CCW back in "the day"

[The Miner '49er]

Here's a question for you history buffs. Back in Henry Deringer Jr's day would it have been common practice to carry one or two of his pistols loaded, capped and on half cock, and about how long (days, weeks) would it have been common practice for the handguns to be carried before they would be fired, cleaned and reloaded?

[Ohio Joe]

Here's a question for you history buffs. Back in Henry Deringer Jr's day would it have been common practice to carry one or two of his pistols loaded, capped and on half cock, and about how long (days, weeks) would it have been common practice for the handguns to be carried before they would be fired, cleaned and reloaded?

Well, both are good questions for sure.

I've read somewhere that on the Oregon Trail there were firearm accidents when someone reached into the back of their wagon to pull their caplock rifle out by the muzzle with the hammer caught on something then slammed back down on the cap - and naturally no good came from this as injury and death occurred - so this tells me that one practice (that we do not do today) was simply to lower the hammer down on the capped nipple until they were ready to use their rifle... I therefore would assume (not good to assume) they carried their pistols in the same manner... Not a safe practice at all by today's standards.

I've nothing to go by on how often they freshened their load - but if the rifle was clean when loaded, they could go quite awhile I believe as the old black powder (as I understand it) did not contain graphite like it does today - so their powder would have shot cleaner then ours by getting a good complete burn with less fouling and I believe less moister drawn to the powder charge.

Side note on Revolvers; I've tested caplock revolver load longevity, and I've stored loaded capped revolvers for up to 3 & 4 years and each time the loaded five chambers of the cylinder's (the 6th one with the hammer resting on an empty chamber) all went off with good effect. Both times I had put a little beeswax on the nipple's to help sill out moister - and it works.

Let's see if we can get some more info on your question, as I'd be interested myself in knowing more. 

[rollingb]

Here's a question for you history buffs. Back in Henry Deringer Jr's day would it have been common practice to carry one or two of his pistols loaded, capped and on half cock, and about how long (days, weeks) would it have been common practice for the handguns to be carried before they would be fired, cleaned and reloaded?

I have no doubt that "back in the day" loaded guns were readily carried so as to be brought into action immediately whenever the "need to" presented itself.

As long as a fella didn't get wet,.... by rain, or by wading across or falling into water, the pistols in his pockets probably didn't need to be cleaned, or reloaded, until after they had been fired.
Black powder doesn't "go bad",.... even powder wet by water can be spread out to dry and still be effective.
Percussion caps on the other hand,.... once they get wet, they need to be replaced with fresh ones. 

[Bigsmoke]

Interesting thought about pulling a rifle out of the back of a wagon and it going off.
Fellow I knew years ago had his rifle on a rifle rack on the back window of his pickup truck.  Same sort of deal, he reached in to grab ahold of it by the barrel and for some reason or another it went boom, the ball traveled up his arm, went into his body and bounced around his spine.  Fortunately, there was no damage to the spinal cord, but the doctors had to amputate the arm.  I think he had a thumb and two fingers on the "good" hand (from previous misgivings) and a short stump for the remaining arm.
I don't believe his name was Lucky, though.  Actually it was Three Fingers.
The rifle was a CVA, FWIW.

[Ohio Joe]

Interesting thought about pulling a rifle out of the back of a wagon and it going off.
Fellow I knew years ago had his rifle on a rifle rack on the back window of his pickup truck.  Same sort of deal, he reached in to grab ahold of it by the barrel and for some reason or another it went boom, the ball traveled up his arm, went into his body and bounced around his spine.  Fortunately, there was no damage to the spinal cord, but the doctors had to amputate the arm.  I think he had a thumb and two fingers on the "good" hand (from previous misgivings) and a short stump for the remaining arm.
I don't believe his name was Lucky, though.  Actually it was Three Fingers.
The rifle was a CVA, FWIW.

That's some rough stuff, John. To be sure...

I don't understand any one who would grab their loaded rifle by the muzzle when it's pointed right at them, but apparently - some do... Not good!

I carry my hunting rifle with a cap on it and at half cock, but I have a metal cone over the capped nipple with the hammer over the top of the cone (the inside of the cone is not touch the cap) and it a semi loose fit between the two. (I'll have to post a picture of it. Anyway, I tested it over and over, and the cap will not ignite even if the hammer came down on the cone at full force.

I'll post a picture.

