I like to watch Pawn Stars and I know a lot of the show if not most or all of it is somewhat staged.

Every gun they get, they have to shoot it. This includes the old percussion revolvers like the Civil War era Navy revolvers.

I admittedly cringe every time I watch them doing this but I don't know if that is warranted or not. They haven't had one blow up yet.

I've always read/heard/been told that you do not fire a real period revolver. Perhaps this is due to value more than risk of safety, I don't know. I've also done the usual web search and have yet to find a video of them actually firing a real period piece. All are reproductions.

So what are the opinions out there? How do you know when one is safe to shoot and when not safe to shoot and would you shoot an original even if deemed safe, especially if it were yours, not some guy at the range that is shooting his.
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