Re: [DL] Speed load cylinders

[PEGGoff@aol.com]

In a message dated Mon, 6 Mar 2000 10:46:29 AM Eastern Standard Time, "Tabb, David" <david.tabb@msfc.nasa.gov> writes:

> Can any gun use a speed load cylinder, or does it have to be built
> especially for that?  If the latter, which guns can use them?
> 

Well, first of all, the cylinder has to be built specifically for the make of gun, but not the individual gun (i.e., a S&W can't use a Colt cylinder).

And yes, only certain guns could use them. If the gun has a swing-out cylinder as opposed to a one-bullet-at-a-time thumb-notch, it can't use the a speed load cylinder.

Now, the trick part is "which guns have them." Unfortunately, I can't answer that question honestly. My first instinct is to say "SA revolvers can, DA revolvers can't" because that's generally how it works today (generally). However, there are exceptions—the Colt Frontier (aka Peacemeker) is one. In SA or DA form, the pistol retained the thumb-notch and removable cylinder (at least at that time). Also, I don't believe the S&W Schofield could use them, even though it was an SA revolver—whose breech even broke open to allow quicker loading!

I'm sure somebody on the list knows more of the specifics than I do--Steve Long is a real whiz at this sort of thing, BTW. (Steve?)

John