges, great idea and gun. In the 21st Century, you could be better served by a Ruger SR22, empty the mag into the goblin's belly button if all else fails. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cypress Sun Posted July 5, 2021 Share Posted July 5, 2021 There are many things that I did during my life that seemed like a good idea at the time. Turns out that some of them weren't. At least, for this question, I can say..."This wasn't my dumb idea". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ORNERY OAF Posted July 5, 2021 Share Posted July 5, 2021 You are correct , stupid plan. Waaayyyyy to many things to go wrong and no where near enough good things to make it worth it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Red Gauntlet , SASS 60619 Posted July 5, 2021 Share Posted July 5, 2021 I concur. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pat Riot Posted July 5, 2021 Share Posted July 5, 2021 I would carry a decent knife before relying on a cap and ball pocket gun. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sawhorse Kid Posted July 5, 2021 Share Posted July 5, 2021 Generally speaking.....Yes, it would be stupid. Still, it is better than nothing....improved version, cylinder conversion. Is there a Poker table involved? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joke 'um Posted July 5, 2021 Share Posted July 5, 2021 When technologies get old, they don't necessarily become "bad". Newer technologies come along that present us with better choices. A cap ane ball revolver is as effective (or deadly) today as it was when it was the newest/latest thing. That being said, I suppose I could build an outhouse in the back yard. They still work. But, I think I'll stick with good ol' indoor plumbing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rye Miles #13621 Posted July 5, 2021 Share Posted July 5, 2021 There's no reason in this day and age to carry a cap and ball pistol when you can get a 9mm or .380 or even a .38 revolver for the same price as a C&B. Yes, put me in the "Stupid Idea" group! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chili Ron Posted July 5, 2021 Share Posted July 5, 2021 Howdy, Consider if you will the offering of Ruger 9mm revolver. Five shots with no brass being thrown around. Pop out the empty set and drop in five more with a moon clip. Reloads can be fit into a spare pill bottle. I was told about this setup by a very experienced fella who was once a Chicago cop. ymmv Best CR Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ozark Huckleberry Posted July 5, 2021 Share Posted July 5, 2021 11 hours ago, Alpo said: Let's ignore for the moment whether carrying a single action for self defense is a good or bad idea. Let's also ignore for the moment whether carrying a cap and ball single action for self-defense is a good or bad idea. What do you think about carrying an 1849 Colt (reproduction)? A .31 cap and ball pocket pistol. Seems to me to be an extremely stupid plan. But I decided I would see if others also thought it was a stupid plan. Back to the original question — if you ignore the points about carrying a single action, and about carrying a cap-and-ball revolver, it seems all you’re asking anyone to comment on is if carrying a gun is a good idea. To that, I’d answer, ‘Yes.’ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smuteye John SASS#24774 Posted July 5, 2021 Share Posted July 5, 2021 That's what they were built for- over 150 years ago- and they seemed to have done the job fair to middlin' well. To do so today, when there's so many more reliable options available? Not me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DocWard Posted July 5, 2021 Share Posted July 5, 2021 1 hour ago, Ozark Huckleberry said: Back to the original question — if you ignore the points about carrying a single action, and about carrying a cap-and-ball revolver, it seems all you’re asking anyone to comment on is if carrying a gun is a good idea. To that, I’d answer, ‘Yes.’ My thought exactly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pat Riot Posted July 5, 2021 Share Posted July 5, 2021 Any time someone says “How would this work for concealed carry?” I allow my mind to wander into Murphy’s Law territory, or what I like to call “What would go wrong if I were to do this?” Allow me to count the ways… 1. Hammer catches on clothing even though my thumb is on hammer to keep that from happening on the draw. 2. Front sight catches clothing because thumb is not long enough to guard hammer and front sight at same time. 3. The cap on chamber #1 is missing. Probably dislodged due to fumbling to get gun free of pocket. 4. The cap on cylinder #2 fires but the load is anemic. Probably due to moisture migration into the chamber as you have been carrying the gun in your pocket on hot days and sweating. Bad guy, not amused… 5. Upon attempting to recover to fire chamber #3 the gun jams because the loose cap on chamber #2, the loose cap that allowed moisture into chamber #2 thus causing a lead ball to bounce off your assailants rib and angering him, has split and fallen into the works halting the frantic progression of the cylinder’s rotation. 