How "Not" to hold a revolver

[Gator]

I think that a firearm that can make holes in you with any part other than the muzzle should be reconfigured ASAP. If I were juror, I would say the manufacturer was negligent for not providing some sort of physical shield in that area, or at least a clear stamping on the cylinder reading "WARNING: escaping gases will amputate fingers", with arrows pointing at the cylinder gap.

I really hope that is sarcasm! Sometimes its hard to tell here.

 

[Geronimo45]

he didn't know that revolvers had barrel/cylinder gap blast

I was the same way for a while. It's not obvious for those as haven't thought it through. Not sure if I knew it when I first got my wheelgun... but I never had an issue with it. Probably due to me having a tad more experience with cup & saucer than with other grip styles.

 

[glockman19]

Ouch!

 

[Big Boomer]

Luckly, I had heard a story at my local range with a guy that just bought a 460 like mine that's that PC 12" one and tried to hold it like a rifle with his left hand cupping under the cylinder gap and it blew a hole clean through his hand.

I had a 3/4 full water bottle that was about 3" from my cylinder gap and it literally ripped the top off and blew it in half. It will also destroy my reloading boxes, the plastic would shatter on the bench and blow on my face. I blew a guys hat off one stall over as well, he was kinda PO'ed.

And you wonder why they have issues with flame cutting?

Below is a pic of mine torching off, I have many more. This will give you a better respect for the gun.

And FWIW l hope you heal quickly that sucks super bad!

 

[asknight]

How about fixing us non-premium ARFcom members up with a link to the original story?

 

[hexidismal]

That's awful, I feel bad for the guy and wish him all the best recovery. That's an amazing (and terrible) amount of damage from the 460.

I've burned myself before doing fast fire combat drills with a .357. Not because of my grip, but instead that I hadn't fully brought my support hand up and back to where it should be seated before the gun was raised and I started firing. My burn was absolutely NOTHING by comparison. Just a little timing error in a "surprise" buzzer drill with a time limit.. My point is.. before you go calling this fellow an idiot and whatever other names.. just take a moment to realize that things do happen. He made a mistake, and personally I commend him for sharing.

 

[Blakenzy]

I really hope that is sarcasm! Sometimes its hard to tell here.

Maybe the warning stamp idea is silly , but I was trying to make a point.

You see, my view (please feel free to disagree) is that S&W is trying to get all cute on us, trying to compensate for their lousy internal locks or something, indulging us "gunnies" by making outrageous guns that get alot of attention... and that's just fine. HOWEVER, at the same time they(S&W) seem to ignore (by choice?) the fact that they are exceeding the limits of the traditional revolver design. A 200-grain bullet at 2,300+ fps; is not appropriate for the traditional revolver design; that's centerfire rifle territory. Certainly their guns do not suffer catastrophic failure, but that's not the whole story.

A wheelgun that shoots flat out to 200yds, with no hold-over, is great, BUT as the experienced revolver designers they are, S&W should have known that the hazard of side gas escape with this super high pressure cartridge would come into play, BIG TIME. Instead of innovating and creating a more advanced revolver design that eliminates side gas escape, S&W just took the same old system they have been using for ages, made an oversized, heavier, larger revolver and said: Eureka!

What S&W has ultimately spawned, is not a revolver as we know it, but a repeat action Kb! gun. You get side directed Ka-Booms! with each trigger pull. They should make you VERY aware of that fact.

 

[Lucky]

Blakenzy no offence, but you're opinion is endemic of a fundamental flaw in western society.

Suck it up, be a man, and accept personal responsibility for your own actions. If you don't understand something that's YOUR fault, no-one elses.

Gun manufacturers being sly and hiding info? You blew your cover right there. You are ignorant, this is not an insult but a fact, and you seek put to put the burden on other parties to cure your sloth and stupidity. Again, those aren't insults but technical descriptions of a situation.

At least buy a gun and read the manual before forming such a strong and offensive opinion.


You might not realize it but your attitude is offensive, because it is incompatible with liberty.

 

[mason1800]

Man, I feel bad for you. I do Appriciate you effort to show people that guns are not toys, and accident could happen to all of us. We all need to slow down and think safety anytime we're out at the range or home cleaning them. thanks again for the post. and hope everything goes well for the thumb.

 

[JERRY]

so he obviously didnt read the warning card/booklet that states get training from a competant instructor or he chose to ignore it.

this type of incompetance is a self correcting problem.


p.s. that gun is NOT a traditional revolver design, it has been enhansed substantially to handle the increased power of the cartidge, in fact it is married properly to it in spite of inept handling of the same.

