[Bill Akins]

Mykeal. My use of the word "nanoseconds" (instead of "milliseconds"), was just to underscore that it all happens so fast. We can use "milliseconds" if you prefer.

I thought when I explained what I was trying to say a second time, that it would be more clear. Sometimes I tend to get wordy and perhaps it might be hard to understand the gist of what I am saying because of the phrasing I use.
I'll try to be more clear and less verbose.

Okay, imagine a tube (chamber of cylinder or barrel) with one charge at the rear and a wad and ball over that. Then another charge on top of that ball and another wad and ball on top of that charge. That's the setup. The front charge goes off and its gas tries to expand in all directions driving the ball forward and also expanding to the rear possibly squeezing past the ball and wad of the rear ball, and sets that rear charge off too just "milliseconds" after the front charge went off.

But remember, the front charge went off milliseconds first before the rear charge went off. That means the front ball will start traveling down the barrel before the rear ball will. Expanding gas pressure from the front charge is now pushing rearward against the rear ball, putting rearward pressure on the rear ball when it is trying to go forward. Thus trapping steadily overpressurizing gas between the two balls. That of course would cause a dangerous overpressure in the gap area between the two balls. Also by the front charge's gas expanding rearward and slowing down the forward progress of the rear ball, it also cause a pressure buildup behind that rear ball, since the rear charge's expanding gas is trying to move that ball forward while the front gas is trying to move that rear ball rearward. So I theorize two areas of overpressure if the front charge were to set off the rear charge.

Did I explain what I meant any better this time? Hope so. Originally when I was first looking at this, of course I was attracted to it for not only the novelty, but also for the increased shots available. But after thinking about this more, I now realize there is a reason that some of the sites (that I posted links to) said that this was one of the most dangerous percussion revolvers ever produced. It might not set both charges off all the time, but it only takes once to bulge the barrel or blow up the revolver. The same can be said about those superimposed loads flintlocks that were also mentioned. Am I correct in my theory? I'm not 100% sure, but in carefully thinking about the forces involved I think it's a good probability that I might be. If you don't think I am, explain to me how what I said regarding the expanding gases is incorrect.


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