Quote:
|
Smallest caliber Old West pistols
|
"Old West" as in 1870s? 1890s? 32 caliber was pretty small for anything shooting black powder, but I think there were Colt 1848 Pocket revolvers in 32. Pepper boxes as well. Once metallic cartridges appeared, there were 22 RF (what we call Shorts), 32 RF, 38 RF. Don't remember any 25s in handguns. Colt chambered the 1873 Model P (aka "Peacemaker" or SAA, although the SAA was rightly only the 45) in 32-20, which was considered a pretty hot number back then. S&W had the 32 S&W. But most black powder cartridges needed heavy bullets to make them effective because of low velocity, so the bigger the better.