Snub-nosed revolvers yesterday and today
The "Snub-Nose Revolver" in action: Agent Mouse kills Keith. But why did she close her eyes while doing it? Still from the film "Umbrella Injection"
"Guys, there might be a lot of gunfire, so get your bulldogs ready. Anyone know a shelter in Pankow?"
"Mozartstrasse, eight?" asked the gray-haired man.
"You've got it mixed up again," Müller replied, leaving the apartment. "You always confuse odd and even numbers. Number seven."
"Seventeen Moments of Spring"
"Mozartstrasse, eight?" asked the gray-haired man.
"You've got it mixed up again," Müller replied, leaving the apartment. "You always confuse odd and even numbers. Number seven."
"Seventeen Moments of Spring"
stories about weapons. There are long-barreled and short-barreled weapons. Short-barreled weapons include pistols and revolvers. But even among them, there are those with fairly long barrels, and those with very short barrels. Such revolvers with shortened barrels are often called "snubbies," "potbellied," or "bulldogs" in the West. Typically, these revolvers are small, medium, or large in size with a short barrel, typically less than 3 inches (7,62 cm) in length. Such revolvers are often equipped with "lightweight" or "concealed" hammers, and hammerless models (where the hammer is completely hidden) also exist; this allows the weapon to be drawn with minimal risk of snagging on clothing.
Because external movement of the mechanism is minimal or absent, hammerless and concealed-hammer revolvers can be fired directly through clothing. The design of these revolvers sacrifices range and accuracy for maneuverability and ease of carry and concealment.
Short-barreled revolvers were very popular in the United States until the 1950s and 1960s, when many states passed laws restricting or banning concealed carry. However, the passage of mandatory firearms license laws from the mid-1980s to the 1990s led to a resurgence in the popularity of short-barreled "snub-nosed revolvers" in the United States.
Demand for snubnose revolvers was met by the release of numerous new models from manufacturers such as Smith & Wesson, Colt, Ruger, Taurus, and others. While most were made from the traditional carbon steel, stainless steel, and lightweight aluminum alloys that had been in use for decades, some models later began using high-strength, lightweight metal alloys such as titanium and scandium. Polymer frames also began to be used, and in increasing numbers.
Most firearms manufacturers now produce snubnose revolvers in larger calibers than before, including .357 Magnum, .41 Magnum, .44 Magnum, and .45 Colt. Some companies produce snubnose revolvers chambered for .454 Casull, .460 S&W Magnum, .480 Ruger, .500 S&W Magnum, and .410 caliber. Snubnose revolvers also exist for semiautomatic pistol cartridges such as 9×19mm Parabellum, .40 S&W, and .45 ACP (these are fed using moon-shaped clips).
As for stories The first commercial revolver with a short barrel was the Colt Single Action, a six-shot military revolver with a 76 mm barrel. Officially, it was called the "Sheriff's Model" or "Storekeeper's Model," and unofficially, the "Bankers' Special Model."
Here it is, this very same "Colt"...
And this is the "Sherlock Holmes revolver" - a Webley .450 "British Bull Dog" model from the 1870s.
The British Bull Dog revolver was a popular, five-shot, double-action, solid-frame pocket revolver manufactured in England by Philip Webley & Son of Birmingham, England, in 1872 and subsequently copied by gunmakers across continental Europe and the United States. It featured a barrel just 64 mm long and was chambered for either the .442 Webley or .450 Adams cartridges. Webley later produced smaller versions in .320 Revolver and .380 caliber, but no longer branded them as the British Bull Dog. The term "bulldog revolver" has since become synonymous with all large-caliber "short revolvers."
The Colt M1877 Double Action Revolver is a six-shot revolver manufactured by Colt from January 1877 to 1909. A total of 166,849 revolvers were produced. The Model 1877 was offered in three calibers with three unofficial names: .32 Long Colt ("Rainmaker"), .38 Long Colt ("Lightning"), and .41 Long Colt ("Thunderer"). The M1877 was the first successful American double-action revolver chambered for this cartridge. From the factory, the M1877 was offered in two basic finishes: a nickel-plated or case-hardened frame with a blued barrel and cylinder. The revolver was produced with barrel lengths of 64 mm (2.5 in) and 89 mm (3.5 in). Shorter versions were sold as "Special Store Guards."
