REVOLVERS

Altor’s Single Shot Savvy

I honestly, really, completely wanted to dislike this gun. I mean, just look at it. It’s everything silly you can think up. It looks like a hose nozzle for crying out loud.

.44 RUSSIAN, SPECIAL & MAGNUM

It amazes me how many shooters — young and old — talk about their .44 Specials or .44 Magnums without having a clue as to their ancestry.

Primo Prestige Police...

If we don’t know where we’ve been, it’s harder to tell where we’re going. In 2020 Colt re-introduced their top-of-the-line Python revolver.

Handgunner Helper |...

But, having started altering the gun, I also caught “the bug” in the process. In search of more suggestions, I went to the best resource for handguns available, American Handgunner.

NAA’s Ranger II Break Top Revolver Is The First Of Its Kind

North American Arms introduces the first break-top revolver with the Ranger II. Chambered in .22 Magnum and .22 LR, this mini-revolver is the perfect reason to go small.

Leaning Left...

Got your attention I’ll bet, but we’re not talking about “that” left here. Left-handed people in many ways are better off today than in the past.

Taurus 380 UL

A neat little revolver, using full-moon clips, and chambered for the .380 Auto cartridge? At this point, a gun-cynic might ask why?

Odd But Good?

A perusal of revolvers developed around the world in the last 150 years cannot help but give you some insight about the human mind.

DOUBLE, TRIPLE, QUADRUPLE ...

Let’s think about the .38-40 and the .41 Long Colt. Two totally different cartridges. The first is a tapered or bottleneck cartridge beginning life in the...

Pliers And Files

In the spring of 1984 I was preparing to fly to Southern California to participate in my very first End Of Trail cowboy action match. I had only one misgiving.

Pocket Snakes From Cobra

The first pocket-sized, 5-shot .38 Special arrived in 1950 when it was unveiled as the Smith & Wesson Chief’s Special at a national gathering of chiefs of...

They Called Him “Fitz”

As with all boys from time immemorial, the young lad was curious while at the same time somewhat bored with nothing to do. Going into his father’s office...

Buck and Ball For .45...

In these pages I’ve previously made it clear I am not the .45 Colt’s greatest fan. That said, there is one area where it shines above all other revolver...

Long Range Rugers

It had been a long hot summer, in fact the last of three painful summers. Summers are meant for shooting, camping, hiking, outdoor activities with the family.

Keep Your Fancy Customs!

I gotta be me.” That’s good. We all should do that. Don’t just say it — do it! But know your “do it” attitude might not be someone else’s cup...

Dear Handgunner

Well, the new .44 Magnum is now arriving regularly at local dealers both in the original S&W .44 Magnum and the Ruger Blackhawk.

A Robar Single Action

A seed was planted in my brain over 13 years ago. In December 1996 I was invited to participate in a unique class conducted at Thunder Ranch, then located...

Perfect Packin’ Pistol

Several years (decades?) ago I coined the phrase Perfect Packin’ Pistol, or as it has come to be known by many readers, PPP.

The Return Of The Mastodons

There was a time when elephants roamed North America. Mastodons had tusks up to 15' in length and were found in Africa, Europe and both North and South...

A Special That Is Special

A few issues back I wrote a piece in these pages titled “The .44 Special Ain’t So Special” (July/Aug 2009). Some might be surprised I received as many...

J! S&W’s Most Popular...

The mighty X-frame revolvers and the gorgeous handguns of their Performance Center notwithstanding, the single most popular handgun Smith & Wesson makes...

I Gotta Be Me

In the 1950s I discovered Elmer Keith and his writings, which often covered customized sixguns. He had about a half-dozen highly customized .44 Special...

On Accuracy

So I shot the gun at the normal combat range of seven yards,” reads all too many lines, in all too many gun articles I see.

MANSON REAMERS FORCING...

Every now and again, a tool comes along that will revolutionize a process, however obscure or seemingly unimportant.

