if you had to choose...

stressed · 02-28-2014, 05:43 PM

Between a cap and ball black powder revolver or a P08 luger for self defense and carry, what would it be? Remember, there are no other options. Just how reliable is reliable?

stressed · 02-28-2014, 07:38 PM

I was cleaning my 1851 Navy when I was thinking about this. Most folks say the p08 in nowhere near reliable enough to count on. That feeling is tenfold for most percussion weapons. Had this gun loaded since 2008, fired perfectly. Had I needed it as it sat in drawer, it would have worked. Not a serious thread obviously, just something for humor. Curious what others think.

Patronen · 02-28-2014, 07:43 PM

Colt Walker
"Are ya gonna clear that smoke wagon or wistle' Dixie"

318is_Parabellum · 02-28-2014, 08:59 PM

I'd have to go with the P. 08. There's a reason why smokeless powder and cartridge-loaded firearms were invented.

I use a rifle for deer hunting, as well. I'll leave the bows and arrows to the hunters what aren't hungry...

Geo99 · 02-28-2014, 10:01 PM

Since I would rather be shot with a black powder revolver, I would choose the P08.

nukem556 · 02-28-2014, 11:29 PM

Talking strictly projectiles, I'd rather be hit by a 9mm FMJ bullet than a .454 soft lead ball out of a Colt Dragoon!

MikeP · 03-01-2014, 05:30 AM

Time to go outside and play a while.

Ron Smith · 03-01-2014, 01:49 PM

A round ball wound is much more devastating than a 9mm FMJ.

Sergio Natali · 03-02-2014, 04:34 AM

Sometimes at the range I like to shoot with this gun, (Le Page of Davide Pedersoli reproduction gun cal 36 black powder), actually I wouldn't know what to choose, the P.08 perhaps.

danielsand · 03-02-2014, 11:55 AM

I have two 1858 Army revolvers, in .44 percussion. I actually got married in Tombstone, AZ (whole wedding party in period clothing, guns, and horses, reception in Crystal Palace, ...the works) holstering one of them. (telling you this just to emphasize how much we like the period!).

They both have LOW serial numbers, but not consecutive. Bottom line,...I LOVE them both, and shoot them frequently. They are VERY accurate, and I am very confident in their performance.

I have only one Parabellum, and I acquired it recently (last X-mas), but my vote goes hands down to P08. I shot only 100 rounds through it so far, but I haven't experienced ANY reliability issues whatsoever. What I did experience was the accuracy on par with 1858 Army, ease (and speed) of reloading, deployment, and cleaning.

MUCH better choice.

I can draw both very fast, I can hit a watermelon at 15 yards dead on, EVERY time with both (P08 and .44 percussion), but with P08 I have 8 shots, can load 16 more VERY fast, and carry it with ease. Since I don't believe in "zombie appocalypse", facing ANY "real life" armed confrontation, ONE 9mm FMJ placed square in the "watermelon", would end that confrontation very effectively.

In case of the "meltdown".......different story! Black powder (and caps) are plentiful, wheel weights on every vehicle, bed sheets galore,.......and if the modern ammo is hard to get.....you get the picture. Unfortunatelly I don't own any black powder rifles (yet!), but I am looking into this as we speak.

stressed · 03-02-2014, 02:09 PM

Sounds like a fun Wedding. And remember, Arizona was a Confederate Territory..

Hell, SoCal would have been Confederate had they been able to secede from the northern part of the state. Los Angeles fielded a Confederate unit.

rhuff · 03-02-2014, 06:28 PM

Having owned and "attempted" to get decent with black powder cap and ball revolvers, I would vote for the P08 hands down. I have yet to get my shooter DWM up to the reliability range that I desire (probably never will....but I keep trying) it is far superior to my 1851 Navy Colt in MY hands. Black powder shooting is just too much work for the rewards....to me.

LugerVern · 03-02-2014, 08:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ron Smith

A round ball wound is much more devastating than a 9mm FMJ.

This is a very true statement, there is a reason round ball stayed around for so long.

You can push 1000 fps from a Ruger Old Army with 5 1/2 barrel, and the gun isn't all that big, but like the Luger it is rather large to carry, this is my problem with Luger's ( size)

I like the Colt Pocket Police , very small package and packs a wallop up close. That short barrel has a very authoritative sound.

