double action percussion revolver ???

Magnum Wheel Man · July 22, 2010, 07:24 AM

a while back, I started collecting early cartridge revolvers ( that era of transition between black powder cartridge & smokeless ) I have quite a few of this era that are double action, & a few that were single action...

I'm curious if there was any / many black powder percussion revolvers that were double action ??? seems they had the double action mechanism down pretty good on very early black powder cartridge revolvers, so it would make sense, that there must have been a few companys that still had percussion parts, that they modified to make double action guns out of those parts???

what started me thinking, was I saw a gun listed on line... a pretty fancy nickel & engraved late 1800's percussion, & the seller made comment that it didn't work in double action ( which is what I assumed, that all percussion revolvers were single action only ) ???

madcratebuilder · July 22, 2010, 07:52 AM

Pietta makes a Starr DA cap and ball revolver. Technically it has two triggers, the first cocks the hammer and the second drops the hammer.

Starr DA and SA revolver.

Magnum Wheel Man · July 22, 2010, 08:08 AM

.... I assume the bottom one is double action... BTW, very nice guns... might have to look at something like these to complete my collecting... I already have a replica black powder conversion revolver, small 36 caliber Navy, converted to 32 S&W... something else of that era in double action would would fit nicely, between the transition to "bored through cylinders"...

The gun I was looking at was an Adams Patent gun... kinda nice... I won't be able to buy it... so here is a link

http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/Vie...Item=180620797

I don't know if this was double action originally or if it was only single action to start with ???

Jim Watson · July 22, 2010, 08:24 AM

Heck, there were Adams patent revolvers that were double action only.
See some on Wiki:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_...ndgun_designer)

The Cooper revolvers looked very much like the Colt but were double action:
http://www.prices4antiques.com/firea...r-D9911294.htm

Rifleman1776 · July 22, 2010, 08:28 AM

I couldn't answer the question. But, it seems to me a DA C&B revolver would be very iffy in the reliability department. Discharged caps have an annoying way of coming off and falling into the action. The SA C&B revolvers I have owned required tipping out or fishing out the offending brass scraps.

pohill · July 23, 2010, 06:17 AM

I have a Savage & North, which is actually lever action. Never had a DA.
This is what Sam Colt thought about double action:

July 22, 2010, 07:24 AM	#1
Magnum Wheel Man Senior Member Join Date: July 26, 2006 Location: Southern Minnesota Posts: 9,333	double action percussion revolver ??? a while back, I started collecting early cartridge revolvers ( that era of transition between black powder cartridge & smokeless ) I have quite a few of this era that are double action, & a few that were single action... I'm curious if there was any / many black powder percussion revolvers that were double action ??? seems they had the double action mechanism down pretty good on very early black powder cartridge revolvers, so it would make sense, that there must have been a few companys that still had percussion parts, that they modified to make double action guns out of those parts??? what started me thinking, was I saw a gun listed on line... a pretty fancy nickel & engraved late 1800's percussion, & the seller made comment that it didn't work in double action ( which is what I assumed, that all percussion revolvers were single action only ) ??? __________________ In life you either make dust or eat dust... Last edited by Magnum Wheel Man; July 22, 2010 at 08:16 AM.

July 22, 2010, 08:08 AM	#3
Magnum Wheel Man Senior Member Join Date: July 26, 2006 Location: Southern Minnesota Posts: 9,333	.... I assume the bottom one is double action... BTW, very nice guns... might have to look at something like these to complete my collecting... I already have a replica black powder conversion revolver, small 36 caliber Navy, converted to 32 S&W... something else of that era in double action would would fit nicely, between the transition to "bored through cylinders"... The gun I was looking at was an Adams Patent gun... kinda nice... I won't be able to buy it... so here is a link http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/Vie...Item=180620797 I don't know if this was double action originally or if it was only single action to start with ??? __________________ In life you either make dust or eat dust... Last edited by Magnum Wheel Man; July 22, 2010 at 08:34 AM.

July 22, 2010, 07:52 AM	#2
madcratebuilder Senior Member Join Date: November 2, 2007 Location: Northern Orygun Posts: 4,923	Pietta makes a Starr DA cap and ball revolver. Technically it has two triggers, the first cocks the hammer and the second drops the hammer. Starr DA and SA revolver.

July 22, 2010, 08:24 AM	#4
Jim Watson Senior Member Join Date: October 25, 2001 Location: Alabama Posts: 18,541	Heck, there were Adams patent revolvers that were double action only. See some on Wiki: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_...ndgun_designer) The Cooper revolvers looked very much like the Colt but were double action: http://www.prices4antiques.com/firea...r-D9911294.htm

July 22, 2010, 08:28 AM	#5
Rifleman1776 Senior Member Join Date: April 25, 2010 Location: Arkansas Posts: 3,309	I couldn't answer the question. But, it seems to me a DA C&B revolver would be very iffy in the reliability department. Discharged caps have an annoying way of coming off and falling into the action. The SA C&B revolvers I have owned required tipping out or fishing out the offending brass scraps.

July 23, 2010, 06:17 AM	#6
pohill Senior Member Join Date: December 27, 2005 Location: northeast Posts: 521	I have a Savage & North, which is actually lever action. Never had a DA. This is what Sam Colt thought about double action: