Don't miss the video...

http://bayourenaissanceman.blogspot.com/20...toric-colt.html

That is one huge handgun.

Years ago when I used to do American Civil war re-enactments a friend had one of replica Walkers. It made my Second Model Colt Dragoon revolver seem like a Colt Navy in comparison.

When firing it with live ammunition it wasn't to bad because it was so heavy. IIRC, I read somewhere, perhaps in one of Elmer Keith's book, that until the advent of the modern magnums it was still the most powerful production handgun in the world.

FWIW, Elmer probably never saw an Afghan made Martini Action pistol in .303 British. Although, I am sure he was probably aware of Howdah pistols.

When did the "Mars" pistols come out? IIRC some of them were powerfull...

MUCH too powerfull for the apparently poorly designed pistols.

Nice! Thanks for the link. I wish he had shown how the misfires were cleared.

What I would do would is remove the expended percussion cap, and clear the flash hole with it a nipple pick, any piece of stiff wire that fits the flash hole will do. Put a new cap on and try it again.

When he first cleared the gun by firing caps on empty the cylinders the fifth cylinder didn't sound clear, and the cap popped off the nipple. That is a good indication that something was still clogging up the nipple, and that is probably the cylinder that failed to fire when it was loaded.

Also, he is firing the clearing shots right over his powder flask. I never messed around much with Pyrodex, but with black powder this would be a real bad idea.

Hopefully he got home in one piece.

FWIW, bore butter is good stuff.

Bob B., how is a charge drawn out if it totally refuses to fire? Is there some sort of "corkscrew" attachment that one works into the bullet to pull it out?

I have never had a chamber with a revolver totally refuse to fire. If it did, I would probably unscrew the nipple with a nipple wench, and shake out the powder, flush it with water, and then push the bullet out with a rod, or the right size nail? , that was a small enough diameter to fit through the threaded hole without damaging the threads. FWIW, a light tap from a mallet might be required to dislodge the bullet.

As for long guns, there are ball pullers for muskets:
http://www.dixiegunworks.com/product_info....roducts_id=1165

Failing that I would have the breech plug unscrewed, and push the stuck ball pushed out from the breech forward. There are period records of rifle muskets being recovered from CW battlefields with multiple unfired rounds, like a dozen or so, stacked in the barrel. Anyone who has shot a muzzle loader long enough will probably eventually forget the powder, and load a ball. Just ask me how I know.

On a muzzle loader, I always wipe the barrel, or cylinders with a revolver, dry with a clean patch to soak up any excess oil prior to clearing with a cap. If a musket is stored in the butt down vertical position on a rack, or in a safe, a lot of oil can collect in the breech area.

Bob B., thanks for the in-depth reply. I have been trying to talk myself into getting a BP revolver for years, but was too lazy for the extra care the guns require.