The M.1855 Colt Revolving Rifle and the Chain-Fire Design Myth Revisited

[1961MJS]

Here is another sneak peek of an article I'm working on...

The M.1855 Colt Revolving Rifle and the Chain-Fire Design Myth Revisited

•   Hold the trigger guard with your free left hand and do not hold the fore stock.  The fore stock is for drill and using the bayonet only.  The official US Army manual clearly states that the shooter support the arm by the trigger guard while firing (see illustration).  Even if chain firing is not an issue, there is a significant amount of hot powder and lead shavings spraying out from the thin gap between the cylinder and the barrel. This is why it's best that you don't place your hand in advance of the cylinder while firing.

-DR

Hi

I'm usually in the Barracks, but my first firearm was a Remington 1858 from Dixie Gun Works.  I had several chain fires and thought that "myth" might be a bit off base.  Doesn't matter though because holding a revolving rifle like you do a Musket, bolt action or AR-15 means that you get your wrist burnt anyway.  I keep a picture of a SAA with my training aides to show why you hold a revolver with one hand.

Later

[Tsalagidave]

Hi

I'm usually in the Barracks, but my first firearm was a Remington 1858 from Dixie Gun Works.  I had several chain fires and thought that "myth" might be a bit off base.  Doesn't matter though because holding a revolving rifle like you do a Musket, bolt action or AR-15 means that you get your wrist burnt anyway.  I keep a picture of a SAA with my training aides to show why you hold a revolver with one hand.

Later

I see where you are coming from Mike.  I chose the word "myth" for 2-reasons.  One, it's provocative. We naturally gravitate toward something that sounds controversial on sites like this. However, my second and most important reason is that I just got sick and tired of hearing people say that the m.1855 rifle had a"flawed" design that was "naturally" prone to chain fires, perhaps more so than other revolvers of the period.

The main point is that the m.1855 design is no more "flawed" than any other contemporary revolvers of  the day.
If you short start a musket ball, you will burst a barrel. Loading a misshapen cartridge will jam any modern metallic cartridge arm.  These are not design flaws but rather, rules of proper handling to avoid problems.

This was precisely my point with the m.1855. It is a very well made weapon; it just represents a step in technological evolution that was eventually surpassed by more innovative design options. Even when it came to handling the m.1855, it was never intended to be held forward of the cylinder.  Even if there was no chain fire, the high-velocity spray of lead shards and unburnt powder grains would be murder on the shooter's exposed hand.  For this reason, the manual of handling the arm accommodated this.

Since you are an experienced BP  shooter also, I know I'm preaching to the choir here so the rest of what I am about to say is geared toward the new shooters out there. In 30 years of firing thousands of rounds through cap & ball revolvers, I have never experienced a single chain fire on a live round and it is entirely because of the mentoring I had from older shooters, not because I was some kind of wiz on the topic. Here is what the old-timers had me do...

If your bullet mold makes a ball that just fits, throw it away and get a larger ball mold.
When you ram a revolver ball, it better shave a perfect ring of lead all the way around the bullet or you don't have a good seal. Any misshapen or undersized ball will cause a chain fire.  Now, I only use original molds for my bullets.  In the case of my Colt 2nd gen revolvers, I only load powder, ball and cap.  That's all.  No grease...ever.  Rarely patches or oil.  Also, I make sure that the caps fit properly and if I lose one, I cease firing and re cap.

My only 2-chain fires both occurred on blank fires while working as a stunt performer. On both occasions, the powder charges were both insulated but the cap had fallen off exposing the port to the hot gasses from firing.  On both occasions, i had not properly fitted my caps as I was rushing to be ready for the show.

Anyhow, those are just my 2-cents on what I've seen.  Thanks again Mike for making me expand on why I chose the word "myth".  I was really hoping someone would for the benefit of the discussion and I glad it was a fellow BP revolver shooter to do that.

Thanks again.

-Dave

[Chance]

If you look up Sam Colt's early patents he designed the rear of the cylinders so the nipples were in a recess to prevent a multiple discharge from the rear. Check this out for a modern take on the idea.

http://www.geojohn.org/BlackPowder/bps2Mobile.html

Chance

[Tsalagidave]

Thanks Chance,

That article has excellent insight. The crushed powder train makes a lot of good sense.  The only reason why I never had one is presumably, 1. I always use either a flask or an authentic combustible cartridge. 2. I never use pistol grease.

Crisco/pistol grease turns your firearm into a slick "greased pig" that is unnecessarily dangerous to handle.  It also attracts dust which is extremely harmful to the weapon and if enough works between the ball and the bore, theoretically you could rupture the barrel or cylinder.

My only critique is that the author has it all wrong on making paper cartridges.  You use onionskin paper soaked win a warm solution of distilled water and sodium nitrate. The ends and toe plug of the cartridge are "glued" with sodium silicate.  In the case of a colt navy round, the projectile is a .375 conical ball made using an original Colt bullet mould. 


The powder is the measured amount from an original or black powder series powder flask.  There is no grease, no oil, no wad, and no need to prick the paper with a needle. The jet of hot gas from the exploding fulminate instantly penetrates the fulminated paper igniting the fuel and incinerating the cartridge.

So at the end of the day, Sam Colt knew exactly what he was talking about when he printed his instructions. 

Thanks for sharing that information.  I really appreciate that.