A Day at the Range

This is the Ruger Old Army with the cartridge cylinder removed (it's the one standing up). Above it is the backing plate with its six firing pins. Below it is the original stuff-it-yourself blackpowder cylinder.

The complicated-looking object is the combination cylinder pin and loading lever. To remove it, having pulled the hammer back one click to permit free rotation of the cylinder, turn the "screw head" (it's not really a screw) ahead of the cylinder so the slot is parallel to the barrel, then release the loading lever from its holder up front, and swing it down. Then pull the whole assembly forward and out of the gun.

These three parts are not pinned together.

Then roll the cylinder out of the frame.