6. The revolver is now useless as a revolver. Let’s see how it works as an improvised set of brass knuckles… 2.5 seconds have passed since you first stuffed your hand into your pocket to retrieve that really cool nostalgic little revolver to thwart being pummeled and robbed and murdered. Luckily the police forensics lab will be able to match your attacker’s DNA to the crime because anemic shot #2 did break the skin and a little bit of blood did transfer onto the lead ball as it bounced off. Luckily it stopped rolling just two inches before entering a large water puddle and washing away that little bit of DNA evidence. The short video clip of your death will become an internet sensation due to the one man Three Stooges act you perform in that 2.5 seconds that culminated in your demise. The officer that posted it on YouTube will be disappointed by the letter of reprimand placed in his file, but will eventually go on to become Chief of Police. Your attacker will serve a hefty 3 year sentence before being released by the new “progressive” governor elected into office on the slogan “Compassion for All!”. He will be paroled on a beautiful sunny day. His neighbors will throw him a “Welcome Home” party and one of his compatriots will give him a gift of a new “9”. Girls from the strip club down the street will be there to entertain him and all his friends. A good time will be had by all. Around this same time one of your children will be crying in the phone calling a friend in the hopes of being consoled and trying to make sense of why you are dead and your killer has been freed… None of this would have happened if you would have bought a “9” just like the one your killer received as a gift for doing a long three year stint for killing you to steal your credit cards… There! This is how I think when someone asks… 14 hours ago, Alpo said: What do you think about carrying an 1849 Colt (reproduction)? A .31 cap and ball pocket pistol. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wallaby Jack, SASS #44062 Posted July 5, 2021 Share Posted July 5, 2021 Pat, if you keep holding back you're gonna blow a gasket ...... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
July Smith Posted July 5, 2021 Share Posted July 5, 2021 A lot of people carry those NAA mini revolvers in 22lr and 22mag. The ballistics those little guns offer is far from impressive, but still a lot of people think that is a good idea or good enough. A 31cal pocket gun loaded with conical bullets and properly tuned by a competent gunsmith is a reliable gun. Far from the best choice, but if for some reason you could not legally carry a cartridge gun a cap and ball is not the worse thing out there. Personally I am not into letting nostalgia handicap me when it comes to my choice of CC pistols. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sedalia Dave Posted July 5, 2021 Share Posted July 5, 2021 Remember that when these were teh go to carry pistol they had 2 vary important things going for them. 1. They were small, light weight, and easy to carry. 2. People seldom had to actually shoot someone with them. While they didn't have mush in the way of stopping power. They were responsible for many a slow agonizing deaths due to the easily infected wound they created. The slow painful death from gangrene or sepsis was a big deterrent. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hashknife Cowboy Posted July 5, 2021 Share Posted July 5, 2021 A conceal carry handgun is a life insurance policy, buy and carry the best you can afford. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Forty Rod SASS 3935 Posted July 6, 2021 Share Posted July 6, 2021 I carried a Colt .45 SAA with a 5 1/2" inch barrel in my waistband under my right kidney beneath a pulled out shirt for almost 20 years. A lot of practice kept it in the game and I never felt under not out gunned. I only quit carrying that way when I got so fat I couldn't carry a toothpick without it being obvious. Cap and ball? No, not carried, though I kept a cut down 1860 clone loaded (six chambers loaded, five capped and a capper next to the gun) as my bedside gun for a lot of years, too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
evil dogooder Posted July 6, 2021 Share Posted July 6, 2021 By your specifics. No not a bad idea It was designed for that very purpose. I can do nothing but shake my heads at the people who think cap and ball pistols are a joke. Try taking to all the people who were killed by them. Or the people who still chose to use them after cartridges were around. In some instances in this day they still have thier advantage. They are way better than any knife or club. They are deadly. You can have them mailed to your house. They are inexpensive. Would it be my first choice? No... but if I was facing somebody who had one I wouldn't do anything stupid. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buckshot Bob Posted July 6, 2021 Share Posted July 6, 2021 4 hours ago, Sedalia Dave said: Remember that when these were teh go to carry pistol they had 2 vary important things going for them. 1. They were small, light weight, and easy to carry. 2. People seldom had to actually shoot someone with them. While they didn't have mush in the way of stopping power. They were responsible for many a slow agonizing deaths due to the easily infected wound they created. The slow painful death from gangrene or sepsis was a big deterrent. The psychological stop , not something I’d want to have to count on but a great outcome Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sedalia Dave Posted July 6, 2021 Share Posted July 6, 2021 7 hours ago, Buckshot Bob said: The psychological stop , not something I’d want to have to count on but a great outcome With modern medicine that has all but been eliminated but in the 1800 s and early 1900s there was little a doctor could do and those were few and far between. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ozark Huckleberry Posted July 6, 2021 Share Posted July 6, 2021 As long as you’re going with black powder, I’ve heard a .44 deringer up close is pretty effective. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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