Shooting a Merwin Hulbert early model Army revolver

duelist1954 · March 30, 2014, 08:13 AM

In this video I'll be shooting an early Merwin Hulbert Army Model revolver that I picked up at this year's Las Vegas Antique Arms Show.

I think Merwin Hulbert revolvers have the highest "cool factor" of any old west sixshooter. The Colt SAA may have been faster to get into action, and the S&W New Model No. 3 may have been more accurate. But, as an engineering tour de force, you've got to love Merwin Hulbert.

This gun was made in 1878 and it features the open top frame and scooped flutes on the cylinder. It also has the totally cool "Skull Crusher" bird's head grip frame.

This gun is chambered in .44-40, and I shot it with black powder cartridges.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MSea9_Mt1ok

Kappe · March 30, 2014, 10:08 AM

Glad to see it finally shooting

How does the open top Merwin Hulbert handle fouling, Mike? In Mike Venturino's Shooting Sixguns of the Old West, he wrote that his pocket army started to bind up after one cylinder-full of blackpowder cartridges.

Tidewater_Kid · March 30, 2014, 10:35 AM

Great video and fun looking revolver!

TK

duelist1954 · March 30, 2014, 10:40 AM

I shot about 50 rounds with very little fouling drag. I had lubed it with Rand CLP, and that may have helped.

sltm1 · March 30, 2014, 02:54 PM

I had one I bought as a "fixer-upper" for resale. I've regretted selling it ever since. Nice, nice weapon and great shooting.

James K · March 30, 2014, 08:49 PM

Pretty fair shooting with that old M&H. Maybe another clip could show the big M&H selling point, how only the fired cases will be extracted and fall clear while the unfired ones will stay and be recaptured when the cylinder comes back over them.

(For anyone who gets hold of an M&H, be sure when removing the barrel and cylinder that you keep hold of the cylinder; it is held to the barrel by a half-moon retainer and will fall clear and can be damaged if the shooter is not careful.)

Jim

BerdanSS · March 30, 2014, 10:41 PM

Very nice Mike, I've been on the edge of my seat waiting for a video ever since you posted the first picture of yours. The M&H is a fascinating pistol.

Bill Akins · March 31, 2014, 04:45 AM

Great vid as always Mike. I thoroughly enjoyed watching it.

.

Driftwood Johnson · April 1, 2014, 12:29 PM

Howdy

I'm not Mike, but I can tell you my Merwin Hulbert shoots very well with Black Powder with almost no binding. The huge bushing on the front of the cylinder keeps fouling from working its way down onto the cylinder arbor, which is the chief cause of binding with Black Powder revolvers.

In addition to that, the arbor has a helical clearance cut around it, which gives any fouling that might get down there some place to go. They were manufactured during the Black Powder and are designed to shoot BP with out any problems. I dunno why Iron Mike's MH started to bind up.

Reinz · April 12, 2014, 05:33 PM

The absolute coolest of The Old West!

Thanks for sharing - and for the pics!!!

GaryED50 · April 12, 2014, 06:56 PM

Fantastic video

I had never heard of the Merwin Hulbert before good looking open top. The scooped flutes give it a very unique look

Gary

March 30, 2014, 08:13 AM	#1
duelist1954 Senior Member Join Date: March 14, 2011 Location: Central Pennsylvania Posts: 567	Shooting a Merwin Hulbert early model Army revolver In this video I'll be shooting an early Merwin Hulbert Army Model revolver that I picked up at this year's Las Vegas Antique Arms Show. I think Merwin Hulbert revolvers have the highest "cool factor" of any old west sixshooter. The Colt SAA may have been faster to get into action, and the S&W New Model No. 3 may have been more accurate. But, as an engineering tour de force, you've got to love Merwin Hulbert. This gun was made in 1878 and it features the open top frame and scooped flutes on the cylinder. It also has the totally cool "Skull Crusher" bird's head grip frame. This gun is chambered in .44-40, and I shot it with black powder cartridges. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MSea9_Mt1ok

March 30, 2014, 10:41 PM	#7
BerdanSS Senior Member Join Date: April 3, 2011 Location: to close to other houses Posts: 1,176	Very nice Mike, I've been on the edge of my seat waiting for a video ever since you posted the first picture of yours. The M&H is a fascinating pistol. __________________ One day, Men in tall hats will thump their chests and proclaim..."oh, what a great sea of mud we lived in"--The unalterable fate of billy creek .... "Smoke.....it's what's for dinner"

March 31, 2014, 04:45 AM	#8
Bill Akins Senior Member Join Date: August 28, 2007 Location: Hudson, Florida Posts: 1,135	Great vid as always Mike. I thoroughly enjoyed watching it. . __________________ "This is my Remy and this is my Colt. Remy loads easy and topstrap strong, Colt balances better and never feels wrong. A repro black powder revolver gun, they smoke and shoot lead and give me much fun. I can't figure out which one I like better, they're both fine revolvers that fit in my leather". "To be sure of hitting the target, shoot first and call whatever you hit the target".

March 30, 2014, 10:08 AM	#2
Kappe Senior Member Join Date: May 28, 2013 Location: New Jersey Posts: 149	Glad to see it finally shooting How does the open top Merwin Hulbert handle fouling, Mike? In Mike Venturino's Shooting Sixguns of the Old West, he wrote that his pocket army started to bind up after one cylinder-full of blackpowder cartridges.

March 30, 2014, 10:35 AM	#3
Tidewater_Kid Senior Member Join Date: July 3, 2005 Location: Alabama Posts: 925	Great video and fun looking revolver! TK

March 30, 2014, 10:40 AM	#4
duelist1954 Senior Member Join Date: March 14, 2011 Location: Central Pennsylvania Posts: 567	I shot about 50 rounds with very little fouling drag. I had lubed it with Rand CLP, and that may have helped.

March 30, 2014, 08:49 PM	#6
James K Member In Memoriam Join Date: March 17, 1999 Posts: 24,383	Pretty fair shooting with that old M&H. Maybe another clip could show the big M&H selling point, how only the fired cases will be extracted and fall clear while the unfired ones will stay and be recaptured when the cylinder comes back over them. (For anyone who gets hold of an M&H, be sure when removing the barrel and cylinder that you keep hold of the cylinder; it is held to the barrel by a half-moon retainer and will fall clear and can be damaged if the shooter is not careful.) Jim

April 1, 2014, 12:29 PM	#9
Driftwood Johnson Senior Member Join Date: January 3, 2014 Location: Land of the Pilgrims Posts: 2,033	Howdy I'm not Mike, but I can tell you my Merwin Hulbert shoots very well with Black Powder with almost no binding. The huge bushing on the front of the cylinder keeps fouling from working its way down onto the cylinder arbor, which is the chief cause of binding with Black Powder revolvers. In addition to that, the arbor has a helical clearance cut around it, which gives any fouling that might get down there some place to go. They were manufactured during the Black Powder and are designed to shoot BP with out any problems. I dunno why Iron Mike's MH started to bind up.

April 12, 2014, 05:33 PM	#10
Reinz Member Join Date: February 18, 2013 Location: East Texas Posts: 45	The absolute coolest of The Old West! Thanks for sharing - and for the pics!!!

April 12, 2014, 06:56 PM	#11
GaryED50 Senior Member Join Date: September 19, 2012 Location: Dawsonville Georgia Posts: 542	Fantastic video I had never heard of the Merwin Hulbert before good looking open top. The scooped flutes give it a very unique look Gary