From the Vault: The Winchester Swing-Out Cylinder Revolver

It looks like a typical late 19th century revolver but not exactly like any one we've seen before. That's because most of us have never seen one of these in the flesh: a Winchester Repeating Arms prototype revolver, one of only FOUR built ca. 1876-79. Brownells Gun Techs and respected firearm history geeks Keith Ford and Steve Ostrem are back at Rock Island Auction Company to give us a tour of this most unique piece of handgun history. Chambered in .44-40 Winchester, this is a single action revolver - despite a swing-out cylinder that swings, oddly, from the right side of the frame. The extremely strong front and rear locking points, plus other characteristics of the design, are heavily influenced by contemporary Smith & Wesson revolvers. Sometimes called the 1876 Centennial or the Wetmore-Wood revolver, after its two designers (former Smith & Wesson employees - hmmmm.....), this gun was developed for a bid on a U.S. Navy contract. OR was it Winchester's pointed response to Colt's introduction of the Burgess lever action rifle? Steve discusses this backstory, and Keith makes a bold assessment of the design.

Rock Island Auction Company's video about this revolver:    • The Winchester 1876 Centennial Revolv...  

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