DA/SA Revolver questions ...

[axeman_g]

I know that SA Colt revolvers are loaded from the right side of the frame, easy for left handers. Are there any DA revolvers that have the cylinder flip out to the right so that I could continue to hold the gun with my left hand and reload easily, without twisting my left wrist off???

Axe

 

[Arub]

SAs, the story goes, were designed to be held in the left hand, while holding reins on horse back, and loaded with the right hand (loading gate on the right). This doesn't answer your question, but might be interesting. The top break revolvers were also, eventually, designed for simplified loading while mounted. Conventional DAs may have come on the scene too late for mounted reloading to be of importance.

 

[Jim Watson]

Well, the 1892 French Ordnance ("Lebel") 8mm revolver swings out to the right. They are well made but not very powerful and not very common in this part of the world... not to mention the ammunition.

 

[cheygriz]

Axeman,

I feel your pain, my friend!

Being left-handed, I developed a system that works well for me. I use a two handed hold on the gun. When the revolver is empty, I slide my right hand around to the grip, while depressing or pushing the cylinder latch. At the same time, my left hand slides under the frame, and my middle fingers push out the cylinder. I now have the gun "opened' and in my left hand, with my middle fingers through the frame and controlling the cylinder. Flip the wrist, and point the barrel up, push the ejector rod with the left thumb, then flip the wrist again pointing the barrel down.

While empties are ejecting, my right hand goes to the belt and grabs a speedloader. The cartridges are inserted, the left hand closes the cylinder, the right hand comes up and supports the gun, allowing the left hand to slide back into firing position.

It sounds complicated, but once you've done it a few time, it's lightning fast.

 

[Nightcrawler]

Here's what I do

You have to keep your speedloaders on your strong side to do this, but here's what I do.

When my revolver runs dry, I (pointing the muzzle out or down) push the cylinder latch forward with my trigger finger. With my right thumb, I push the cylinder out to the left. I then grasp the cylinder through the frame, and point the revolver muzzle-up. I hit the ejection plunger with my right index finger, while reaching for a speedloader with my left hand. When I have the speedloader, I tilt the weapon muzzle down and, holding the cylinder in place (to stop it from rotating) with my right hand, insert the cartridges and twist the loader. I then close the cylinder with my right hand and I'm good to go.

It takes a LOT longer to say than to do.

 

[BluesBear]

I do it the same way Nightcrawler does.

 

[Majic]

SAs, the story goes, were designed to be held in the left hand, while holding reins on horse back, and loaded with the right hand (loading gate on the right).

The Colt SAA loading gate being on the right is just a continuation from the precussion revolver days where the caps are placed on the nipples from the right side of the revolver. Loading originated on that side because it is said that Col. Colt was left handed. He could keep the revolver in his firing hand while loading the caps with his right. We right handers had to adopt to his left handed revolver.

 

[BluesBear]

Loading originated on that side because it is said that Col. Colt was left handed.
We right handers had to adopt to his left handed revolver.

I think that's a myth. Colt surely knew that the majority of people are right handed. To design a machine that most of your prospective users are uncomfortable with is a bad businesss decision.

Most people are right handed and therefore have more manual dexterity with their right hand. You switch the SAA revolver to your left hand and rotate the cylinder with your left fingers while using your right hand (with more dexterity) to load the cartridges.

Colt did design his revolver to use the left hand to eject the empties since the ejector head button faces left. This design slows down the reloading process since you eject all 5 (or 6) and then reload or else you have to twist the gun to reach around with your right hand to eject. Now some folks with long fingers can reach the button with the left index finger and don't have to switch hands or reach around.

This was something Remington addressed with their revolvers. The ejector rod button faces to the right so when you are reloading you can hold the revolver in your left hand and use your right hand to eject and load. For those of us with shorter fingers the Remington is faster to reload.

 

[RON in PA]

Sam Colt was long dead and buried before the 1873 Peacemaker came out. As far as I know he had nothing to do with its design other than that it was a direct decendent from the Colt cap n' ball revolvers.

There is one DA/SA revolver available today that works well for the sinister among us and that is the 1895 Nagant. It uses a loading gate like the Colt, not a frame that opens like the French Ordnance 1892 and the DA trigger pull is meant for gorillas. Plus ammo is a pain, but the revolvers are cheap.

 

[BluesBear]

You are correct Ron.
Sam Colt died in early 1862. In my post when I said Colt I was referring to the company, not the man.

But my reasoning would still apply to the cap and ball revolvers. You'd want your hand with the most dexterity handling the percussion caps even if you were using a capper.