Percussion Pistols And Revolvers: History, Performance and Practical Use, by Mike Cumpston and Johnny Bates

I had a lot of fun reading this book, as I know one of the authors by reputation. Mike Cumpston posts on a number of firearms sites and specializes in black powder shooting, particularly of revolvers, but also including pistols and long arms. Mike is past being recognized as an expert in this field and his expertise has helped a lot of his fellow shooters overcome various problems commonly encountered by black powder shooting enthusiasts.

As an avid shooter myself, I can say that Messrs. Cumpston and Bates know their material. I have a couple of Colt percussion revolvers myself, one over 140 years old, and it still works due to a little preservation and attention like that advocated and described in this helpful book.

What do we mean when we use the word percussion, as it relates to firearms? In the long evolution of ignition systems since the discovery that gunpowder (also known as black powder) would launch a projectile, the state of the art for the preceding couple of centuries was the flintlock. This worked on the principle of flint striking sparks off of steel, just as household fires had been started for eons. The flintlock allowed a firearm to be kept ready for use, which was an improvement over former methods; however, due to its complexity it did not readily adapt itself to repeating mechanisms, i.e., the ability to fire more than one shot in rapid succession. The percussion lock used a pressure sensitive substance that would ignite under a blow, rather than requiring a spark or fire.

The percussion principle was adapted to firearm ignition most simply and economically by using small caps shaped somewhat like hats that fit over hollow tubes, called variously cones or nipples, leading to the firing chamber where the main charge of gunpowder was located. A sharp blow to the cap would detonate the priming mixture and light off the main powder charge launching the projectile down the barrel. For the first time, it became feasible to make simple repeating firearms, like the revolvers patented by Samuel Colt, in 1836.

Colt’s revolver had a cylinder with separate charge holes rotating around a central axis. The mechanism was arranged so that a single charge hole would come into alignment with the separate barrel as the hammer was cocked. After discharge, a new charge would line up with the barrel, as the hammer was re-cocked. Although this sounds like old hat today, it made all the difference back in 1840s Texas when the US Mounted Rifles won engagements against Indians who were used to drawing fire and then charging soldiers as they reloaded. Imagine their surprise when the soldiers kept on shooting! From that point onward, Colt revolvers were in high demand on the frontier.

The authors cover not only the various Colt revolver models, but the other brands also, the Remington, the Le Mat, Savage, and the various others, which were mainly knock-offs of the Colt pistols. Cumpston and Bates not only cover the history of the various handguns, but also include reviews of the various reproduction and replica guns available to the black powder consumer today, brands like Uberti, Pietta, Replica Arms, and Armi San Marco. Unlike the glowing reports you will get in some of the glossy gun magazines that live by soliciting advertising, the authors give honest, informed appraisals of the strengths and weaknesses of the various replica arms they tried. Clearly some makers are better than others and Cumpston and Bates give you a good idea whom to trust and whom it would be better to avoid. Since the black powder guns are not firearms in regard to Federal law, they are available through the mail and much business is done over the Internet. Repair parts sources as well as sources of other black powder paraphernalia are also listed in this very helpful text.

The 208 page book is illustrated in black and white and the photos, while good, are a little too small to show the detail for someone not entirely familiar with the various cap n ball guns they are featuring. This problem with the photographs is the sole con I could identify with the book, other than wanting more when I reluctantly turned the last page.

Cumpston and Bates have written a very helpful handbook that covers single shot percussion pistols, derringers, percussion revolvers, including the entire range of models produced during the era, complete with suggested loading data, and accuracy tests of the various loads.

For those who are interested in pursuing black powder shooting, this book would be a good one to read before buying your first firearm. Also recommended for Cowboy Action Shooting enthusiasts.

Thanks for reading!

Recommended: Yes