REVOLVER CARBINE

Bamavol

I have been shooting a 44 revolver carbine at my local cowboy shoot. I understand that they are not legal by SASS rules, but they are fun and shoot very well. Why not make them legal for BP shooting?

surbat6

This is only a guess, since I'm not (yet) an SASS member, but from what I've read, I believe the rules for competition call for C&B or cartridge type single action revolvers (even though there were double actions during that period), pistol caliber lever action rifles (they did have bolt and pump action guns prior to 1899), and SxS or Winchester M1897 pump or (I believe) Win. M1887 lever action shotguns.
That's for regular competition.
Other types of guns (like derringers and rifle-caliber rifles) can be used in side matches, so it may be possible to set up a match so you can shoot your revolving rifle.
It also may be that SASS rules don't actually prohibit revolving rifles, but your six shot capacity would be a disadvantage in a regular match.

horsevet

Actually pump rifles are allowed as well. Following is from the SASS handbook available online at www.sassnet.com.

Rifles or carbines used in the main and team matches must be
original or replicas of lever or slide action rifles manufactured dur-ing
the period from approximately 1860 until 1899, incorporating a
tubular magazine and exposed hammer. Rifles with box magazines
may not be used. Certain shooting categories require a specific type
of rifle and ammunition to be used.

Doc

It seems to me that there were shoulder stocks made for and maybe sold with Colt revolvers prior to 1899 and I think this would justtify the authenticity of a revolving rilfe. I am not sure if the historical accuracy aspect is the real reason for the ban. Might be some other reason.

Bamavol

My carbine is made on the Remmington revolver pattern. I think that it is a replicia of the actual gun. I have seen other original black powder revolver carbines. I agree with other comments that it is not SASS legal and may not be competive with lever action rifles. My question is why not make it legal?
My carbine shoots as well as any cartrige rifles at our club.
I may join SSAS and ask them.

knightrider

Here are a few reasons why, I can think of, that it is not legal.
1. Most if not all of the rifles have 10 rounds in them and a revolver carbine only has 6 if they will even let you fully load it.
2. Reloading time is longer, peroid.
3. Safety on these are a problem. just think, where is your supporting hand at? Infront of the cyinder and what direction is the bullets facing? Thats right your hand. If gun happned to chain fire your hand would be in the way. Now that is not to say there is not a way to hold the gun with a supporting hand, but it is strange looking and questionable.
Now there could be side matches for theses guns, but not regular matches . Plus everybody would eather have to all use these or just load 6 or 5 rounds in a reguar rifle.

knightrider
SASS MEMBER #67686

Bamavol

Surbat6, you are correct about the loading. In fact I only load 5 for safety. The issue about the danger of your hand at the cylinder gap is the same for any revolver. I have found the carbine easy to shoot and about as accurate as most cowboy rifles.

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v35

Flash burning an arm at the gap isn't the real safety issue.
The real issue is the possibility of a multiple discharge, shooting the hand supporting the forearm.
Colt made large caliber revolving rifles during the Civil War which became very unpopular for this reason.
While I've had only one multiple discharge, and the revolver had a doggy pitted & corroded cylinder, I would suggest keeping both hands by the pistolgrip while shooting a revolving percussion carbine.

Winston Bode

The main reason they are not sass legal is the fact that they only hold six shots and most lever rifles or pump action rifles will hold at least 9 or ten. This would mean you would have to reload on the clock, too time consuming, or have everyone else only shoot six rounds on each stage.

You might find a local club to let you shoot it but you would have to take the 5 second penalty on the shots you didn't take or load on the clock.

Bode

rgerge

They didn't issue lots of those during the civil war because of the chain fire problem, people blowing fingers off.

Hansenw

There are no documented instances of anybody blowing off any fingers from a percussion chain fire while using a shoulder stock. If you can produce a documented instance, either modern or historical I will happily demure, but I bet you can't! The whole chain fire thing is primarily a myth. A properly loaded, with correct size ball in good condition, with properly fitting and sized nipples and caps revolver will not chain fire. Chain fires are possible, I suppose, if the ball is too small or miss-shapen, if the caps ill fiting or missing- they fall off from recoil- if the nipples are too long, or if the cylinder is cracked. The grease is a good idea- to soften the fouling, but don't bet it will stop a chainfire if any of the above "rear end" problems are present. Do you really think soldiers in the 19th century put grease in front of the balls in their revolvers? Does anyone have any documented evidence of this practice? I would love to see it.

R D Henry

quote:The whole chain fire thing is primarily a myth.

Huh? [?] You're kidding, right? I've had it happen on two seperate occassions, with different guns. The primary cause almost always comes from the backside. The odds of something sparking over from the front are about next to nothing.

In both of my cases, I'd be willing to bet the cap fell of from recoil, and sparked the next cylinder.

The only reason for using grease or a wonder wad is lubrication, not preventing a chain fire.