Why did we move away from Top Break Revolvers?

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Aim1

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I've always thought top break revolvers were cool. Especially the 'Good Samaritan' that Ron Perlman uses in the movie "Hellboy", granted it's a fictious gun it's still awesome. I think some are Webley's too from old war movies.


Why did we go away from Top Break Revolvers?


Anyone here love them?
 
I love top breaks.

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T1iaAu0l.jpg

But they are much weaker than solid closed frames such as with modern double action and single actions revolver with a top strap. The hinge and latch are always weak spots that wear. It would be interesting to see how much better we could make a top break using modern metallurgy and modern design analysis. I think we could bring their performance up a notch or two but they will never be as strong for the weight as more modern designs.
 
Kleanbore said:
Yep. The latch is inherently prone to stretching and wear.
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So modernized design and stronger steel? Nothing fancy like Magnums and Super Magnums, but more along the lines of 9mm and .45 Auto. Better yet, extractors that can handle semi auto cartridges without requiring moon clips...
 
whm1974 said:
So modernized design and stronger steel?
Click to expand...
Mechanical linkages cannot begin to compare to beam structures when it comes to strength, rigidity, and wear resistance.

That's why the Hand Ejector design replaced the top breaks at S&W.
 
The other thing is once they start to wear, especially the latch, they can open up on you while you’re firing it.

That happened to me shooting my friend’s Schofields at a CAS match. Quite humorous to bystanders. Doesn’t do much for your score. :rofl:
 
Kleanbore said:
Mechanical linkages cannot begin to compare to beam structures when it comes to strength, rigidity, and wear resistance.

That's why the Hand Ejector design replaced the top breaks at S&W.
Click to expand...
I'm quite that top breaks can be way improved over what was available during their peak.
 
I suspect if a manufacturer perceived a demand, or niche to be filled, we'd have some pretty neat top breaks available to us today in modern calibers. Now that I think about it, Contenders are top breaks and have been chambered for some pretty powerful cartridges. I may be a little biased about top beaks in that I have a top break that still works fine after 100+ years;)
Webley - Copy.JPG
 
mcb said:
I love top breaks.

View attachment 917984
View attachment 917985

But they are much weaker than solid closed frames such as with modern double action and single actions revolver with a top strap. The hinge and latch are always weak spots that wear. It would be interesting to see how much better we could make a top break using modern metallurgy and modern design analysis. I think we could bring their performance up a notch or two but they will never be as strong for the weight as more modern designs.
Click to expand...
That top pic has me itching to price out a Webley again...

I love top breaks, too but.... I have to accept that there are valid reasons that they are not being widely produced.
 
This always comes up with these break top discussions, the Anderson Wheeler Webley pattern 7 shot .357 Magnum.

Finely made, top British quality, your choice of best London blue or coin finish. Engraving available.

Price? If you have to ask....

http://andersonwheeler.co.uk/the-gun-room/revolver/

Hopefully they're not like my English automobiles: "The parts falling off this vehicle are of the finest British quality".
 
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Rock185 said:
I suspect if a manufacturer perceived a demand, or niche to be filled, we'd have some pretty neat top breaks available to us today in modern calibers. Now that I think about it, Contenders are top breaks and have been chambered for some pretty powerful cartridges. I may be a little biased about top beaks in that I have a top break that still works fine after 100+ years;)
View attachment 918009
Click to expand...
Well when was the last time and last company to make top break revolvers? In North America/USA?
 
whm1974 said:
I'm quite that top breaks can be way improved over what was available during their peak
Click to expand...
Probably, but they peaked in an era of comparatively very anemic cartridges.

Rock185 said:
Now that I think about it, Contenders are top breaks and have been chambered for some pretty powerful cartridges.
Click to expand...
Just for fun, take Colt King Cobra, hinge the frame at the front bottom, and latch it at the top in the rear.

Compare the load paths with those of the Colt design. Then compare the load paths with those of a Contender.

See?
 
whm1974 said:
So modernized design and stronger steel? Nothing fancy like Magnums and Super Magnums, but more along the lines of 9mm and .45 Auto. Better yet, extractors that can handle semi auto cartridges without requiring moon clips...
Click to expand...
I'm curious why those pistol cartridges appeal when there are rimmed revolver cartridges with similar ballistics? If you're in love with the cartridges there are lots of pistols that fire them, wouldn't it be simpler to make a revolver of any sort that uses rimmed cartridges instead of engineering a way of chambering rimless cartridges into a revolver that doesn't involve moon clips?
 
FlSwampRat said:
I'm curious why those pistol cartridges appeal when there are rimmed revolver cartridges with similar ballistics? If you're in love with the cartridges there are lots of pistols that fire them, wouldn't it be simpler to make a revolver of any sort that uses rimmed cartridges instead of engineering a way of chambering rimless cartridges into a revolver that doesn't involve moon clips?
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Charter Arms managed to do this and they are reasonable priced so...
 
Speedo66 said:
This always comes up with these break top discussions, the Anderson Wheeler Webley pattern 7 shot .357 Magnum.
Finely made, top British quality, your choice of best London blue or coin finish. Engraving available.
Price? If you have to ask....
Click to expand...
Looks pretty. Bet the price is, as you infer, well, pricey.

Hopefully they're not like my English automobiles: "The parts falling off this vehicle are of the finest British quality".
Click to expand...
Electrics by Lucas, the prince of darkness.
And the Morgan with a frame made of high tensile strength wood.
 
FlSwampRat said:
Looks pretty. Bet the price is, as you infer, well, pricey.


Electrics by Lucas, the prince of darkness.
And the Morgan with a frame made of high tensile strength wood.
Click to expand...
The last Lucas joke I heard was that Lucas made a vacuum cleaner, it was the only Lucas product that didn't suck.

But I thank my original Mini and my MGA for teaching me early on everything I know about auto mechanics, since every system on them eventually went.
 
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