Other Brits on foreign soil

[Jim K]

Vainn80 has posted on several interesting British revolvers (and one auto pistol). An interesting subject to which I will add an odd and interesting gun. It is a Kynoch revolver and one of several different break top designs made in the late 1800's and early 1900's.

The gun is a trigger cocker. Like the old Starr "double action", the trigger cocks the hammer. At the user's option, it may then also fire the gun, as in a double action, or leave the hammer cocked for the second trigger to actually release the hammer. The idea here is that for double action firing, both the index and the middle finger pull the combined trigger; for single action, the middle finger pulls the bottom of the trigger while the index finger then fires the gun, with a light trigger pull. The checkered device on the trigger allows the hammer to be let down without firing, something necessary on a concealed hammer gun.

Jim

 

[ljnowell]

Very cool!

 

[tekarra]

Nice revolver. I remember some time ago a fellow had a revolver like that and stated two fingers were used to shoot; the second finger pulled the lower trigger and when ready to fire, the first finger pulled the trigger. Interesting piece of firearms history.

 

[Monac]

Holy cow, that is a rare bird. I've never seen one outside of books. There must be a lot going on inside the trigger to allow decocking as well as cocking.

Does the thing that resembles the cocking piece on an S&W Bodyguard open the frame? And which of the many "Cal. 380" cartridges does it use?

 

[Jim K]

Yes, that thumbpiece on the back is the latch to open the gun. The gun is chambered for the .380 Long Center Fire, a cartridge also used in Rook rifles, and a very common round in English revolvers. It is almost identical to the .38 Long Colt and I have fired .38 Long Colt in it. (Due to lack of chamber shoulders, it will also accept .38 Special, but I don't intend to fire that cartridge in it.)

The top of the barrel is marked "KYNOCH GUN FACTORY ASTON", and the top of the frame is marked "PATENT MODEL."

Oddly, the only proof marks are very tiny Birmingham view and proof marks on the left side of the topstrap. There are no marks on the cylinder or on the frame except for the "CAL 380" already noted.

Jim

 

[MagnumDweeb]

Cool find. I'd never shell out the money for one but I can appreciate folks appreciating these pieces of history.

 

[vainn80]

JimK; Thanks for posting such an informative thread on a rare British revolver. That's the first one of those I've seen.