“Cap and ball revolvers were common throughout the 1800s, they weren’t just thrown away.”
This was the 1880’s. Many were converted in the 1870’s with the introduction of rimfire and centerfire ammo. Not a popular gun in the 1880’s.
1880 was fifteen years after the civil war. I’m sure there were many guns that weren’t converted.
The fact that I own several testifies to that.