Vern

Curss · 03-02-2014, 09:45 PM

I would take the P08 any day. The only cap and ball revolver I would consider is a LeMat revolver.

danielsand · 03-03-2014, 09:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stressed

Sounds like a fun Wedding. And remember, Arizona was a Confederate Territory..

Hell, SoCal would have been Confederate had they been able to secede from the northern part of the state. Los Angeles fielded a Confederate unit.

I reside in SoCal (for the time being) for various reasons. I an not a "native", and I "fly" Stars and Bars on the wall of my office. The flag represents MY heritage, and MY pride, regardless of what they made it to be in today's media. Just so you know.

Geo99 · 03-03-2014, 09:05 PM

Vern -

1000 fps out of a 454 pistol? I had no idea!
I always thougt the biggest danger with getting shot with an old black powder pistol was the resulting infection due to a lack of antibiotics, which would then often kill you.

- Geo

Sieger · 03-08-2014, 04:23 AM

Hi,

Here is a good question to question this question.

Why did the German Army adopt the Luger in the first place, as it did, indeed, replace their current issue big bore revolver?

Sieger

danielsand · 03-11-2014, 10:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sieger

Hi,

Here is a good question to question this question.

Why did the German Army adopt the Luger in the first place, as it did, indeed, replace their current issue big bore revolver?

Sieger

I'll counter your question with a question: Why did US military replace 1911 with M9?

We will never know for sure. And I know the "oficial" reasoning,.....carry more ammo, more "modern",.....blah, blah, blah.

Luger contract was HUGE (just like M9), and we will never know who got the "piece of action", in either case. I have never seen or heard of the government that's NOT corrupt, since the beggining of the "civilized" world. Money talks, and it always did.

View Poll Results: which would you choose?
P08 luger	47	92.16%
cap and ball revolver	4	7.84%
Voters: 51. You may not vote on this poll

02-28-2014, 05:43 PM	#1
stressed User Join Date: Feb 2014 Posts: 197 Thanks: 41 Thanked 43 Times in 30 Posts	if you had to choose... Between a cap and ball black powder revolver or a P08 luger for self defense and carry, what would it be? Remember, there are no other options. Just how reliable is reliable?

02-28-2014, 07:43 PM	#3
Patronen User Join Date: Jun 2010 Posts: 312 Thanks: 335 Thanked 93 Times in 70 Posts	Colt Walker "Are ya gonna clear that smoke wagon or wistle' Dixie" __________________ Dave

02-28-2014, 10:01 PM	#5
Geo99 User Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: Whidbey Island WA Posts: 398 Thanks: 102 Thanked 125 Times in 74 Posts	Since I would rather be shot with a black powder revolver, I would choose the P08. __________________ "Diplomacy is the art of saying nice doggie, until you can find a rock." - Will Rogers

03-01-2014, 01:49 PM	#8
Ron Smith User Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Orygun Posts: 4,243 Thanks: 118 Thanked 245 Times in 150 Posts	A round ball wound is much more devastating than a 9mm FMJ. __________________ I Still Need DWM side plate #49... if anyone runs across a nice one. What ~Rudyard Kipling~ said...

02-28-2014, 07:38 PM	#2
stressed User Join Date: Feb 2014 Posts: 197 Thanks: 41 Thanked 43 Times in 30 Posts	I was cleaning my 1851 Navy when I was thinking about this. Most folks say the p08 in nowhere near reliable enough to count on. That feeling is tenfold for most percussion weapons. Had this gun loaded since 2008, fired perfectly. Had I needed it as it sat in drawer, it would have worked. Not a serious thread obviously, just something for humor. Curious what others think.

02-28-2014, 08:59 PM	#4
318is_Parabellum User Join Date: Aug 2013 Location: West Virginia Posts: 130 Thanks: 80 Thanked 75 Times in 31 Posts	I'd have to go with the P. 08. There's a reason why smokeless powder and cartridge-loaded firearms were invented. I use a rifle for deer hunting, as well. I'll leave the bows and arrows to the hunters what aren't hungry...

02-28-2014, 11:29 PM	#6
nukem556 User Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Irmo, SC Posts: 625 Thanks: 35 Thanked 168 Times in 107 Posts	Talking strictly projectiles, I'd rather be hit by a 9mm FMJ bullet than a .454 soft lead ball out of a Colt Dragoon!

