Swapping Cylinders For Reload?

[joelvca]

Another media representation: Many years ago, I was in a hotel in Tulsa, flipping channels and came on an Australian "western" series set in the 1870s or so. The two "troopers" (lawmen) carried Colt Navies and Spencer carbines. In a shootout with some bad guys, they took cover behind some rocks, and the one who didn't have his carbine with him did a reload swapping in a loaded/capped cylinder from a belt pouch. I never found another episode of that series, and can't recall what it was called. I later came across a reference to these arms being purchased by the government, but no mention was made of accessories and possible extra cylinders.

Regards,
Joel

 

[Nickel Plated]

From what i read, there was never any evidence of Remington even offering spare cylinders as an individual part. So the only way for a soldier to get spares would be to walk around after a battle and take the cylinders out of the dead troop's revolvers.
I imagine that would not be looked on very favorably by his comrades. Not everyone was issued a revolver, yet with their 6 shots they were quite useful on the battlefield.
Basically destroying a perfectly usable revolver that some other soldier could have took and used just so you can have more cylinders is bound to get you an ass kicking back at camp.