32-caliber Smith & Wesson hammerless
The Smith & Wesson Safety Hammerless revolver was produced from 1887 until the start of World War II. It is a small, compact, double-action, 5-shot revolver chambered for .32 S&W or .38 S&W cartridges. It was most commonly produced with 51-inch, 76-inch, and 89-inch barrels. These revolvers were designed for quick reloading and concealed carry, as the hammer was located internally and did not snag when drawn from a pocket. They also featured a grip safety.
This design was dubbed "The New Departure," reflecting the company's new approach to revolver development. These revolvers sacrificed accuracy and range in favor of maneuverability and concealment. Similar hammerless designs were produced by manufacturers such as Iver Johnson and Harrington & Richardson and were popular specifically as concealed carry weapons.
The Fitz Gerald Special, also known as the "Fitz Special," or "Fitz Colt," is a short-barreled revolver designed by John Henry Fitzgerald (also known as "Fitz"), an employee of Colt's Manufacturing Company from 1918 to 1944. Fitz Special revolvers are manufactured by shortening the barrel to two inches (51 mm), shortening the cleaning rod, reshaping the mainspring, removing the front half of the trigger guard, and rounding the grip. The reshaped hammer allowed for quick drawing with minimal risk of snagging on clothing. The newly shaped trigger guard facilitated a quick trigger pull, even for shooters with large fingers or wearing gloves.
This is what "Fitz" is like...
Fitzgerald first proposed his idea around the mid-1920s, when he modified a .38 Special Colt Police Positive Special revolver, which at the time had a shortest barrel length of four inches (102 mm). He later modified two .45-caliber Colt New Service revolvers in the same manner. The FitzGerald Special served as the prototype for the Colt Detective Special.
Special for Police
The Colt Detective Special is a double-action, carbon steel-frame revolver with a short barrel and a six-round capacity. As its name suggests, this revolver was used by plainclothes police detectives. It was available with either a 2" (51mm) or 3" (76mm) barrel. Introduced in 1927, the Detective Special was the first short-barreled revolver with a modern swing-out frame. From the outset, it was chambered for more powerful cartridges, such as the .38 Special, which was considered a large caliber for a pocket pistol at the time.
The Smith & Wesson Model 10, or "Military & Police," is a revolver popular worldwide. Manufactured since 1899, it is a medium-sized, six-shot, double-action, .38 Special revolver with fixed sights. Over the years, it has been available with barrel lengths of 100 mm, 130 mm, and 150 mm. The first models with shortened barrels of 51 mm, 64 mm, and 76 mm were introduced in 1936. More than 6,000,000 Model 10 pistols were produced, making it the most popular revolver of the 20th century.
Model 10 with the drum folded out. Photo by the author.
Smith & Wesson Model 36 with a 51mm barrel
The Smith & Wesson Model 36 was developed immediately after World War II, when Smith & Wesson ceased military production and returned to regular production. The Model 36 was designed as a small, double-action revolver with a 5-round magazine for carry and a 2-inch (51 mm) barrel capable of firing the more powerful .38 Special cartridge. Since the older "Safety Hammerless" model could no longer handle the load, a new frame was developed for it.
Smith & Wesson Model 642 Ladysmith revolver
The new design was presented at the 1950 International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) convention and was well received. A vote was held to name the new revolver, and the name "Chiefs Special" won. Due to high demand, a version with a 3-inch (76 mm) barrel was immediately put into production. The revolver was available in a blued or nickel-plated finish. It was produced as the "Chiefs Special" until 1957, when it became the Model 36.
In 1951, Smith & Wesson introduced the "Airweight" Model 37, which was essentially a Model 36 with an aluminum frame and cylinder. Aluminum cylinders proved unreliable and were abandoned in favor of steel ones. In the 1990s, S&W introduced models chambered for 9mm Parabellum and .357 Magnum cartridges. The company also released new models using high-strength, lightweight metal alloys such as titanium and scandium.
In 1953, the United States Air Force (USAF) ordered a version of the S&W Military & Police Airweight revolver with a two-inch (51 mm) barrel and aluminum cylinder, designated the Revolver, Lightweight, Caliber .38 Special, M13, for Aircrewmen. Approximately 40,000 Smith & Wesson M13 revolvers were produced. After numerous reports of cylinder and frame failures in the M13 and its Colt Aircrewman counterpart, the Air Force attempted to address the problem by producing a special low-pressure .38 cartridge for these weapons—the .38 Ball M41. However, following further negative reviews, Air Force command decided the revolvers were unsuitable for service, and the model was discontinued, with all remaining units destroyed.
To be continued ...
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