More weird revolvers

A while back I started a thread about weird revolvers, but it drifted of the original subject, revolvers, into the more esoteric stuff like the Gyrojet.

I'd like to keep this thread about revolvers. The stranger the better. The impetus for this thread were some comments about the usefulness or purpose of some guns like the Chiappa Rhino.

Well, suffice it to say, the Chiappa is not the only gun of it's kind, the Mateba was another, although both guns were designed by the same guy. But they were not the only one that saw the usefulness of guns with a lower bore axis.

The Russians did so before them. Check out the AEK-906 "Nosorog". Chambered in 9mm, fires from the bottom cylinder. Designed in the early 90's, some 5 years before the Mateba and 15 years before the Chiappa. BTW, Nosorog means "rhinoceros" in Russian. I don't know if that is a name that was attributed originally or later, but it can't be coincidence, can it?



And here is what is another bottom firing revolver, which the manufacturer claims is THE most power handgun in the world, the Rsh-12. This beast chambers a 12.7x55 assault rifle cartridge. It's till in use by the Russian military, and believed to be used in busting locks



So this is it for starters. Let's see what other weird stuff is out there (not necessarily bottom firing revolvers), but let's keep it to the revolver family.

 

Can't be!

And that 12.7x55 revolver is a tremendously odd solution to a lock. . . it would be fascinating to figure out how they landed there.

 

I came across an article on this monstrosity a number of years ago. I can’t find the article but I keep the photo for when I need a chuckle. I think it was an attempt at a high capisity revolver.

 

That looks like 18 rounds. Does it have independent hammers, or does it fire 3 at a time?

 

How about my favorite weirdo: the Nagant revolver. Only revolver design that could ever be effectively fitted with a suppressor and simple enough that when it broke the peasants in the Soviet army could fix it with a screwdriver and a hammer.

 

Hey my Nagant was a fun shooter and really looked Russian. Fun using a light hammer to drive out each individual shell. Never FTF and with some judicious shimming of the spring, the SA could be a reasonable 6-7 lbs.

 

Here is another interesting one, the IzMech MP-412 REX (Revolver for EXport). This is for those that are bemoaning the lack of a "modern" top break capable of magnum loads. Unfortunately, this is another cool gun that was never really manufactured (other than the few odd samples).



This puppy was chambered in .357 magnum, with a top break design that had a locking top latch. the side buttons on the top had to be pressed before you could open it. What's interesting is that it had a basic steel frame, with a polymer case around it forming the grips and trigger guard. The rest was pretty conventional.

The gun was originally designed for export only, since normal Russian citizens are not allowed to own handguns, but at the time, Clinton and Yeltsin entered a mutual agreement to stop sales of Russian made handguns in the US, so their primary market evaporated, and so did the idea of producing the gun.

I would have been interested in something like this. But video games are the only place you can find these.

 

I missed out on owning one of those. Years ago, when you could buy Nagants on line for $125.00, I was in the Cabela's store in Reno, NV (technically Verdi, NV), and they had one with a holster in good condition, but it was missing the front sight. They offered it to me for $90, but as an idiot I passed it up, thinking I'll buy one on line. Never did, and now, finding one is almost impossible, unless you're willing to pay serious money.

Anyone here want to part with one?

 

That is a wild one. I would have been kind of leery shooting one of those all that much. Somehow I am not sure that the latch would hold up to lots of magnum loads.

 

I can't believe how much the go for. I have actually had mine out as a hunting sidearm and shot a cottontail with it. Haven't shot it in a while, but I should get it out again. I even have reloading dies for it.

 

Next weekend I Am supposed to get a Rhino. That will be interesting for sure. It will hang out with a .357 buntline 16”. Then there are the true antiques In the form of several varieties of S&W and one trashed Colt, the Miroku which looks like a Colt but functions like a S&W. these are the ones I have, and I am proud of them. They are nowhere near as interesting as a webley fosbery, dardick, or some of the more recent weirdos like the volley fire 22 mag gun currently marketed.

if we are talking straight up dumb guns though...
https://www.lostcornerguns.com/hand...g-rifle-wremovable-cylinder-cartridge-2015510

 

Probably cheating on several fronts but this thing scores pretty high on my weird revolver table it's a .44 super Redhawk firing a telescopic .30 cal cartridge with a special gasket to work with a sound suppressor. For a rapidfire sniper rifle that didn't leave any casings behind.

Unfortunately one of a kind, but one of those neat things to come out of a military procurement boondoggle that went nowhere.

 

Hm not "weird" but if I ever owned one that qualified as such:


a Belgian made .40 Cal pinfire revolver.

 

OrangeCat

I remember reading an article in Soldier of Fortune magazine about that particular revolver. Definitely some high-tech stuff going on there at the time!

 

That one is slick. Seems like it would be likely that some of the guys involved with the frankenruger guns likely either had a part in it, or got some inspiration from it. I’m suprised that it hasn’t been copied enough to be a recognizable gun because it’s stinkin cool. I would want 357 instead of 44 but either way it’s sweet. Also the first 44 I have seen a suppressor for.

 

Those Knight's revolver rifles are pretty cool. One of those things that get featured more in movies and shows than ever in real life.

 

Strange enough?

 

How about some extra info?

 

Thunderstruck volley gun. Fires 2 22mags at the same time. 8 rounds fired in 4 shots.

 

Would have loved to but for 'serious money'lol. I sold mine as it had not been getting much use and all this 'interesting times' stuff and i see Nagants going for $400! It was a fun gun but after the initial 7 rds, it took 5 minutes to unload!

 

Standard mfg. Thunderstruck 22 mag. You use two fingers to pull the trigger and you need two the trigger is so heavy. The trigger design acts like a safety. Standard makes some fine single action revolvers but the Thunderstruck doesn't do anything for me.

 

At least they did better than that one maker of single actions who dumped all that machinery and instead made a really junk .22... (looking at YOU USFA!)

 

Sounds like another company that made fine single action revolvers and then bet the farm on some silly novelty 22 that was weird and seemed only to serve the purpose of killing a business that was profitable before that product came out. Hopefully this one ends differently.

 

My contribution is one that had to be a huge lemon during R&D, but big egos at the top made it happen anyway... the S&W .22 Jet model 53.

Nothing about the shape of the .300 H&H inspired shoulder of the .22 Jet ammo looks like it would have ever remain in place during firing in a firearm with a revolving chamber. That long, sloping case looks like it’s backing up when it is just standing still. I can almost guarantee that the prototypes all bound up when the cases set back against the recoil shield like they did religiously in the production guns sent to customers, yet I’ll opine that the desire to bring out “the fastest revolver in history” led S&W executive folks to look the other way and manufacture and market a true turkey.

Even the machined inserts to fire rimfire ammo in this gun are weird, I can see folks losing or damaging them all the time just trying to reload it. Once you are short of six, it becomes semi-useless... until they’re all gone (Then it is completely useless!)

Looking back, it probably wouldn’t have been too much greater cost-wise to make entire unfluted cylinders swap out like Ruger did with the Single six rather than try to jimmy up a multi-caliber option like this.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/.22_Remington_Jet

Stay safe.

 

Another weird one I just remembered was the Cobray pocket pal. That one was just weird.