Re: [DL] The Munchkin Twins

["Allan Seyberth (darious@darious.com)" <darious@plato.nmia.com>]

> Now, the speed loader thing. I know there is a contemporary speed loader. 
> This is a different thing than a separate cylinder for a revolver. To my 
> knowledge, and I'll be the first to admit that I don't have much gun 
> knowledge, a separate cylinder is just that, a separate machined part of a 
> manufactured piece, while a speed loader is an additional accessory used to 
> rapidly reload revolvers.

That is correct.

> 
> Now, the question of "did speed loaders actually exist in 1878" isn't as 
> important as, are speed loaders merely an extra, loaded cylinder? The 
> essential bit of this is: can every revolver, hence every pistol, have an 
> additional cylinder with which a dude can quickly reload all of his 
> pistol's ammunition.


No.
If there was a cartridged pistol that can be speedily reloaded, I am 
unaware of it.  But I am far from an expert on western pistols.


Here is a link to a picture of an actual Colt Army 1873.  It displays the 
right side of the gun, where reloading took place.  Right below the hammer 
(behind the cylinder and about an inch above the trigger), you will see a 
notched area of the firearm.  That is the reloading port - it swung out 
and down, giving you access to one chamber in the cylinder.


Next - below the barrel you will see an additional, smaller cylinder 
parallel to the barrel.  That is the eject mechanism - it is basically a 
spring loaded rod that you depress to eject the spent cartridge.

Reloading this pistol consists of:
Open the port, depress the rod and eject the brass, replace cartridge.
Rotate cylinder one position.  
Depress rod to eject the brass, replace cartridge.

Do this six times until the pistol is reloaded.  Close port.


Another detail is that the cylinder (IIRC - I'm only 90% certain of this) 
rotates clockwise.  This means that the new round has to travel down, to 
the left, and back up before coming under the hammer.


http://www.gunbroker.com/auction/ViewItem.asp?Item=3551279


As for the shotgun scabbards - they may not be historical, but they are 
cinimatic.  And if you can't copy Ash from the Evil Dead in a Deadlands 
game. . . who can ya copy?


"Good Ash.  Bad Ash.  I'm the one with the gun."


Allan Seyberth
darious@darious.com