[Fyrstyk]

I have a similar arrangement as Ohio Joe.  I took an fired .32acp brass cartridge, and tied a thong around the case head and onto the trigger guard.  I can put the case over a capped nipple, and rest the hammer on it.  The gun will not go off with the cap in place, and it just takes a second to flip it off, cock the hammer and fire.  It's crude, but it works and i feel safer when hunting with this arrangement.  An additional plus, is that the cap also keeps moisture from getting to the nipple on rainy, snowy or drizzly days.

[Ohio Joe]

This first picture is how I safely transport my hunting rifle with it loaded and not capped. The leather seals the nipple with the hammer down on it.



This second picture is what the hunting rifle looks like once the "Safety Cone" as I call it, is put in place after capping the rifle, and the hammer set at half cock.



This third picture is the hammer at full cock when I'm ready to take my shot. I simply lift the "Safety Cone" off...  If the shot for some reason or another is not taken, I revert back to picture no. 2 - putting the safety cone back in place.

[Ohio Joe]

I have a similar arrangement as Ohio Joe.  I took an fired .32acp brass cartridge, and tied a thong around the case head and onto the trigger guard.  I can put the case over a capped nipple, and rest the hammer on it.  The gun will not go off with the cap in place, and it just takes a second to flip it off, cock the hammer and fire.  It's crude, but it works and i feel safer when hunting with this arrangement.  An additional plus, is that the cap also keeps moisture from getting to the nipple on rainy, snowy or drizzly days.

Good set up, Fyrstyk!   

[The Miner '49er]

Thanks to all who have replied. Do you suppose back in the day they did some kind of shielding over the cap? I doubt that they would have been as safety minded as we are today. I bet they most likely carried with the hammer down on the cap, dangerous for sure but probably better than trying to use the gun and finding out, the hard way, that the cap fell off.

[Ohio Joe]

Thanks to all who have replied. Do you suppose back in the day they did some kind of shielding over the cap? I doubt that they would have been as safety minded as we are today. I bet they most likely carried with the hammer down on the cap, dangerous for sure but probably better than trying to use the gun and finding out, the hard way, that the cap fell off.

They may have had some of their home remedy idea's they used for safety reasons. One thing I bet they used was "bees wax" on the Nipple once their piece was capped so as to keep out moister... Bees Wax was fairly common, and I know I read that some did use Bees Wax around their frizzen pan cover to keep their prime dry. 

Just an added thought; The old timers could have done a "Safety Cone" from the tip of a deer antler??? You never know???

[Bigsmoke]

Back several years ago, a friend of mine decided to make something like that on a commercial effort.  He called it a Kap Kover.  The kit included a brass cover with a tall enough cover that it did not interfere with the capped nipple.  The second part was a stainless nipple that had a grove in the base and had a neoprene "o" ring installed on it.  And a length of boot lace to tie to the trigger guard.  Last I heard, he was living in Elk River, ID but I think he abandoned the project and moved to Alaska, whereupon October Country picked up the manufacturing.  They have it cataloged at $16.95 which isn't a bad price for something that assures the gun will go off when you want it to and won't when you don't want it to.
IIRC, it seems that CVA at one time offered a similar item only out of plastic (the cover, not the nipple).  I don't think that they ever got that item developed for those of us who prefer musket nipples and caps for our hunting purposes.

[Fyrstyk]

Like most of us Black Powder buffs, I like to make as many of the items that I need to for shooting my muzzleloaders.  My "cap cover" didn't cost me a dime.  I picked up the brass case at my Clubs' range, and tied on a piece of rawhide lace to attach to my trigger guard.  I'll bet mine works as good as the $16 one sold by October Country.  Leaves me more $ for powder and lead.

[Winter Hawk]

so this tells me that one practice (that we do not do today) was simply to lower the hammer down on the capped nipple until they were ready to use their rifle...

I've nothing to go by on how often they freshened their load

The hammer could have been at half cock.  When the rifle was pulled out and the hammer snagged, if it didn't get to full cock when it slipped loose the fly would have let it go past the half cock position and hit the capped nipple.

I understand that Wild Bill Hickock carried two Navy Colts.  In the evening he would go outside and shoot one of them empty, then clean and reload it.  After that he did the same with the other revolver, just to make sure they were good to go the next day.  He always had one which was loaded at any rate...

~Kees~