Single action loading gate
- Thread starter Andronicus
- Start date
Eaglelord17
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Sault Ste. Marie
Depends on the design. There are single actions which are break top like a S&W model 3 so no loading gate there. There are double actions like the Colt Thunderer which use loading gates to load the pistol. Loading system is different from the firing action in a revolver. Generally with most generic revolvers single actions are usually loading gate fed just due to the age of the design (most are earlier designs), and double actions generally if they are more modern are swing out cylinders. But there is a few common ways for revolvers to be set up, break top, loading gate, adabie loading gate, swing out cylinder, all being the most common ones around. Modern revolvers tend to prefer swing out simply due to ease of use and strength of action. Like most things firearms related, I strongly avoid saying always or never as someone somewhere likely made a exemption to whatever rule you your trying to come up with.
When the instructor said several times that Single Action revolvers have a loading gate, I assumed that is what would be the correct answer on the test. As long as I pass, why would I even be mad about a wrong answer?
- Location
- Steel Town
No. My Swiss M1882 is DA and has a loading gate, like so many others.
vagrantviking
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- High River, Alberta
The loading gate on an 1873 French Ordinance doesn't stop it working in double action and the loading gate on the 1892 is how you open the swing out cylinder (on the wrong side).
I like how Abadie type revolvers make some range nazis heads explode too...
I like how Abadie type revolvers make some range nazis heads explode too...
Notice how everyone is mentioning really old guns? Practically everything mentioned in this thread are designs that date from the 1800s, and If you're willing to dig into the 1800s and early 1900s you can find pretty much every combination of features you could possibly think of. Keep in mind back then a lot of these features were patented and so new designs had to find novel ways of working around the patents used by pre-existing models.
Now, if you think of it from a modern production perspective, I feel like its a far better rule of thumb. All the patents with regards to revolver designs are long since expired, so any manufacturer can pick and choose whether they want a swing out cylinder or a loading gate. Once all those patents expired and gun makers settled on what works best things became more standardized - DA revolvers have a swing out cylinder, and the SA revolvers have a loading gate. I can't think of anything post WW2 that breaks this trend, although I wouldn't be surprised if someone came up with an example.
Now, if you think of it from a modern production perspective, I feel like its a far better rule of thumb. All the patents with regards to revolver designs are long since expired, so any manufacturer can pick and choose whether they want a swing out cylinder or a loading gate. Once all those patents expired and gun makers settled on what works best things became more standardized - DA revolvers have a swing out cylinder, and the SA revolvers have a loading gate. I can't think of anything post WW2 that breaks this trend, although I wouldn't be surprised if someone came up with an example.
HR 22 would be, depending on the model, they had top break, side load, no gate, just turn the cylinder till it lined up. Double action. 1950-60's I guess. Just one off the top of my head. I think they had a 9 shot long before anyone one else. Now I have opened another can of worms.
i also had a smith model 14 target in single action only, but most of those are DA of course, They used a different hammer in them.
i also had a smith model 14 target in single action only, but most of those are DA of course, They used a different hammer in them.