An Heirloom Colt

The elements of style can be mystifying. Just as there are billions of people in the world, we might safely say there are billions of ideas of what...

Pocket Pistol Preparedness

I’m not as prepared for emergencies as I should be, and there was a time I wanted to be ready for anything.

Real .44 Cowboy loads

The last place to learn safe gun handling is at the movies or the TV screen and it’s a rare film that ever depicts recoil in any shape or fashion....

An Expert’s Gun

Yeah, I know, we all have one or more of them, and there’s nothing wrong with that. In experienced hands — and I mean near-expert hands — they are...

Lawman Leather

Here’s a holster quiz for ya, trivia fans: Back in 1978, the late great Elmer Keith described somebody’s leather as “… the most comfortable holster...

Big Bore Snubbies

The concept of bigbore, snub-nosed revolvers isn’t new. In fact it’s just about as old as revolvers themselves. As soon as men began to carry revolving...

Colt Rising

Like the proverbial Phoenix rising from the ashes, I’m seeing more and more fine old Colt revolvers coming out of drawers, gun cabinets, estates and other...

Purdy Gear

There’s a reason Karla Van Horne’s cowboy shooting alias is “Purdy Gear,” it’s because she makes, well … purdy gear.

BluMagnum Grips

Skeeter Skelton’s earliest articles appeared in the pages of our sister publication, GUNS, in the late 1950s when he was still known as Charles A....

The Best Ever Revolver...

What’s the best ever big-bore revolver cartridge? I’m not talking about something chambered in a bazooka-length revolver fitted with a bipod.

The First Gunfighter's Sixgun

The era of The American gunfighter of fact and legend didn’t begin until 1850. That was when Samuel Colt introduced his first “Belt Pistol” meaning...

Trio Of Treats From...

What would the state of the sixgunning world be without dreamers? Those who looked at what was and saw what could be.

The First Engraved Colt Python

An exclusive look at the first engraved new-production Colt Python, beautifully hand scroll-engraved by Dale Bass of Tyler Gun Works.

12 New Revolvers Seen at...

Despite the ever-growing market of polymer semi-auto handguns, new revolvers are not only still being produced, but also generating a lot of buzz in 2020....

Taurus .357 Raging Hunter

Shooters buy firearms for many reasons including self-defense, hunting, target shooting and just plain old plinking.

one for the street — one...

Handguns are purchased for a variety of reasons, with self-defense and general outdoor use right at the top.

Guns We're Excited to See...

Just days away from the 2020 SHOT Show, we can't help but drool thinking about all the new guns we'll get to shoot, handle and see throughout the week.

Ruger Custom Shop Super GP100

Priced at workingman wages since their inception over 70 years ago, Ruger has provided us with a slew of rugged and reliable guns.

Chippa Rhino 200DS .357 Magnum

As a guy who makes his living evaluating and writing about guns, I get a lot of “What’s the best …” questions from folks.

Home Defense Handguns

We like shotguns and rifles for home defense, but we really like handguns, too. Full-size handguns are legit options for home defense, but so are...

ca-legal colt night cobra

Four Colt revolvers were recently added to the California “certified for sale” roster approved by the state’s Department of Justice.

The Cinderella Gun

Several years ago, I was at a local gun show helping my shooting buddies offload a bunch of guns from departed friends. There were some pricey items, but at...

S&W's Model 610 10mm Auto

A few months ago I stumbled across a couple of S&W 657 models in .41 Mag. One was a 6.5" version while the other wore a 7.5" barrel.

Re-Visiting An Old Friend

It’s confession time. For many years I’ve neglected the .357 Magnum. When hunting big game with straight-walled pistol cartridges, I generally reach for...

The NRA PPC Course Of Fire

The term PPC has several historical variations on a theme. Practical Pistol Course, Police Practical Course and Police Pistol Combat are all cited.

