I'm trying to create an accurate display of a 1902 Colt Bisley revolver (Peacemaker family) and need some technical help with cartridges of the era. I'm selecting cartridges to be displayed along with the gun and want to get it right. This question concerns bullet propellant types and the backward compatability of black powder in smokless powder guns.
My research indicates that Colt pistols manufactured after 1900 (s/n 192,000, give or take) are certified for smokeless powder. The subject to be displayed, being a 1902 model, is certified for use with smokless powder. I have an opportunity to purchase six black powder cartridges and am curious to know if they would have been used in a "smokeless" gun.
My question:
Was it common for shooters of the era use black powder cartridges in "smokeless" guns and would my display of the 1902 gun and six black powder cartridges be an accurate representation of what would be found on ranches of the Rocky Mountain/Western Plains region after 1900?