Revolving rifles?

[cluttonfred]

OK, only partly on-topic, but here goes anyway.

With the backlash against "assault weapons" in so many places (please let's not talk about it, that's another thread) a lot of folks are taking a second look at pistol-caliber carbines. While the semi-autos seem to come and go (Marlin, Ruger gone, Berretta, Kel-Tec, High Point still here) the lever-actions and now a few pump-action Lightning clones are still very popular. I know I'd feel pretty comfortable with a handy .357 Magnum Winchester or Marlin carbine in most scenarios.

So I wonder why, with a few expensive replica exceptions, no one is making a revolving rifle or carbine? With so many high-powered revolvers (single- and double-action) out there, I'd think there would be a market for revolver-based long arms.

I can easily imagine a break-open, single-action revolving rifle (think of a Schofield or a six-shot Handi-Rifle) that would be great fun. A .410/.45LC survival gun might work, and I can even imagine a double-action only gun for home defense.

I know there are some issues to resolve (a shield around the cylinder/barrel gap for one) but nothing that complicated. So tell me, why don't they exist?

Cheers,

Matthew

 

[MrBorland]

Well, assuming gas from the cylinder gap isn't an issue, I'll take a stab at a few possibilities:

On a rifle, the action's normally closed when you're hauling it around, but on a revolver rifle, the cylinder & barrel is such it'd be open to all types of crud. Revolvers (handguns) get around this by being holstered.

How 'bout trigger pull? For whatever reason, I don't mind the DA trigger pull on my Smiths, but compared to the relatively crisp trigger on a rifle, a DA trigger on a rifle may feel odd or may even be difficult to perform without the benefit of a pistol grip.

Capacity? My Marlin 1894C holds more rounds than my revolvers.

 

[PO2Hammer]

The cylinder barrel gap was an issue even with the originals. With a revolver, you don't put your hand on the barrel.

The lever gun rules.

 

[Hawk]

Lever and pump action rifles eject empties as the firearm is cycled. A revolving rifle of the single action persuasion would require that empties be punched out one at a time thus making it the slowest of the slow.

A break-action type would presumably be limited to lower pressure rounds.

A double action would introduce a whole world of suckage into rifle triggers.

Somebody, probably a whole bunch of somebodys, will sooner or later place their support hand at the cylinder / barrel gap and do the ouchie dance right to their lawyer's office. Not right, but it'll happen.

 

[Phil DeGraves]

I have a single action revolving rifle in .357. Fun gun and a conversation starter but other actions are MUCH more efficient and easier to shoot. Still, I wouldn't mind having a D/A revolving rifle if someone would make one, a S&W N-Frame rifle in one of the three magnim calibers, for example. That way I wouldn't have to pick up the ejecting brass.

 

[MCgunner]

How 'bout trigger pull? For whatever reason, I don't mind the DA trigger pull on my Smiths, but compared to the relatively crisp trigger on a rifle, a DA trigger on a rifle may feel odd or may even be difficult to perform without the benefit of a pistol grip.

Why would you want a DA trigger on a revolving rifle? All the cap and ball guns are SA only and that's what I'd want on anything modern taking cartridges.

I'll keep my Rossi 92, though, thanks, or my bolt rifles or a good single shot. I don't need no stinkin' revolving carbine. They still sell the black powder onex, though, if you're really interested, but keep your hand BEHIND the cylinder in case of a rare, but possible chain fire.

 

[cane]

likethis?

http://www.emf-company.com/model1873.htm

 

[Jim Watson]

I once saw a guy shooting one of those at CAS and it just was not effective. He wore Wild West Show fancy gauntlet gloves to protect from the gap flash, but he was not hitting much.

 

[jwxspoon]

I wouldn't mind having a replica of one of the old revolving shotguns.

jw

 

[Brian Williams]

Go to YouTube and find the don't put you finger next to the cylinder gap, some guy takes a hot dog and holds it next to a 44Mag and just about cuts it off when it fires.

 

[Quoheleth]

In their 2006 catalog, Taurus showed a Gaucho revolving carbine. Looked cool, but I don't think I would want to shoot it much if at all. I never saw one live and in person, though - only on paper.

Alas, the Gaucho has gone the way of the Edsel.

Q

 

[Rexster]

One time I got my support hand too close to the barrel-cylinder gap, and blowtorched a nasty cut into a fingertip. As I remember, I was experimenting at the time with putting my index finger on the front of the trigger guard, and grabbed too far forward, the front of the frame instead of the front of the trigger guard.