More About Custer's Revolvers:

My recent blog post about double-action PERCUSSION revolvers has prompted fresh e-mails about that era and Custers revolvers..

Hi Marty

The English D/A revolvers, both percussion and cartridge, were considerably more robust and reliable than the various US attempts.  As a consequence they were quite sought after, not only in the US but also in other parts of the World (Canada, Africa, Australia, NZ, etc).  The British revolvers had sturdy mechanisms and also fired large calibres (.44, .45) which gave them good stopping power.  George Custer carried a pair of .450 Webley D/A revolvers (not that they helped him in the end!).  The US D/A revolvers up until the 1890’s were rather fragile but the solid-frame Colt New Service and the S&W New Century changed the playing field.

Cheers

Rod

PS. There is a US Cooper .31 pocket D/A percussion revolver from the 1860’s on TM at present.

________________

Hi Rod, I too have read about Custer carrying a pair of (R.I.C.) Webleys ... but my
research suggests that the Battle where he died was BEFORE that gun was made
by Webley

- Any ideas??

________________________

Hi Marty
The battle of the Little Big Horn was in 1876.  Webley introduced the very
successful .442 RIC revolver in 1867.  A photo exists that shows Custer and
his wife in their home, and hanging on the wall in the background are two
RIC Webleys.

Cheers
Rod


Old Photograph Showing Custers Revolvers
 In A Rack On The Wall.
- Now I have found an excellent Guns & Ammo story about Custers revolvers on line - Link:
http://www.gunsandammo.com/historical/custers-last-gun-webley-ric-revolver/

That G&A story is well worth viewing.

Link to my earlier piece on D/A Percussion Revolvers:

https://flicense.blogspot.co.nz/2017/06/double-action-percussion-revolvers.html

- And I did a speculative story about Custer's guns

 way back on 10th December 2015 - LINK:

https://flicense.blogspot.co.nz/2015/12/custers-guns-galand-sommerville.html

The Battle of The Little Big Horn is a fascinating subject to read about

& I guess that all attempts to sort exactly what Custer may have been carrying will be

 informed "guesses" as they are long gone into history.

Marty K.