Dave DeLaurant
Member
I'm sorry for your loss (presumably.)
But congratulations on your acquisitions! Particularly the M1 and RIC.
Here are the common Belgian proof markings:
Some RIC copies featured automatic rebound hammers, and some had to be manually rebounded. Your photo shows the hammer in the rebound position. When you fully lower the hammer with the trigger depressed, see whether it pops back slightly when the trigger is released -- that's auto rebound. This video shows a Belgian bulldog copy that lacks auto rebound:
www.youtube.com
As far as the chambering goes, many revolvers in this period lacked an internal step in the chamber and are bored straight-through. That made these revolvers compatible with rimmed cartridges of multiple lengths with the same case diameter. The main limitation to which are suitable is the length of the cylinder and the strength of the revolver's design and materials.
Black powder cartridges needed to be loaded with 100% of the case volume filled, so for a lighter charge the case needs to either be shorter or use an internal wad to fill the leftover space. Also, cartridges back then differed as to internal lubed bullets vs. heeled externally lubed bullets. If the chamber is an un-stepped cylinder and it's diameter is almost the same as the groove diameter of the bore, it's probably intended for heeled bullets -- these are similar in appearance to the modern .22 LR cartridge.
A swaged-lead hollow-based wadcutter can often be a convenient heeled-bullet substitute, since during firing the base expands to fill the entire bore.
But congratulations on your acquisitions! Particularly the M1 and RIC.
Here are the common Belgian proof markings:
Some RIC copies featured automatic rebound hammers, and some had to be manually rebounded. Your photo shows the hammer in the rebound position. When you fully lower the hammer with the trigger depressed, see whether it pops back slightly when the trigger is released -- that's auto rebound. This video shows a Belgian bulldog copy that lacks auto rebound:
Belgian Bulldog Revolver
Bloke tries to go out for a night of well-protected wenching, leaving his beautiful platinum-haired wife behind. Ends up staying in to talk about a very gent...
www.youtube.com
As far as the chambering goes, many revolvers in this period lacked an internal step in the chamber and are bored straight-through. That made these revolvers compatible with rimmed cartridges of multiple lengths with the same case diameter. The main limitation to which are suitable is the length of the cylinder and the strength of the revolver's design and materials.
Black powder cartridges needed to be loaded with 100% of the case volume filled, so for a lighter charge the case needs to either be shorter or use an internal wad to fill the leftover space. Also, cartridges back then differed as to internal lubed bullets vs. heeled externally lubed bullets. If the chamber is an un-stepped cylinder and it's diameter is almost the same as the groove diameter of the bore, it's probably intended for heeled bullets -- these are similar in appearance to the modern .22 LR cartridge.
A swaged-lead hollow-based wadcutter can often be a convenient heeled-bullet substitute, since during firing the base expands to fill the entire bore.
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