Hand Ejectors

Colt Patent Firearms had an 8-year head start when it came to solid-frame revolvers with swing-out cylinders.

The Sixguns Of Cimarron

Colt dropped the single action from production prior to World War II and announced it would never be produced again.

Reunited

Back in 1973 a friend and I got it in our heads we should take a couple saddle horses and my trusty steed “Duke” as a pack horse and head south.

Motor City Sixgun Fun Run

Heading up the Pennsylvania Turnpike, I set my sights on mi amigo, Doc Barranti’s adobe in Pittsburgh, 3.5 hours away. From there, we head north for 5...

An Officer And A Gentleman

The folks at Ruger have an annoying habit of releasing new guns I just can’t resist.

Taurus Raging Hunter .454...

As my buddy Dick Thompson candidly says, “You never master a handgun.” Shooting is a diminishing skill unless you keep chasing it. To maintain upmost...

How Accurate Is 'Accurate'

In my experience handgun shooters don’t obsess about accuracy the way rifle shooters do. Back in the late ’60s and early ’70s when I was getting into...

A Remington Resurfaces

Back in the first years of this century a fellow contacted me saying he was putting a replica of the Remington Model 1875 revolver into production and he...

Ruger's Time Machine

Whether gumshoe detective or guncrank writer, the words “revolver” and “reliable” are synonymous to these probing guys. There’s a reason some guns...

Wrangler Vs. Super Single Six

In about 1969 I was 15 “going on 16” as we used to say. I had a hopeless case of the “gun crazies” and had been suffering from the syndrome since I...

Fussing With A Fitz

Sometimes you just have to get out of your comfort zone. I work on a lot of 1911’s every year. So when I got a call from Mark Mason of Downers Grove,...

One Eye — Or Two?

Should I shoot with one eye open — or two? The short answer is two. Most shooters, most of the time, are better off with both eyes open. Most of the top...

Ruger's .22 Wranglers

In 1956 I was straight out of high school and purchased my first handgun, a Ruger .22 Single-Six for $63.25. At the time I was working for $0.90 an hour so...

Preferences, Opinions and...

The advice you get when trying to choose a new gun may come from a father, brother, sister, uncle, cousin, co-worker, magazine article, online forum, or...

Revolver Trappings

Arevolver’s strength lies in its simplicity, but these must-have accessories will profoundly improve performance. From grip, to reloading, to cleaning, to...

Mag-na-port's S&W Mod. 69...

The Maori warriors of New Zealand are legendary for their fighting spirit. Part of the mystique is the war “Haka” — a traditional ancestral war cry,...

The "I"s Have It

As we’ve been told so often, there’s no “I” in team. But you do need it to spell words like interesting and iconic.

Pre-War Perfection

I sort of stumbled onto this .38 Special Colt Officers Model a couple of years ago. I did a favor for a friend and he asked if I wanted “Something in a...

.45 Colt Conversion &...

While loving the simplicity of the strong and reliable single-action thumb-cocker, I’m savvy enough to appreciate its swinging sidekick — the...

The SAA's Most Prominent...

Research has shown the Colt SAA (Single Action Army) has been chambered for about 30 cartridges ranging from .22 to .476 Eley during its on-again/off-again...

Make Mine A Bisley

Although I lack the aristocratic blue blood of a high society well doer, I do enjoy the grip-frame named after the quaint village of Bisley, England.

The 3rd Generation Of Colt...

In the fall of 1976 when reading an article by writer Skeeter Skelton, I got both good news and bad news. The bad news was Colt had quietly discontinued...

Handguns For Dinosaurs?

Nope, this isn’t about guns for hunting dinosaurs although it seems like some of the revolvers and single shot handguns floating about nowadays could...

Rifle-Barreled Ruger Sixguns?

Someday. We all have a list of things we are going to do someday. Sometimes the list is short and sometimes the list is long.