03-01-2014, 05:30 AM	#7
MikeP User Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: ILL Posts: 686 Thanks: 36 Thanked 452 Times in 198 Posts	Time to go outside and play a while.

03-02-2014, 04:34 AM	#9
Sergio Natali User Join Date: Feb 2013 Location: Somewhere in Northern Italy Posts: 2,646 Thanks: 1,082 Thanked 1,783 Times in 1,007 Posts	Sometimes at the range I like to shoot with this gun, (Le Page of Davide Pedersoli reproduction gun cal 36 black powder), actually I wouldn't know what to choose, the P.08 perhaps. Attached Images __________________ "Originality can't be restored and should be at the top of any collector's priority list.

03-02-2014, 11:55 AM	#10
danielsand User Join Date: Jan 2014 Location: SoCal Posts: 137 Thanks: 52 Thanked 100 Times in 43 Posts	I have two 1858 Army revolvers, in .44 percussion. I actually got married in Tombstone, AZ (whole wedding party in period clothing, guns, and horses, reception in Crystal Palace, ...the works) holstering one of them. (telling you this just to emphasize how much we like the period!). They both have LOW serial numbers, but not consecutive. Bottom line,...I LOVE them both, and shoot them frequently. They are VERY accurate, and I am very confident in their performance. I have only one Parabellum, and I acquired it recently (last X-mas), but my vote goes hands down to P08. I shot only 100 rounds through it so far, but I haven't experienced ANY reliability issues whatsoever. What I did experience was the accuracy on par with 1858 Army, ease (and speed) of reloading, deployment, and cleaning. MUCH better choice. I can draw both very fast, I can hit a watermelon at 15 yards dead on, EVERY time with both (P08 and .44 percussion), but with P08 I have 8 shots, can load 16 more VERY fast, and carry it with ease. Since I don't believe in "zombie appocalypse", facing ANY "real life" armed confrontation, ONE 9mm FMJ placed square in the "watermelon", would end that confrontation very effectively. In case of the "meltdown".......different story! Black powder (and caps) are plentiful, wheel weights on every vehicle, bed sheets galore,.......and if the modern ammo is hard to get.....you get the picture. Unfortunatelly I don't own any black powder rifles (yet!), but I am looking into this as we speak.

03-02-2014, 02:09 PM	#11
stressed User Join Date: Feb 2014 Posts: 197 Thanks: 41 Thanked 43 Times in 30 Posts	Sounds like a fun Wedding. And remember, Arizona was a Confederate Territory.. Hell, SoCal would have been Confederate had they been able to secede from the northern part of the state. Los Angeles fielded a Confederate unit.

03-02-2014, 06:28 PM	#12
rhuff Patron LugerForum Patron Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Az. Posts: 2,291 Thanks: 2,709 Thanked 972 Times in 717 Posts	Having owned and "attempted" to get decent with black powder cap and ball revolvers, I would vote for the P08 hands down. I have yet to get my shooter DWM up to the reliability range that I desire (probably never will....but I keep trying) it is far superior to my 1851 Navy Colt in MY hands. Black powder shooting is just too much work for the rewards....to me.

03-02-2014, 09:45 PM	#14
Curss User Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Florida Posts: 303 Thanks: 304 Thanked 98 Times in 75 Posts	I would take the P08 any day. The only cap and ball revolver I would consider is a LeMat revolver.

03-03-2014, 09:05 PM	#16
Geo99 User Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: Whidbey Island WA Posts: 398 Thanks: 102 Thanked 125 Times in 74 Posts	Vern - 1000 fps out of a 454 pistol? I had no idea! I always thougt the biggest danger with getting shot with an old black powder pistol was the resulting infection due to a lack of antibiotics, which would then often kill you. - Geo __________________ "Diplomacy is the art of saying nice doggie, until you can find a rock." - Will Rogers

03-08-2014, 04:23 AM	#17
Sieger User Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: New York, NY Posts: 1,575 Thanks: 2,124 Thanked 400 Times in 249 Posts	Hi, Here is a good question to question this question. Why did the German Army adopt the Luger in the first place, as it did, indeed, replace their current issue big bore revolver? Sieger