Posted on 02/05/2015 11:35:16 AM PST by aimhigh
Workers at a Maine Goodwill store got quite a shock when they opened a donated book: They found a gun inside. . .
The book was actually a small safe and inside was a .31-caliber black powder pistol.
Detective Dorothy Small says the department is turning to social media to try and find the gun's owner.
(Excerpt) Read more at ktvl.com ...
Yeah, that happened to me once too, really gets your attention. Crisco is your friend. Haven’t had a chain fire since.
It was like a machine gun! Might not be a bad home defense gun along with my 12 gauges. The column of flame in the dark is very impressive, not to mention the sound!
Wild Bill Hickok’s favorite pistol was the Colt 1851 .36 cal Navy. He plugged a few men with it.
I’ve always wondered what a chain fire was like.
“...and Cabela’s used to sell a replica .31 cal black powder pocket pistol that came with a fake book hide-away case.”
It would be funny if that’s what this really was.
When my father passed away some years ago my mother gave all of his canes to the Salvation Army. She didn’t realize that one of them was a sword cane. To this day I chuckle at the thought of some little old lady innocently trying to go through airport security with it.
“Ive always wondered what a chain fire was like.”
It’s frightening and impressive, Suddenly your 6 shot wheel gun fires odd several cambers. They not shooting down the barrel! They’re going all over the place as they bounce off the frame, I suppose you could get hurt, badly, but all mine went forward,,,, I think! I may have been very lucky to have not been injured! But it’s a great old pistol, if you know what you’re doing. And I had no clue the first time I fired it!
My black powder replica Colt’s and Remington’s are as accurate as any modern revolver. I did have a little gunsmithing work done on them.
In all likelihood, the gun’s owner is deceased, and his surviving spouse dumped the old books not knowing what was in that one.
the ammunition would be a ball with powder loaded behind it.
Thanks. I’ve always wanted a 1851 Colt Navy clone. Since I’m near the SASS headquarters I have nice place to shoot.
That is not a black powder gun.
Yes it is, the barrel pivots to the side to add a percussion cap, and is then loaded through the muzzle. It looks like the break open Colt .22 short derringer though.
https://www.traditionsfirearms.com/product/Vest-Pocket-Derringer-.31-cal-Simulated-Ivory-Brass
My guess is that the percussion cap was contained internally to the gun so it would stay in place when the weapon was carried in a pocket.
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