Handguns Of WWII, Part 10

Some folks hold the Webley Mk VI .455 revolver in near reverence. I’m not one of them. To me it’s big, clunky, ugly, underpowered and worst of all I...

Almost... A DQ Stop Turns Ugly

Last summer for the first time in my life I thought I might have to use a gun to defend myself.

Colt's Last Three Cap &...

We’re going to lump the last three Colt cap and ball revolvers together in one article because they were simply modifications and adaptations of...

Handguns Of WWII, Part 9

Perhaps the British could claim at least a small amount of credit for the advent of Smith & Wesson’s Model 1917 .45 Auto revolver. Just into World War II...

First Favorites — For A...

As always, I had to have one — you know the feeling! I needed the ultimate hunting handgun, one fitting my needs perfectly, and yet having the ability to...

The 1860 Army .44

For about a decade Samuel Colt was quiet as far as introducing new revolver models. Obviously they were using all their factory’s production capacity just...

The Speedloader Comes of Age

When the Colt Paterson revolver burst onto the scene in 1836, the game changed forever. With five chambers of .36 caliber ball at the shooter’s disposal,

Gemini Customs: Improving...

I’ve known Marc Morganti, founder of this one-man show called Gemini Customs, for almost 20 years. After nearly two decades of association you learn much...

Belt Pistol

By the late 1840s America’s westward migration was in full swing, spurred along a great deal by the California gold rush of 1849. People by the thousands...

The Babies

As early as 1848 Samuel Colt realized the military market was going to be finite. After all, the U.S. Army was a relatively small organization and those...

Handguns Of WWII, Part 6

When Britain jumped into World War I and dragged Canada along, as usual their military outfits were woefully short of weapons. In those days the United...

The Legacy of Wayne Baker...

The wide array of sixguns we have today comes from the vision of three men, namely Sam Colt, Daniel Wesson and Bill Ruger. Both Colt and Wesson were gone by...

The Dragoons

As pointed out in Part One of this series, in U.S. Army parlance of the 1840s/1850s the word Dragoon referred to horse mounted troops. It’s also the term...

So you carry a snubby. But...

Some weeks ago a friend, Detective Dick Peters, and I, watched a made-for-TV movie one night at my place. It was called ''A Small Killing" and starred...

Handguns Of WWII, Part 4

Without a doubt the U.S. Army’s adoption of Model 1917 .45 ACP revolvers was a “make-do” situation. And also without a doubt it “made-do” very...

Revolvers And Home Defense

In the “old” days almost everyone had a “wheel gun” sitting in the sock drawer at home, carried in a leather holster — or sometimes just shoved...

Peacemaker Specialists

The 1880s was arguably the peak of the Victorian era art form. During this period, craftsmen — more artisans than not — performed inordinately ornate...

Behind Enemy Lines:...

It might be surprising to some in more recent generations there was a time when many of our celebrities and entertainers were more than just carnival...

"Load/Accuracy Charts Are...

At times readers ask me, “Why doesn’t Handgunner have many load or group charts?” My response is, “Because we think they are next to worthless.”...

A Rifle-Round Ruger Blackhawk?

When the United States military adopted the .223 as its standard cartridge, thousands upon thousands of rounds of .30 Carbine surplus ammo were offered to...

Handguns Of WWII, Part 3

A statement I’ll make about the British Enfield No. 2 Mk I .38 revolver is one I’m not willing to make about any other British weapons of World War II....

The Long Vs. The Short Of It

In a letter to Handgunner reader Jens Jensen commented, “Roy ... I read the book he (John Taffin) suggested, The Secrets of Double Action Shooting by Bob...

None dare call it...

Pay close attention to the release of the FBI Uniform Crime Report for 2018 in late September and refer quickly to Table 15 under “Homicides,” because...

Ruger’s Wrangler

When word trickled out about Ruger’s new Wrangler, the Internet was abuzz as naysayers were gearing up with ludicrous Ned Ludd worries. Turns out these...

