Revolver Malfunctions and Stoppages

The revolver was the mainstay defensive handgun in America through the mid-to-late 20th Century. While a variety of autopistols (many of them John Browning designs—all rise!) were popular with American gun carriers as well, and eventually supplanted the revolver as King, it was the revolver that filled most holsters, pockets, and nightstands. Continue reading “Revolver Malfunctions and Stoppages”

SHOT Show 2022 Roundup

It was a great disappointment when the 2021 SHOT Show was canceled, so I was very eager to travel to Vegas, in mid-January, for the 2022 SHOT Show. I was really looking forward to linking up with all my industry friends, and seeing what the manufacturers had up their sleeves for us RevolverGuys this year. Continue reading “SHOT Show 2022 Roundup”

Dud Lessons

I encountered this dud round in the middle of a shooting competition at the range recently.  Even though it’s from one of those bottom feeders—Eek!—it provides a good opportunity to make a few observations that are universal in nature, and not related to any particular weapon type.

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DA Revolver Function Check

If you read the field report on the K6s, then you know that one of our test guns had a firing pin failure that rendered the gun inoperable. The RevolverGuy who owns this gun detected the problem during a routine inspection and function check, and it’s an awfully good thing that he did, because the gun was being carried as a defensive arm. Nobody wants their gun to go “click” when it should go “boom.” That’s the kind of surprise that we’d all like to avoid. Continue reading “DA Revolver Function Check”

The Backed-Out Ejector Rod Malfunction

Last weekend I drove out to an old military buddy’s house. He has a multi-acre yard with his own range and I was looking forward to clanging some steel. We set up the range, I loaded up, and began with six shots at his dueling tree. As soon as I hit the sixth plate I brought the gun back to my workspace to conduct a universal revolver reload. Something was wrong. The middle and ring fingers of my support hand could barely budge the cylinder open. I put a little “oomph” into it and the gun popped open, but I knew I had a problem. In a first for me, I had just experienced a backed-out ejector rod malfunction. Continue reading “The Backed-Out Ejector Rod Malfunction”

Identifying & Clearing The Revolver Squib Load

Last weekend I had spent half my Saturday at a private range with a friend and his son. It was just the three of us on the range. In addition to some true plinking, we shot the 5×5 drill, did some plate-rack work, and ran an informal competition or two. Toward the end of the day I let the other two guys take a few shots my my 686. When the 14-year old dropped the hammer on his first round, the result was an unimpressive fizzle. It was the first revolver squib load I’ve ever witnessed and my range session came to an abrupt end. But, I definitely learned a couple of things. Continue reading “Identifying & Clearing The Revolver Squib Load”