 

[AZAndy]

I'm loving my Nagant more and more.

 

[19-3Ben]

Funny, i was just thinking that if S&W redesigned the x-frame to push forward and close the gap ala the Nagant, that would eliminate the cylinder gap explosion issue, probably increase velocity (because all the pressure would be pushing the bullet forward rather losing what is expanding out to the side), and allow you to have a silencer. ok fine, it wouldn't work, but still...

 

[DPris]

It would also raise the price of the gun substantially.
Denis

 

[19-3Ben]

Very true. I wonder how much. I mean people are already spending over a grand on these guns. if it's (let's just say) $200 more, but you get such a cool mechanism, do you think it would stop many people?

 

[RNB65]

or at least a clear stamping on the cylinder reading "WARNING: escaping gases will amputate fingers"

Please don't give Ruger any ideas. They've already turned the barrel into a billboard.

 

[davepool]

I have the .460 and the .500 S&W i use for hunting, and like 460xvr wrote , to get your offhand thumb near the cylinder gap on such a large framed revolver is incredibly awkward, i'm amazed it didn't fly out his hand and hit him the face! I read the original post on the other forum and the guy did imply there might be something wrong with the gun's design. That is baloney,this type of injury would occur no matter what caliber revolver you were firing, maybe not as nasty a wound , but fingers near cylinder gaps are a bad combination. I'm sorry for the guys injury but it just proves the old adage " if you don't know what your doing, don't do it" as far as putting a warning on the gun....there isn't enough room to cover all of the stupid mistakes people would make

 

[mnw42]

I've put my hand over my Nagant's cylinder and fired a few rounds, to the wide-eyed surprise of those around me. I wouldn't try that with any other revolver, though!

 

[cmidkiff]

I was lucky enough to learn my lesson on a lightweight .38 special. Didn't hurt, just a rather obvious reminder. I'll never again have my hands anywhere near a cylinder gap. Sure as heck not on an X frame!

I'm glad this guy posted the pics. He might very well save someone else from making the same mistake. Kudo's, to you for accepting the rather harsh criticism for your error. Suing S&W isn't really a viable answer... the phrase 'Personal Responsibility' comes to mind here.

A .460 smith has a cylinder length of 2.3"... From any sort of 'standard' grip, I can't imagine being anywhere close to that cylinder gap.

Just as a brand new driver is not likely to be able to properly handle a super high performance racing machine... a new revolver shooter probably shouldn't start with what is undoubtedly one of the highest power hand-cannons ever made. I really want a .500, but for now, I'll keep shooting my .44.

I'll offer my prayers for a rapid and full recovery.

 

[dogboy]

OK, call me an idiot, but I was surprised to see the level of damage there. I mean, I've shot revolvers for going on 20 years now, and never actually thought about it. I've even been bit by the gasses from a .22LR, but still didn't think about it. So I can really feel for the guy. So yeah, maybe I'm a blockhead that doesn't deserve to be shooting; but I'm kinda glad I saw this. It could VERY well have been me and a .357.

 

[bl4ckd0g]

His mixing of oxycodone w/ alcohol was also a rather subgeinus move. He can graft a piece of his thigh or bum skin to cover his thumb. Liver shutdown is a bit more serious.

 

[tinygnat219]

I still get squeamish looking at the lump that was his thumb.

 

[Shawnee]

Whew ! That's awful !

Had a friend who bought a Ruger Super Blackhawk and took it to taregt shoot at an old quarry. He sat down, braced the gun by placing the top (back) of his hands against his raised knees to fire. I saw the problem but not soon enough to get a warning out in time and the scorch on the insides of both his knees was bad enough he spent until the next morning in a local hospital.

:banghead:

 

[Zak Smith]

I shoot a lot of autopistols with the thumbs-forward grip, and I just happen to use the same grip on my 629. I don't think my thumb has so much as gotten dirty from this... but maybe I should pay more attention now ?!

I kind of agree with Blakenzy-- extreme danger is simply not expected from this area of a revolver.

 

[cottonmouth]

I wonder how much he got for the .460? I'm guessing somebody got a good deal on that puppy!! I think if I purchased a .460 I would have had enough prior trigger time that I'd know better by now. I did have a .500 S&W and don't think my dumb er' thumb could reach the front of the cylinder, I bet he used his weak hand to cradle the gun with his hand/fingers wraped around the cylinder. What do you think that did for his flintch?

J.B.

 

[plexreticle]

That amount of damage cause by cylinder gap blow by is unreasonable. The barrel length and long distance capability of round the pretty much encourages the shoot to use unconventional holds.