When Did It Start? (Carrying an Extra Mag)

[rednichols]

Excuse the thread drift, but I don't think the practice of carrying an extra loaded cylinder for a cap-and-ball revolver is wise or practical. If one dropped the fully loaded and capped cylinder (Not an unlikely scenario with a greased cylinder) you would have a runaway "pepper box" derringer with no control over direction of fire. 1 to 6 lethal balls shooting in any random direction is not my idea of safety on the firing line.

Can't speak to capped or uncapped, but nevertheless a ball needs the force fit of the barrel to become lethal. The pressure behind the ball is the deadly part, not the explosion. It was not uncommon in the days when cap&ball was the norm not the exception, to carry a loaded cylinder, and for good reason.

I feel bad for those of you living during these times in my birth country, USA. I lived there 1950-2000 and didn't need to carry though I had a permit just because of the company I kept. And I haven't wished I could carry where I live now since 2000 to date. What happened over there? Columbine?

 

[LittleAugieMo]

When did it start? Watch "Untouchables & Last Man Standing" documentaries. lol

 

[Stu454]

For me, it depends on the situation. New Year's Eve 2000? Sidearm and four spare magazine under my suit. Going to the grocery store? Sidearm and maybe a single reload. Maybe not.

 

[Smoke]

I know it's not "reloads" but I seem to remember reading that boarding parties on ships in the days of the muzzleloaders carried multiple handguns. Wild Bill Hickok was known to carry more than one firearm. John Wesley Hardin was known to carry more than one gun. Jesse James was known to carry three or four.

So I would guess it was probably very shortly after somebody invented a firearm that somebody started thinking about carrying more ammunition than what was in the gun

 

[desi2358]

Excuse the thread drift, but I don't think the practice of carrying an extra loaded cylinder for a cap-and-ball revolver is wise or practical. If one dropped the fully loaded and capped cylinder (Not an unlikely scenario with a greased cylinder) you would have a runaway "pepper box" derringer with no control over direction of fire. 1 to 6 lethal balls shooting in any random direction is not my idea of safety on the firing line.

On the muzzle loading forum this is a common topic of discussion. Some modern shooters who do use extra cylinders carry them uncapped and use a capper after installing them while others take the risk and carry them capped ready to go. As anyone who has had a chain fire with a cap & ball knows they do come out with some force and are capable of causing injuries. One of the reasons revolving rifles require a hand hold that keeps your arm & hand behind the cylinder!

There has also been a lot of research on the historical practice of carrying extra cylinders and the record indicates that it very rarely happened (despite what is shown in Hollywood and Wild West novels). Most manufacturers did NOT supply extra cylinders with their guns (though if you wanted they might sell you one as a special order), the military did not buy and issue extras either. Modern shooters tend to think of everyone loading with loose ball and a flask but the development of combustible cartridges quickly provided a quicker option. The military and many civilians quickly adopted the combustible cartridge as the standard for reloads.

Really the only common usage of extra cylinders seems to have been with the early Colt Patterson revolvers which had no way to load the cylinder on the gun. They had to be taken apart to load and a number of cased sets did come with an extra cylinder. After the development of the attached loading lever the extra cylinders were soon dropped. Colt himself worked on various designs of combustible cartridges for his own guns as well as other caliber firearms (always looking for a way to make more money!).

So now we are into some major thread drift LOL!

 

[cd228]

I know it's not "reloads" but I seem to remember reading that boarding parties on ships in the days of the muzzleloaders carried multiple handguns. Wild Bill Hickok was known to carry more than one firearm. John Wesley Hardin was known to carry more than one gun. Jesse James was known to carry three or four.

So I would guess it was probably very shortly after somebody invented a firearm that somebody started thinking about carrying more ammunition than what was in the gun

The phrase "a brace of pistols" (not to be confused with a pistol brace), referred to the carrying of a pair of pistols, originated with flintlocks. It was common among cavalry.

 

[BLACKHAWKNJ]

50-60 years ago one of the selling points for the "Wondernines"- Browning HP, S&W M59, MAB P-15, et al. was their large magazine reduced/eliminted the need for a reload.

 

[hardluk1]

Mt first handgun dad bought to teach me with was a colt 6" huntsman and used a leather pocket knife for holding my spare mag or 2 by the time I was about 10 when attempting to hunt squirrels . That was 1965 . My first handguns were bought in '76 when I turned 21 . A DW 15-2 and picked up a couple speed loaders soon after . KKS brand I think for hog and occasional deer hunting with hand loads . . I also picked up a mixed part number 5" 1911 and a few mags . Took some time to and a few extra sear springs to tune the trigger pull sear and then tune a couple of the mags I bought . I shot mostly a hard cast 200gr swc bullet and I harvested a couple hogs with it too . Mag holder or for several mags were made by a local tack shop owner , many shooters along with early CC holsters . MY hunting holster were Hunter back then .

 

[UncleEd]

For civilian concealed carry it was

June 7, 1972 at 10:43 a.m. DST.