Good question. Those large caliber .44 revolvers were mainly designed for the cavalry and were carried into combat fully loaded, i.e., all six chambers, on by horseback which increased the chance of a weapon falling to the ground and discharging. Thus the notches in the cylinder provided some margin of safety.
Nonetheless, when Civil War veterans went West after the war, the vast majority purchased these .44s for their stopping power against Indians and thieves and it was common knowledge at the time that the only safe carry was the hammer on an empty chamber, a practice which all gun manufacturers recommend to this today.
Nonetheless, when Civil War veterans went West after the war, the vast majority purchased these .44s for their stopping power against Indians and thieves and it was common knowledge at the time that the only safe carry was the hammer on an empty chamber, a practice which all gun manufacturers recommend to this today. Right, but is there any way in which (1) it's safer to carry with the hammer over an empty chamber than between chambers, or (2) allowing the revolver to be 'parked' between chambers adds measurably to the cost of manufacturing a revolver?