History Primer 152: US Colt 1878 Documentary
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Othais and Mae delve into the story of this classic. Complete with history, function, and live fire demonstration.
C&Rsenal presents its Primer series; covering the firearms of this historic conflict one at a time in honor of the centennial anniversary. Join us every other Tuesday!
candrsenal.com/primer-gallery/
Additional reading:
candrsenal.com/recommend-read...
Colt’s Double Action Revolver Model of 1878
Don Wilkerson
A study of Colt’s New Army and Navy Pattern Double action Revolvers 1889 to 1908
Robert Best
The 1877 Colt Double Action Revolver
Ed Buffaloe
Standard Catalog of Colt Firearms
James Tarr
Colt firearms from 1836
James E. Serven
Revolvers of the British Services 1854-1954
WHJ Chamberlain & AWF Taylerson
Canadian Military Handguns 1855 - 1985
Clive Law
Ammunition data thanks to DrakeGmbH
/ drakegmbh
Animations by Bruno!
/ @baanimations3689
Snail Mail/Contact us at:
candrsenal.com/contact/
Пікірлер: 205
Othius: “I promise complete martial insanity as a reward.” Me: You have my attention good sir.
Trade Offer Othias receives: Our patience We receive: Complete Martial Insanity
You find these for sale from time to time in Canada. They are usually stamped with RCMP or some other police and I think I’ve seen at least one stamped as a railroad company.
@dwi2921
2 жыл бұрын
Unfortunately restricted though. .45 Colt is not considered an (for lack of a better term) obsolete cartridge. Same with pretty much every .38 cal as well.
@Roflcopter4b
2 жыл бұрын
@@dwi2921 All handguns are restricted, by definition. You just need the restricted license, which is the only one worth getting anyway.
As a fan of the "old school" single action western revolvers, I never gave much thought of Colts late 19th Century double action revolvers. Finally seeing a in depth video on the 1878 has honestly just changed my opinion a bit... I say we all spam the Italian gun companies to make a '78 repop
@thegoatboy102
2 жыл бұрын
USFA made some for a while. Single action only though unfortunately.
@matthewtmarfield7861
2 жыл бұрын
YES...!
@AnimeSunglasses
2 жыл бұрын
...I'm in.
@joeybomba8046
2 жыл бұрын
They're all unique and good guns everyone has a good sense of humor when they design them
@mattzaske
2 жыл бұрын
I left a similar comment for the Duelist after seeing the Diamondback .22 and the lighting - We want smokeless, lighter trigger, a SAA style gate (perhaps as option) bell grip option (I want stag), slightly improved sights (but dont go all the way to adjustable), tweak shape closer to SAA vs circles, get crazy and offer 45LC (not long) and no moon clip 9mm & 45acp - we can eject one at a time and use the ammo we stock up on... it would be the ultimate play cowboy gun but could be pressed into rapid follow up shot service, I'd pay too much for one knowing it was all about fun not an actual repo nor a new design. Basically a time travel improved design cowboy double action that can use modern rimless. I understand how the .22s have met this need but would love to see it in a larger cartridge.
I'm shocked and impressed that they bothered to change the gate-loader design to *not* inconvenience and injure left-handed people around 1878.
Imagine applying more than 3lbs of force to accurately fire a shot (this post brought to you by Single Action gang)
@gungriffen
2 жыл бұрын
From the US Army's "One Shot, One Kill, Any Range" handgun doctrine.
@randymagnum143
2 жыл бұрын
@@gungriffen from the " hitting things that are further away than the length of your arm with handguns" doctrine.
@Lumpytusk
2 жыл бұрын
@@randymagnum143 Clearly we need to go up a few calibers and just include an explosive onboard the projectile. Then a miss becomes a hit!
@chrisbrowne4669
2 жыл бұрын
Can't be shot accurately even in single action mode, and can barely be fired at all in double action.
@randymagnum143
2 жыл бұрын
@@Lumpytusk230 gr fmj's with proximity fuzes and petn would be a game changer.
As a Metis who had family who took part in the 1885 rebellion on both sides. I just want to say thank you for incorporating Metis history into your video I really appreciate it. (Also your pronunciation of Metis was excellent 👌)
@keithagn
2 жыл бұрын
As I recall from High School history class ( late 1960's) Riel was tried for Treason even though he was an American citizen.
@justacentrist4147
2 жыл бұрын
@@keithagn 6 counts of hight treason. He became a naturalized citizen in 1883 left for canada in 1884 to help his metis people.
