How proficient were the man killers of old?

[Jim Watson]

Wonder what Durham was shooting that he "flipped the cylinder back in".
T'warnt no hand ejectors in 1875; mebbe a topbreak.

[Coal Train]

Wonder what Durham was shooting that he "flipped the cylinder back in".
T'warnt no hand ejectors in 1875; mebbe a topbreak.

I wondered the same thing. When the Rangers were using Patersons they carried extra cylinders but I doubt (hope) that Durham wasn't carrying a Paterson in 1875. Additionally McNelly comments about giving Durham "shells" which I take to mean cartridges. Earlier in the book they visited the King Ranch and were given new rifles and pistols so I assume he is carrying something contemporary. Perhaps he said "flip the cylinder" but really meant "flip the loading gate?"

[Rex G]

I wondered the same thing. When the Rangers were using Patersons they carried extra cylinders but I doubt (hope) that Durham wasn't carrying a Paterson in 1875. Additionally McNelly comments about giving Durham "shells" which I take to mean cartridges. Earlier in the book they visited the King Ranch and were given new rifles and pistols so I assume he is carrying something contemporary. Perhaps he said "flip the cylinder" but really meant "flip the loading gate?"

Perhaps some of the “cartridge conversion” type pistols, perhaps including Colts, are loaded by removing the cylinder? Even today, aren’t the mini rimfire single action revolvers reloaded by first removing the cylinder pin, which allows the cylinder to fall free? Returning the loaded cylinder, to its place in the frame, could be termed “flipping.”

These cartridge-conversion weapons were really quite common, back in the day. I imagine it took a while for everyone to “refresh” with 1873 Colts.

[Jim Watson]

Colt cartridge conversions are gate loaders. Most of the Remingtons were gateless sideloaders except for the one type with two piece cylinder that had to be taken out to reload.

[feudist]

Wonder what Durham was shooting that he "flipped the cylinder back in".
T'warnt no hand ejectors in 1875; mebbe a topbreak.

Might just be lingo in the manner of the time.

Ammo was expensive then, 2 bits(25 cents) a round. A lot of cowboys made 30 bucks a month. Ouch.

[okie john]

I’d bet that an editor fucked that up while transcribing the manuscript.


Okie John

[Redhat]

Colt cartridge conversions are gate loaders. Most of the Remingtons were gateless sideloaders except for the one type with two piece cylinder that had to be taken out to reload.

Maybe he saw Clint Eastwood do it in Pale Rider

[Cypher]

Maybe he saw Clint Eastwood do it in Pale Rider

There was a scene in How The West Was Won(1962) in which Gregory Peck reloaded a revolver by changing cylinders. The scene emphasized what he was doing. I guess to add realism

[Caballoflaco]

George Durham only had a (19th century) fourth grade education and lied about his own age in his biography. I wouldn’t fret too much over the details in his story.


Here’s an interesting arcticle on the man I found online.

https://www.valleymorningstar.com/20...cnelly-ranger/

ETA: this isn’t meant as a condemnation, just a reality check.

[Caballoflaco]

Deleted/ Double tap.