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dahermit · March 8, 2013, 01:16 PM

"Swing out" cylinders are much faster to reload. However, there is a third revolver cylinder style, the S&W top-break that ejected all the empties when opened. Two notable were the S&W Model Three and the Schofield variation. I remember some famous gun writer stating years ago that, functionally, the break-top was superior in function than the swing-out and with modern materials, should be further developed. The Schofield was distributed to the cavalry in small numbers (compared to the Colt S.A.A.), but lost out to the Colts because the Colts could use the shorter .45 Schofields cartridge and the Colt .45, whereas the Schofields could only use the .45 Schofield cartridge, causing logistics problems.

March 8, 2013, 01:16 PM	#3
dahermit Senior Member Join Date: October 28, 2006 Location: South Central Michigan...near Posts: 6,501	"Swing out" cylinders are much faster to reload. However, there is a third revolver cylinder style, the S&W top-break that ejected all the empties when opened. Two notable were the S&W Model Three and the Schofield variation. I remember some famous gun writer stating years ago that, functionally, the break-top was superior in function than the swing-out and with modern materials, should be further developed. The Schofield was distributed to the cavalry in small numbers (compared to the Colt S.A.A.), but lost out to the Colts because the Colts could use the shorter .45 Schofields cartridge and the Colt .45, whereas the Schofields could only use the .45 Schofield cartridge, causing logistics problems.