Three different topics. One was my attempt to clarify your statement about loading side-loading revolvers in general and how many rounds one could expect an authentic re-creator of a ca. 1880 gunfight to fire before reloading. My point was was that 5 is more likely than 6, but both are possible.
The second was an aside, which probably should have been a separate post, about the oft-reported incident where Zachry short herself in the foot with a blank. I still hold to the description I gave as a current working hypothesis, subject to change if additional information arises. If Zachry didn't inadvertently discharge the weapon and it was a side-loading single action weapon, then the only alternative explanation I can come up with is that she pointed the weapon at her foot, cocked it, and pulled the trigger. I find that less likely.
The third is the issue of how many rounds HGR loaded when she thought she was loading the gun with dummies. I have no hypothesis there, and did not intend to comment on that topic.
Sorry for the mixup.
I find your posts very thought-provoking. I do get what you are saying (realism would call for 5 bullets in a typical 19th century use of a revolver, and that's how my dad kept his when we traveled).
You're making me think, though. For most usages on set, 6 dummies would work just fine. Endless takes. Then, when a blank was needed, depending on how many shots were to be fired (emptying the gun would be sort of silly in a running gunfight like the one they were shooting - one would want to conserve their 5 bullets), 5 blanks should be loaded BUT, then the gun needs to be reloaded for each take. That's why the armorer is on set (to exchange ammo, load the right number of blanks). If the scene calls for just one blank to be shot, then I suppose 5 takes could be taken, one blank at a time, without reloading. This is why there's usually a 15 minute AD/script supervisor/armorer meeting beforehand.
I no longer trust DH's view on what was inside the gun when he had HGR open it. If she thought she loaded it with 2 blanks and 1 dummy (or did load it with that), that speaks to a brief scene in which Alec was supposed to fire twice (get a flash bang, requiring ear protection, etc). Then, they'd have to reload for each take. That live (filmed) scene was supposed to take place a bit later in the afternoon, so perhaps HGR (with her split duties) planned to be there fore that. Then, we have the odd scenario where she mistook live rounds (?!?) for blanks.
It almost makes sense if she mistook dummies for live rounds, since aside from the lack of a little bump on the end of the casing, they would look the same. If anyone had opened the cylinder and looked from the shooter's perspective, before any firing was done, they would have seen that they were live. But no one did. It was supposed to be 3 people.
And of course, on set, guns are never pointed directly at people, even with blanks, nor should people fool around and
and pull the trigger when rehearsal doesn't call for it. If an actor wants to practice with repeating drawing, cocking and firing the trigger, gun needs 5-6 dummies. Which I believe is what HGR claims she did.
It's all very curious.
I truly appreciate your expertise and the dialogue. If I had been the director of this film (don't I wish, secret dream of mine), I would have made Grandpa Rust/Alec learn to handle a gun the way a real 19th century grandpa would have done (with 5 dummies, as you say). Then practice, practice, before the armorer loaded and carefully supervised crew while the blanks were used.
