Revolver Cylinder Switch?

[Serrano]

One often reads about how the advent of Colt's revolvers let shooters switch loded cylinders out for loaded ones. I have two problems with this: 1) I have never read any 19th account of anyone actually doing this; 2) I never read this suggestion till semiautos became popular in the 1980's and switching out magazines became de rigeur for shooters. My guess is the switching of cylinders was simply not much done in days of yore. Carrying 2 pistols seems to have been far more common. Can anyone shed light?

[Serrano]

Sorry. I should have written, "switch empty cylinders out for loaded ones..."