Historical Firearm Features

A frankly opinionated review of revolvers and loads by a Westerner who uses his sixgun as a daily tool.

Despite the wide acceptance of the .40 Smith & Wesson defensive handgun cartridge in its early years, the round has since faded from armories around the U.S. and been replaced by an older, smaller-caliber cartridge.

Just after the Civil War, Remington Arms began producing its Model 95 "Double Derringer," which would become one of the most popular guns the firm ever made.

The old saw “never bring a knife to a gun fight” is somewhat moot when one is armed with a Rodgers knife pistol—a clever percussion-fired defensive arm composed of both blades and barrel. To be sure, by the mid-19th century when this particular piece made its appearance, combination arms were nothing new.

When it came to training new members of the military in World War II, the Ordnance Dept. chose the Hi-Standard Model B as its stand-in handgun trainer.

Q. Recently, at auction, I bought a “Savage Navy Revolver,” something I have wanted for a long time. It’s in good order and is a solid brute of a thing, but apart from the “Savage R.F.A. Co. Middleton, CT” stamp on the barrel...

Webley Metropolitan Police revolvers were manufactured from 1883 to 1911 and issued at the discretion of division officers to be used by policemen who desired them and had exhibited an aptitude in their use.

It was in 1919 when José de Lopez Arnaiz cleverly devised a unique single-action pistol with a moveable lever (palanca) of which enabled shooters to single-handedly chamber and cock the gun using only the index and middle fingers.

Perusing an expired paper-edition Gun List several years ago, I came across an ad for this old 1880-1881 Colt Single Action Army. Can’t remember what I paid, but at that time, it was too cheap to believe it was still for sale.