If you’re a RevolverGuy who was born after the turn of the century, you probably missed out on the joys of pouring over a catalog that was printed on paper. There’s no doubt that today’s manufacturers can provide MUCH more information and imagery on their electronic websites, but there was just something special about thumbing through the pages of a worn catalog and letting your mind wander through the daydreams it inspired.
Category: Revolver History
Close Encounters of the Revolver Kind
Two schools of historical thought continue to debate the severity of the late 19th century American West violence, particularly after the Civil War. One asserts that the violence was greatly exaggerated and really not that bad. The other claims that brutality in many parts of the vast and underpopulated West, especially in boomtowns, was exceptionally high.1 Given the abundant evidence of misbehavior and mayhem way back when, the latter theory clearly wins the argument in my estimation. Continue reading “Close Encounters of the Revolver Kind”
The Birth of the Greatest Nation
In Congress, July 4, 1776
The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America, Continue reading “The Birth of the Greatest Nation”
Sheriff Max’s .357
Mid 2022, West Texas. Retired Dallas PD Captain Eddie Walt was browsing GunBroker when he happened across an ad for a 3 ½” Smith & Wesson .357 Magnum – what collectors call a “pre-27.” The opening bid seemed reasonable enough. Continue reading “Sheriff Max’s .357”
The Smith & Wesson Revolver Model No. 3
First seen in 1870, Smith & Wesson’s No. 3 revolver beat the arrival of the Colt Single Action Army revolver by three years. The No. 3 was a large single action revolver with a cylinder holding six cartridges, and its hammer could be cocked by the thumb of either hand. Continue reading “The Smith & Wesson Revolver Model No. 3”
The M13 Aircrewman Revolver, Part II
In Part I of this series, we discussed the U.S. Air Force’s early interest in aluminum-framed revolvers, and their experience with prototype/development test samples from Colt and Smith & Wesson. We pick up the story in this second part, with the delivery of Aircrewman operational test samples from the two companies, which would eventually lead to the procurement of the M13 Aircrewman revolver. Continue reading “The M13 Aircrewman Revolver, Part II”
The M13 Aircrewman Revolver, Part I
One of the many pleasant surprises of the 2024 Pat Rogers Memorial Revolver Roundup was my first brush with a unique piece of U.S. Air Force (USAF) history—a destroyed Smith & Wesson M13 Aircrewman revolver. Continue reading “The M13 Aircrewman Revolver, Part I”
Smith & Wesson Model 1 – Their First Firearm
My dad started taking me to gun shows when I was around ten years old. I fondly remember ogling the endless tables at eye level displaying Lugers, Broomhandle Mausers, Walther PPK pistols, Colt Single Action Army revolvers, and Smith & Wesson double actions in gold-colored boxes. Those were indeed the good old days, circa 1975. Before the dark times, before the empire of black polymer. Continue reading “Smith & Wesson Model 1 – Their First Firearm”
My LAPD Revolver Journey
. . . From Colt to S&W, and from Inspector to Cop
In 1961, New York Hardware Store, at 5th and Hill Streets, was a short two block walk from my part-time Saturday job parking cars in downtown Los Angeles. New York Hardware had a nice gun section with rifles, shotguns, and handguns. Continue reading “My LAPD Revolver Journey”
The Long and the Short of It: A Fort Worth Gunfight
Like many Old West characters, real and imagined, the two men soon to be involved in the deadly fracas had pursued a variety of occupations, some questionable and others outright crooked. Continue reading “The Long and the Short of It: A Fort Worth Gunfight”