[SHIPCHIEF]

In the Black powder for concealed carry thread, comments about slow or non-reloading abound.
Got me thinking outside the box.
I was looking at the American Rifleman, Sept 2009 edition; top 10 handguns of all time. #4 is the Smith & Wesson model 1 revolver.
The important feature is the opening frame and removable cylinder for reload.
Now this idea is set up all wrong ergonomically, and for the wrong cartridge as well as the wrong reason. You swing the barrel UP and take out the cylinder to replace the cartridges.
Lets redesign and review.
Suppose this were a Schofield type top break action with the same cylinder removal idea? The cylinder is a Cap N Ball. You have spare loaded cylinders in pouches on your belt, like speed loaders.
When you shoot out all six, flip open the action, pull out the cylinder, drop in a full one, and close the action.
Ready To Rock. Faster than a cartridge reload with strip loaders or even speed loaders (if you pocket your 'calling card' brass.)
Comments? :D

[Oyeboten]

I wish such a design would have been made in the 1840s-1850s-1860s...


There'd be good re-pops now for us to have fun with..!


Know any good, sympathetic Machinists?

[mykeal]

I believe the Starr single action is a top break removable cylinder and was a Civil War era design. It just doesn't work very well, however.

[Das Jaeger]

MyKeal , had the double action model , flawless in function , fit and finish were supperb . Pietta no less :eek:
Wonder if your experinece with the Single action is all across the board ? I doubt it .

Jaeger

[Ratdog68]

Sorry... as a side note to the OP... I'm a firm believer in the "dump your brass on the deck" for double action wheel gun "practice/training". Under the extreme stress of an "encounter"... you WILL revert to your training routine. Studies of years gone by found "dead cops holding empty brass in their hands". Whatever comes out of the gun which cannot neutralize a threat... it belongs on the deck.. to be picked up later.

[TomADC]

Ratdog I agree 100% practice like you play.
Which is why all my 1911 mag's have bumpers on them.

[SHIPCHIEF]

I looked at the Starr, and as mentioned above, it was equipped with a top break frame, and removable cylinder, plus it's a double action as well!
It's not very robust, and the cylinder looks like it's got to be held 'just so' as the frame is closed.
Pretty darned good for the time. Could do better. The hinge and lock of a Schofield or Webley are much stronger and more convenient. The cylinder should slide onto an axis pin to keep it in place when the gun is opened with the right hand. Then the left hand is holding the fresh cylinder with the middle finger, ring and pinkie against the palm. Extract the depleted cylinder with the thumb and forefinger, then drop in the fresh cylinder and close the frame.
Ready to Rock.:)

[azyogi]

once your cyls are loaded the lever and rod are no longer needed on the gun. A new army with the loading assy removed will take a reloaded cyl as fast as a strip loader, if not faster. 1/2 cock, pull center pin to stop, drop spent cyl, index reload, slam pin in, cock and fire. Spray and pray crowd don't like single action fire, but with the remi you get your own smoke cloud to hide behind.

[BHP FAN]

azyogi,this must not be your first rodeo...

[SWC Bonfire]

You may have to have some provision to align the new cylinder before the action is closed to prevent wear to the hand spring and the bolt/cylinder groove areas.

Interesting idea. Especially if it were modified like the gentlemen in the UK modified their SAA's- lining the cylinder with barrel steel, forming in a primer pocket to press in 209 primers, and loading it with smokeless. Then you'd have an extremely functional firearm that the gun control crowd wouldn't have any control over.

[azyogi]

Well I must admit my first new army was a Lyman import [70's], and to have 'raced' a colt fan in a reload challenge. He must not have seen 'The Outlaw Joise Wales'. BTW I do not advocate the removal of the lever for carry as it retains the center pin during recoil. Only the rod can get in the way of a cyl swap. The frame is all that is need to align reload.

[RedLion]

Or you can do the fastest and most simple reload that they used to do with blackpowder...... just carry a few more revolvers on you.

[sonier]

Its things like this that drive me insane, i want to hrry up finsih school then start my shop. id be more than eager to do a project like this. im sure if i figured it out and it worked well, people would buy it ;) theres no need for this to be a expensive pistol either. we are talking about a top latch sturdy enough for recoil, and a break open design.