Turnbull Bisley Blackhawk

When you get down to it, sixgunners are about as different as a carton of eggs. Sure, we have thicker shells, but the majority of us are throwbacks from...

Ruger’s Blued SP-101

Ruger’s been at it yet again and it’s why we love them so much! Using their SP-101 platform this time, they released a powerful-punching wheelgun using...

Taurus Tracker 692…

Whether you need the raw power of a .357 magnum for your heavy-handed chores, or desire something a little more subtle, for light-duty paper punching, like...

Speedloading Handguns...

Thumbing (electronically) through the July/August 1982 issue of American Handgunner, the editor's note at the end of the "Speedloading Handguns Takes Skill"...

The Virtually Unsnubbable...

Smith & Wesson’s J-frame -- what many consider the quintessential snub-nose revolver -- is virtually unsnubbable. That is, you can’t fault it for...

Performance Center S&W 442...

Who doesn’t love a J-Frame? Not doing so is as un-American as skipping over a John Wayne movie while channel surfing.

What I Carry: A...

I’ve almost always been the guy who carries a full-size handgun for CCW. I was willing to forego comfort for capability, wanting to make sure I had a gun...

Living Archive: The 9mm Myth

If you prefer a flat handgun that is easier to conceal and carries more rounds than a revolver, you have only to take your pick from the large array of 9mm...

5.11 Small Kit Tool Bag

While you’re creating an all-around survival kit list, I'll bet it numbers more than 10 items. Probably at least 20. So think of what you’ll put all...

S&W Model 460XVR

There’s no doubt, most Americans like things big — really big. We like big trucks with big tires and big motors. Big boats, big homes, big farms, you...

Let Mag-Na-Port Marvelize...

Last year, after passing through Detroit, things start looking “normal” as bait shops, gun shops and outdoor centers start popping up along the road....

NAA's Ranger II

After many years of making their beautiful little updated version of the solid-frame spur-trigger revolver, they decided to try something different.

Dan Wesson Turns 50

Dan Wesson, great-grandson of the original Daniel B. Wesson, had a different idea. Not only was he part of the original Wesson family he also served many...

Muzzle Velocity VS. Barrel...

Just how much muzzle velocity is lost as we shorten a barrel? Most shooters respond with 50 fps per inch. Is this actually true? When working on an article...

Robar's Revolver Rehab

As a pistol instructor and range safety officer, I see a lot of new shooters signing up for basic pistol classes. This surge in students is due partly to my...

Red Dot Reduction For A...

There’s no doubt about it, kids love electronics and my daughter Samantha was proof of it…

Old Guns New Generations?

At the age of 34, I don’t consider myself particularly young anymore, but to the best of my knowledge it does make me one of the younger contributors...

Colt 'Conversion' Sixguns

Colt Conversion revolvers have a confusing story, branching off in several directions. First off, what is a so-called Colt conversion? In common parlance...

Freedom Arms Model 97 .32...

Plop, Plop, Fizz, Fizz. Oh what a relief it is!” Anyone over the age of 40 will probably remember the catchy little tune sung by Speedy Alka Seltzer way...

Lipsey's Ruger Perfect...

Friend and fellow shootist Jason Cloessner of Lipsey’s, a major Ruger distributor, certainly understands the concept of the “Perfect Packin’ Pistol”...

Close Encounter Wheelguns

Hunting with a handgun can certainly spice up your outdoor experience. The variety of circumstances you may stumble onto in the field is always uncertain...

The “New” New .45

What did I mean about the “first time?” The .45 Colt’s first term of service was 1873 to 1892. The revolvers had 71/2" barrels and the issue loads as...

.44 Wadcutters

The .44 Russian was a very popular target shooting cartridge and around 1900 a man by the name of Himmelwright designed a better bullet for target shooting....

World War 1 Handguns

When Woodrow Wilson’s administration declared war on Germany on April 6, 1917, the American military was woefully unprepared. Regarding handguns, American...