Truly a forgotten weapon and not a legend like the peacemaker
Ive said it before and ill say it again. Coming from a non-firearms family this series has been very helpful in understanding both the historical context, personalities, technology drives and mechanisms.
@RenatosombraPalomares
2 ай бұрын
Traducir al español
Most determined I've ever seen Mae when she was shooting. I would have guessed she would have picked this one as a night stand gun.
Mae's spinning cylinder in the opening shot reminded me of an old western.
I have always hoped that some KZread firearms historian would do a comparison of the Colt DAA and the Webley No 5 Army Express. You don't see the No.5 talked about all that much but it's a beautiful revolver. Excellent video as usual, thank you.
@derekp2674
2 жыл бұрын
I was lucky enough to shoot a friend's Webley Army Express once. It impressed me greatly as it just seem to come up with its sights readily aligned for me, so it should have been great for fast aimed shots.
Really clever to make both the hand and the gate dual-purpose parts.
Quick history note. At the time of the Riel rebellion, Saskatchewan and Alberta were still known as the Northwest Territories. Riel was actually elected tp parliament as well (his signature is on the register). Thought you might find that interesting.
It's nice to see some Canadian history. We learned about Louis Riel in grade 10, and even up to today, he is a polarizing figure in our history.
@dwi2921
2 жыл бұрын
Indeed. I have found Riel to both be hero and villain simultaneously. There could even be a discussion about whether or not he could even be or even considered himself "Canadian".
@keithagn
2 жыл бұрын
@@dwi2921 Nonetheless, Riel was tried for, and hung for Treason even though he was an American citizen.
@Roflcopter4b
2 жыл бұрын
I "fondly" remember Louis Riel as that mustachioed bastard who showed up in textbooks again and again for like 4 years straight. I was entirely sick of him and his treasonous whiskers by the end.
Oddly very aestheticly pleasing revolver there.
@baker90338
2 жыл бұрын
It’s oddly whimsical, and is one of those guns that one could get away with making it a swing out cylinder.
@Victoroftheapes
2 жыл бұрын
Yeah. It's pretty in a way that's hard to understand.
@grizzlyblackpowder1960
2 жыл бұрын
@@baker90338 how on earth would you make it swing out?
@grizzlyblackpowder1960
2 жыл бұрын
@@baker90338 I'm just wondering if you meant they should have copied the hand ejectors and made it swing out from scratch or if you are suggesting that some how the cwnterpin that is fixed to the frame should be modified to swing out. Because one ends in lawsuit and the other, a broken gun.
@baker90338
2 жыл бұрын
@@grizzlyblackpowder1960 I’m referring to the stylings of it. It could have been a swing out, but that’s unlikely for the time
The last time I was this early, it was "War will be declared"
I hear a certain John Henry Holliday and a certain William Bonney liked this revolver. If I was in the late old West, I'd have a C96. One of the first reliable and easily mass-produced semiautomatic pistols.
Really need to get britishmuzzleloaders & BotR to talk about the history of the Colt in BNA and British service...
Let me check and see if there’s anything interesting on KZread before I go to bed….. *sees it’s 1:00 am and C&Rsenal posts a video featuring a colt double action* Who needs sleep
@mgabriel2636
2 жыл бұрын
Othias is great to go to sleep with... errr, to.
I wish this video had been around a few years ago when I was debating getting an 1878 at a local shop. It was a nice one, 7" barrel, nickel plated and in good condition. Back then information was hard to come by, and I looked very hard. Wish I'd bought it.
The 78 looks like a hybrid single/ double action. Possibly the evolution of the double action pistol.
Very good video. Particularly like the W^D marked gun at 12:26. Very familiar. I've always been fascinated by the similarities between these early Colt 1878's, the Tranter Model 1878, and the Webley No.5 Army Express. They were all made around the same time for the same market and ended up looking very much alike. It's like they copied each other.
14:09 Seriously nice looking piece right there.
I just (re)watched the previous episode this morning to address that C&Revolver hankering. I guessed I've been Pavloved. [support comment]
Long been one of my favorite looking old world Colts, but knew little of its history. Great video as per usual.
I have one of these chambered in 44/40... I've have been waiting for someone to do a QUALITY VIDEO!.... There's like none online... Thank You!!@
I'd love to know what Othias and Mae's choice would be today. If you guys had to walk into a gunfight today, and you only had a sidearm, what would your #1 choice be? (fingers crossed hoping you don't say Glock)
Huge kudos for pronouncing Islandwana properly!
