"...men picked lead off each other's face after firing the Colt Revolving (or is it revolting?) Rifle. Mind you, if I had a repro, I'd shoot it (but with the support hand underneath the dominant hand)."

If oversized balls were used, and/or the cylinder failed to index properly with the forcing cone, slivers of lead would be shaved off and spit out to the side with the powder blast. Anyone too close could get hurt, as you mentioned, Gary. Stan