The Magical Model 12

I’ve always been enamored — is it okay to be enamored? — with the Model 12. If you’re not up to speed, it’s a K-Frame S&W with an aluminum alloy...

Single Actions For...

From 1836 through the Mexican-American War, the War Between the States, the great migration West and even up to the World War I era, the single-action...

Something Old, Something New

I dare say anyone who’s experienced the pleasure of popping primers has some sorta’ semblance of a rootin’, tootin’, shootin’ “cowboy” in...

Esthetics In Handguns

Esthetics — also correctly written as aesthetics — are words defined as “the laws and principles determining the beauty in nature, art, taste, etc.”...

The .41 Magnum

Sometimes things just don’t happen the way they should. The .38 Spl. arrived around the turn of the 20th century, and then 35 years later was lengthened...

Return Of The Combat Magnum

Bill Jordan, Marine combat veteran and Border Patrol Chief Inspector when he retired in 1965, was directly responsible for the Smith & Wesson .357 Combat...

Webley MKV1 .455

The Webley MKVI certainly fits the criteria British ordnance people evidently set for their service revolvers: big, ugly, underpowered and top break. I...

.45 Wadcutters Slow And...

The original .45 Colt bullet profile is known as a truncated cone or round nosed flat point (RNFP). It basically started in the early 1870s as a round-nosed...

Guns At Auction

So you have a little dough stashed away the old lady doesn’t know about, and might come in handy at an upcoming auction. Over the decades, the first...

Revolver Extras

Whenever I hear someone say, “Oh, revolvers? They’re dead …” I always think of the hundreds of letters I get from you wanting more about them.

Revolver Redo

Other than making them go bang a few times for fun, it dawned on me I had never actually targeted one of the old break-top revolvers. Their reputations run...

Throat-Choke Is No Joke

I love Ruger revolvers, especially those chambered in .45 Colt. Built tough and able to withstand pressures most other guns can’t, doesn’t mean...

Pleasant Shooting Loads

The .44 Magnum arrived in late 1955 with most examples not arriving in gun shops until 1956. At the time Elmer Keith said recoil wasn’t bad and wouldn’t...

Classic S&W N-Frames

One of our local gunshops, Boise Gun Company, had two 1950 Targets in the case one day. They came from the same collection, both had 61/2" barrels and S&W...

The Hower 12-Shot .357/.50

Last Summer I drove the two-hour drive from Oklahoma to Kansas to visit my independent 91-year-old dad. With him in tow we arrived at my aunt and uncle’s...

S&W’s Model 360 J-Frame...

Compared to many concealed carry guns in today’s market, Smith & Wesson’s Model 360 carries half as many rounds — 5 — and costs almost twice as...

Ruger GP100 Wiley Clapp...

Those dastardly demons at Ruger’s R&D (Research & Development) are at it again. Just when we think we have any semblance of catching up with their latest...

Traditions 1873 WheelGun

That Sam Colt, he was quite a man. Deserving of: “God made man, but Sam Colt made them equal.” Colt’s Paterson tipped the scales in favor of the bearer.

Lipsey’s Liberates The...

Innovation is a wonderful thing, just so long as we don’t forget our past. Some think the newest released hellcat or horsed-up hotrod is the way to go,...

Tyler Gun Works = Fun...

An old barn sits in the northern panhandle of Texas, near the small town of Friona, the cheeseburger capital of the Lone Star state. Today, 18-wheelers and...

S&W’s Model 360 J-Frame...

Compared to many concealed carry guns in today’s market, Smith & Wesson’s Model 360 carries half as many rounds — 5 — and costs almost twice as...

Documenting Your Gun...

I began documenting my firearms collection for insurance reasons, but quickly realized it was not only important to document the monetary value of the guns...

Handguns What's New...

Just when you thought it’d all been done we discover nope, there’s more to come! Here’s just a few to tease, tempt and otherwise give you the...