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 Ce...
More Brownells videos: www.brownellsvi...

[@blairbuskirk5460]

The cylinder swinging out to the right is so that cavalry troops could hold the reins and the pistol in their left hand & load the pistol with their right hand.

[@jerrylancaster256]

As a lefty i'd love it if more companies would do that

[@lawrencehudson9939]

Brownells and Rock Island Auction always do great professional presentations but this one is over the top. Get the Italians to make a copy and I think it would sell.

[@benjaminthomas2000]

Wheres uberti? We need a reproduction

[@michaelthomas4890]

The cylinder swings to the right for the same reason the Colt SAA loading gate is on the right. The cavalryman was expected to use his handgun with the left hand while he used his saber with his right ( the saber being considered his primary weapon for close quarters as it didn't require reloading). If time permitted he could stop and reload with his right hand. This is also the reason cavalrymen wore their holster on the right with the butt of the gun facing forward - so it could be drawn with the left hand. I get so tired of hearing that Sam Colt was left handed!

[@stephenwhittier6439]

chris mclaughlin 😂

[@blairbuskirk5460]

You shot with your right hand and switched to load the pistol, the thinking being that the more dexterity demanding task of loading while on horseback required the dominant hand doing the fine manipulations. Ammunition was precious to a frontier army.

[@hailexiao2770]

If so then why is the SAA ejector rod handle on the left? If you're holding the gun with your left hand and un/loading it with your right, then you'd want the ejector rod handle on the right side to push out the empty cases.

[@22tanmay]

Its in fantastic shape. Awesome

[@roykiefer7713]

GREAT, GREAT video gentlemen, thank you so much!

[@Sensual_Tortoise]

So nice to see a southpaw revolver....even if it is unobtainable

[@bosse641]

Amazing.

[@evanjohnson1299]

the colt burgess levergun was considered superior to the Win73, it makes sense when trying to compete with the mass market dominator you need to be considered better quality at a similar price if you want to eat into their market share, and considering the economics of scale both colt and wincester had in their respective fields you can't compete as the lower cost option anytime soon.

[@gage5484]

That's a damn nice lookin piece

[@niswii]

Unload with your left load with your right is why it swung right

[@tacticplanner7188]

Wow that is going to bring one very pretty penny hopefully the new owner realizes what he has and never fires it....Thanks wonderful specimen.

[@jagervw]

Wow!

[@brodybeasley3792]

Reminds me of a schofield

[@sesfilmsllc]

It’s a bit like a lebel revolver. Being able to swing out to the right.

[@TheJennflip]

Nice pistol but what is that beautiful car behind you????????

[@gonerydin4225]

Looks like a C7 Corvette to me.

[@jimmieburleigh9549]

Everything in single action loaded from the right back then so why not in their minds.

[@daveybass655]

For left handed shooters.

[@BV-fr8bf]

Colt would make no more LEVER ACTION rifles and Winchester no more revolvers. Colt started the Colt Lighting pump action line in 1884.

[@stacybrown3714]

Wow!