Automatic revolver
An automatic revolver (more correctly, a semi-automatic revolver) is a revolver that uses the energy of firing for cocking the hammer and revolving the cylinder, rather than using manual operations to perform these actions. Examples of genuine semi-automatic revolvers are rare, and the term is more often applied to break-open revolvers with automatic systems for ejecting spent casings on opening.
Description
A standard revolver is a manually operated weapon, using the action of cocking the hammer to advance the cylinder in a single-action, or the action of pulling the trigger to advance the cylinder and cock the hammer in a double action. The idea behind an automatic revolver is to automate both actions, removing the need to manually cock the hammer between shots while retaining the lighter trigger pull of the single-action.
This is accomplished by use of a reciprocating slide on the upper part of the frame, the motion of which is used to rotate the cylinder and cock the hammer in much the same way as is used in the majority of semi-automatic pistol designs.
Examples
- The Webley-Fosbery Automatic Revolver was the first commercial example, introduced in 1901. It was recoil-operated, and the cylinder and barrel recoiled backwards to cock the hammer and revolve the cylinder. It was distinctive in that cam grooves were milled on the outside of the cylinder to provide a means of advancing to the next chamber—half a turn as the cylinder moved back, and half a turn as it moved forward. .38 caliber versions held 8 shots, .455 caliber versions 6. Around 4,750 were made in total.
- The Union Automatic Revolver of French origin. An unpopular and unsuccessful weapon, with only around 65 examples made.
- In 1997, the Mateba company developed a type of recoil-operated automatic revolver, the Mateba Unica auto-revolver, which uses recoil energy to auto-rotate a revolver cylinder holding 6 or 7 cartridges, depending on the model. The company has made several versions of its "autorevolver", including longer barreled and even rifle-like variations, usually chambered for .357 Magnum ammunition, but also available in larger calibers like .44 Magnum and .454 Casull.
Machine revolvers
A machine revolver is a firearm based on the actions of an automatic revolver but with the capabilities of rapid full-automatic fire. The concept is an alternative to the water jackets found on early machine guns, avoiding the effort of changing barrels during a heavy firefight in a battlefield environment. Machine revolvers are not related to Gatling guns as they are usually in the form of general purpose machine guns that change barrels or chambers for each shot; they are closer to revolver cannons.[citation needed]
Examples
- The Russian ShKAS machine gun and UltraShKAS with firing capabilities of 3000RPM.
- The Russian Savin-Narov machine gun with firing capabilities of 3600+RPM.
- The Dual Cycle Rifle used a unique gas operation with a Webley-Fosbery type grooved cylinder enabling 3-round burst capabilities of firing 4,900RPM.[1]
- The Pancor Jackhammer is also a Machine Revolver in the form of a Bullpup Combat Shotgun.[2] It uses a Blow-Forward action (which unlocks it from the cylinder) and then rotates the cylinder and cocks the hammer.[3] As an interesting additional feature, it is possible to take the drum magazine off the firearm, attach a detonator, and use it as an anti-personnel mine that fires all of the cartridges at once when tripped. The manufacturer advertised this as the "Beartrap."
See also
References
- ^ http://www.freepatentsonline.com/4102241.pdf
- ^ Hogg, Ian (1989). Jane's Infantry Weapons 1989-90, 15th Edition. Jane's Information Group. p. 266. ISBN 0710608896.
- ^ The Directory of the World's Weapons. Blitz Editions. 1996. ISBN 1-85605-348-2.