Gear Driven revolver

[thedrake]

Gentlemen, Need some help identifying an old old revolver.

In an old movie (so old it was a silent movie), there was a revolver that was driven by gears. I tried searching for a picture of it, but was unable to find it. Anyone know anything about something like this?

Thanks.

 

[White Horseradish]

Out of curiosity, what do you mean by "driven"? The cylinder turned by gears or the hammer moved by gears?

 

[thedrake]

Perhaps a poor choice of words. Not sure really what I mean. I just know that there was a silent movie where this guy was trying to hurry up and put together his gun before the bad guy came in. it showed him putting together, but he didn't have time to put the cover plate over the gears. He points it at the bad guy and shoots and it shows the gears moving.

Unfortunately this is the story that I was told from my wife's grandfather who is in his 90's, but still sharp as a whip.

So I'm not sure if it was the hammer or the cylinder that was turned by the gears, or perhaps both. I was hoping someone here might know what the heck I was trying to describe, LOL...and point me to some additional information.

For all I know it wasn't even a real gun, but most of the old movies did in fact use real stuff - ie they didn't create their own mockups like a sci-fi gun or something.

 

[thedrake]

anyone, any thoughts?

 

[Gator]

Some old European revolvers had hinged side plates. The guns would function with the side plates open. I have a vague memory of a picture of some old revolver with gears, but I can't remember where I saw it. Maybe Old Fluff knows.

 

[bannockburn]

thedrake

The only one that I can think of would be the Massachusetts Arms Pocket Revolver. This was a black powder revolver which used the Maynard primer system, which consisted of a roll of paper with small primer "dots" placed at intervals on it. The mechanism which fed the roll of primers was accessed through a side plate, and resembled two large toothed gears.

 

[armoredman]

Isn't the guts of the famous Korth run by gears? I heard it's jam packed under the sideplate, which is why the cylinder latch release is next to the hammer.

 

[Rover 'n Rugers]

For the time era have no answer. Don't think the Korth is gear driven. Seem to recall the old High Standard Crusader .44 and .45s having some sort of gear drive.

 

[jameslovesjammie]

Maybe Old Fluff knows.

It's FUFF!!! F U F F ! ! ! Poor guy's gonna get a complex!

 

[Standing Wolf]

Seem to recall the old High Standard Crusader .44 and .45s having some sort of gear drive.

They did, indeed. I've never heard of another gear-driven revolver. I'm sure smoothing out their actions would drive gunsmiths crazy.

 

[CptGonzo]

Might be talkin about the old zig zags, like the Webley-Fosberry or 1878 Mausers?

Pic of the Mauser here: http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.asp?Item=89150792

Webley-Fosberry here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Webley-Fosbery_Automatic_Revolver

 

[dagger dog]

the Webley Fosberry .445 British was a "automatic" revolver it had grooves in the cylinder which was turned when the top part of the reciever recoiled against a lug in the bottom of the reciever. it was an odd duck around the turn of the 20th century. not many made and are of great value to collectors.