Editing Revolver (section)

=== Front-loading cylinder ===
The first revolvers were ''front loading'' (also referred to as [[Muzzleloader|muzzleloading]]), and were similar to [[musket]]s in that the powder and bullet were loaded separately. These were caplocks or "cap and ball" revolvers, because the caplock method of priming was the first to be compact enough to make a practical revolver feasible. When loading, each chamber in the cylinder was rotated out of line with the barrel, and charged from the front with loose powder and an oversized bullet. Next, the chamber was aligned using the ramming lever underneath the barrel. Pulling the lever would drive a [[rammer]] into the chamber, pushing the ball securely in place. Finally, the user would place percussion caps on the nipples on the rear face of the cylinder.<ref name="Fadala2003" />

After each shot, a user was advised to raise the revolver vertically while cocking back the hammer so as to allow the fragments of the spent percussion cap to fall out safely. Otherwise, the fragments could fall into the revolver's mechanism and jam it. Caplock revolvers were vulnerable to "chain fires", wherein hot gas from a shot ignited the powder in the other chambers. This could be prevented by sealing the chambers with cotton, wax, or grease. Chain fire led to the shots hitting the shooters hand, which is one of the main reasons why revolver rifles were uncommon. By the time metallic cartridges became common, more effective mechanisms for a repeating rifle, such as [[lever-action]], had been developed.<ref name="Chicoine2005">{{cite book|last=Chicoine|first=David|title=Guns of the New West: A Close Up Look at Modern Replica Firearms|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=jNuEWcNOjjgC&pg=PA236|year=2005|publisher=Krause Publications|location=Iola, Wisconsin|isbn=0-87349-768-6|page=236}}</ref>

Loading a cylinder in this manner was a slow and awkward process and generally could not be done in the midst of battle.<ref name="Chun2013">{{cite book|last=Chun|first=Clayton|title=US Army in the Plains Indian Wars 1865-1891|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=bD9r6PdqdMUC&pg=PA70|year=2013|publisher=Osprey Publishing|isbn=978-1-4728-0036-7|page=70}}</ref> Some soldiers avoided this by carrying multiple revolvers in the field. Another solution was to use a revolver with a detachable cylinder design. These revolvers allowed the shooter to quickly remove a cylinder and replace it with a full one.<ref name="forensic" />
{{Gallery
| File:Coltnavy.jpg | Colt 1851 Navy with [[powder flask]]
| File:Loadseq.jpg | Front reloading a cap and ball pistol
| File:New model Army IMG 3544.jpg | [[Remington Model 1858]] 
}}