Great and thorough vid as usual. I watched it in chunks and don’t remember if you mentioned this. I shot my 4 3/4” .45 1900 vintage ‘78 the other day and wondered why Colt used a button cylinder pin release on this gun and the 1877. I thought maybe because the front of the frame doesn’t taper like a SAA so there wasn’t a good angle to have a screw to retain the pin. But if this gun was designed to entice British/European military contracts maybe the spring loaded button system was thought easier to use and more appealing. Why do you think Colt used the cylinder pin release on the ‘77 and ‘78 as opposed to the screw used on the SAA prior to the early 1890s when it changed?
Fascinating, detailed examination of one facet of the weird and wonderful ‘Steampunk’ world of the last quarter of the 19th century. Of course, one’s eyes are inevitably drawn forward to the near perfection of S&W N Frame Hand-Ejectors, still dominant, even well into their second century..
I had a1904 in .45 LC and retrofitted it with the newer gate. It was a handful for someone with smaller hands. I currently have a 1902 SAA Bisley which has a different grip and lower hammer position which fits much better . After your documentary I wish I had retained the 1878 as I understood the workings of the action much better. Parts are pretty scarce for this model. I only loaded five with the hammer resting on an empty chamber much like the SAA for safety.
Great video guys. One note, cause I have come across this before and it is a bit of a peeve of mine. The Hudson's Bay Company help Lordship and Dominion over Ruperts land by Royal Charter. It could not have sold Ruperts Land to the US unless the British Crown had approved and a law passed through Parliament. And HBC was reluctant to sell at all. They would definitely not have been more willing to sell to the US than they were to sell to Canada.
Great Episode, it's nice to see how much work and love you guys invest in those episodes
Come for the gun, stay for the obscure history story!
Sweet thing to end my day thanks
Wish the Italian makers would do one. Overlooked frontier gun
@Bucky1836
2 жыл бұрын
Im on pietta and ubertis case about it ...i want a remington rider and s&w 1st model double action frontier 🧐
Watched on Utreon but commenting here for algorithm. Great video!
That was a fantastic intro. So satisfying to watch.
Awesome episode as always. Keep up the good work guys.
You mentioned this weapon being purchased by Britain for use in the 1879 Zulu War...I was wondering if you could point me in the direction for your documentation for that? I've not come across reference for that before and would enjoy seeing it. Thank you!
Never handled a gun, but the sound that this gun makes is pleasantly gritty.
@GunFunZS
2 жыл бұрын
If a gun sounds gritty that's unpleasant. They're supposed to sound slick.
Another excellent video!! Many thanks for Y’all’s time
Interesting as always, Can't wait for the next episode
Hi, I am Jeff and THIS...is my comment to show appreciation for what you do😊
Dang who expected such a banger during the shooting session
Excellent research on this firearm as always. Your team does magnificent work. I would love to see a program on the first model new service revolver. I know you did he two 1917s for the WW1 series but the first model new service was very different and as I remember there was an issue with some of the Colt 1917s because they had to use half-moon clips and could not just put a 45 ACP cartridge in the cylinder and have it headspace on the machined step as was the case in all the S&W 1917s and later Colts because early Colt 1917s had straight bored through cylinders which were sourced from old stocks of first model cylinders.
The Galand Revolver was adopted by the Russian Navy in late mid 1800's. Since Everything was dusted off and pressed back into service, did they make an appearance "When War Were Declared"?
Amazing work! (like always!)
Good evening guys! Keep up the good work!
Possibly my favorite of all the old west revolvers !
44 seconds... that's got to be a new record for me
@ReptilianLepton
2 жыл бұрын
There's a pill for that...
@Odin029
2 жыл бұрын
@@ReptilianLepton LOL
Great show
Been looking foreword to this one!
Something to distract me from my quarantine, rad
When you compare the DA trigger on a S&W revolver to that of any similar vintage Colt, it is obvious that Colt still hasn't perfected the DA/SA mechanism.
Another great video. Keep up the good work brother. Good to see you at Greenville.
Very interesting and I like the part why Colt has a bearing in the cylinder and a rotating arbor cylinder pin, being black powder and all the fauling build up, I never thought about that and I have experienced tight cylinders when the fauling would build up when shooting black powder 45 Colt cartridges in my Remington new model Army conversion reproduction. Very informative video, thank you.
@HircineDaWolf
2 жыл бұрын
shame not all the repros are made that way
Great video, thanks !
I'm loving the All Revolver channel
This makes the Gasser look comfortable to shoot. 😃
.45 Long go BOOM. Bad Guy go "I suddenly have regrets..."
Thanks for sharing 👍
There’s one of these on display at the Henry Ford Museum.
Well gosh darn I must say the extra content y'all've posted on Patreon is just the rootin' tootin' bee's knees. Yeehaw, etcetera. (Srsly tho the podcast is a lot of fun)
just curious about .45 cylinders in .455 frame (34:14) - would the chambers align properly with the barrel? if not, then "a bit roomy" is an understatement :)
Awesome!
Weird they complained about the 1873 gate, I'm left handed and love it. I'm a big guy and slip my thumb into the open space and flip it open. I know it could be tensioned until I couldn't, but idk why you would do that.
Can't wait for the smith and wesson double action showdown
It is true, this is not a lady Smith. I have smaller hands but being a tile contractor my hands are stronger than most. Being male i tend to go to the larger caliber hand guns. I did anyway. I sold my 10 mill. 45 long colt (Anaconda). I have stayed with my 357's and 40 caliber hand guns because we like to shoot, go out for 4 day camping trips, or did before the VID. The point is cost. But if I decided to collect historical U.S. hand guns this would be fun. I love this model as well as the 1877 For home defense I like my Springfield XD 40 with night sights. Hope to never have to shoot anything but targets. Love your show.
Thank you
Best correct explanation ever, thank you sir.
To my eyes the 1878 looks like a grand father to the New Service where the barrel and ejector are off of the 73 the receiver looks very much like the New Service and the grip looks like an enlarged 77
Happy leprechaun with big glasses and a S&W hat shows up, asks to shoot it. (Bap Bap Bap Bap Bap Bap) "HEYOOOO"
The El Camino of revolver design.
@KevinSmith-yh6tl
2 жыл бұрын
HAHA! And my name is Earle
I haven’t finished watching on utreion yet!
I'm from Fort Smith and George Maldon caught my attention. He is fairly well known here and the fact he carried this revolver is also known. So pretty neato.
I would like to see what May thinks of the grips wearing a calvary man glove.
@gilde915
2 жыл бұрын
those were the times officers had gloves and double action was only used in emergency....single action distance...double only if you get overrun by angry customers...you are right .for those times it was pretty good:)
Right now you've got the same number of views on Utreon and KZread at 3.9K which is pretty good pushback against the algorithm!
Great video, from a 10$ utreon person.
The beard doesn’t hide the awful lip sink. Another great video of course many thanks.
Old wheel guns have a home on this channel..... with the other stuff they do as well.... go .32 channel
I mean, to be fair, .45 Long Colt is way longer than .45 ACP
Is it bad that I thumbs up the video before I watch it?
Manitoba mentioned in video! Raaaaahhhhhh!!!
Thanks
Mae looks soooo mad in the slo-mo.
1:01:11 finally an answer to the question, "what calibre for the comment section?"
Hey, I feel like I saw this earlier....
What is the old song playing when Mae is shooting it? As you can see from my KZread channel I'm also a fan of antique recordings, and this one sounds catchy!
awesome
One of the few things Mae did not smile after shooting.
Apparently Othias is going to talk about this in just a second...
Tried cerrosafe to get the bearing out? Maybe I'm crazy
Revolvers do not imply that fizzing sensation in ones groin as in when analyzing automatic actions. But still this has a lot of cool information on the adoption part etc, as the history does matter on how did we get to where we are. But like, more browning pls... And could it be a good idea if you would do dedicated biography specials on heavy hitters on design, like idk P Mauser, or JM Browning. Like it'd be alike clips, but many clips in one context per a designer. But yea, theres more 1911 action episodes right...?
44:12 I don't think you needed to dress Ian up for a one-time picture.
was the quote Cowboy Load end quote a practice in military service? for this revolver or others?
I just like the look at that beauty And the revolver is good looking too.
@phinehasjacob9122
2 жыл бұрын
I was talking about Othias btw
@EmyrDerfel
2 жыл бұрын
@@phinehasjacob9122 of course, Mae has no beard.
Von Olppen "This thing sucks!"
I have one of those that you did not mention. Mine is marked, "Made in Pall Mall London" and is in 476. I did not know that Colts were manufactured in London?