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Old September 26, 2019, 02:05 PM   #1
Lee Enfield
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Top-Break Revolver w/ Release Lever?

Is there a top-break revolver with a release lever? It would be similar to a cylinder release lever, but instead of releasing only the cylinder, it would obviously "break" (more like drop) the top. I think there was at least one, but I can't remember.

Thanks in advance!
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Old September 26, 2019, 02:36 PM   #2
Dufus
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I have an old Webley & Scott 38 S&W that has a lever.
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Old September 26, 2019, 02:42 PM   #3
SIGSHR
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Enfield No. 2 Mk 1.
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Old September 26, 2019, 04:08 PM   #4
Lee Enfield
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Quote:
Originally Posted by SIGSHR View Post
Enfield No. 2 Mk 1.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Dufus View Post
I have an old Webley & Scott 38 S&W that has a lever.
Thank you for those examples! I'll look into each of them.
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Old September 26, 2019, 05:55 PM   #5
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Schofield S&W was one of the best.
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Old September 27, 2019, 06:49 AM   #6
jar
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Hopkins & Allen Safety Police. Harrington & Richardson about a brazillion different models. Smith & Wesson a bunch. Webley Mark IV.


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Old September 27, 2019, 09:49 AM   #7
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Quote:
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Hopkins & Allen Safety Police. Harrington & Richardson about a brazillion different models. Smith & Wesson a bunch. Webley Mark IV.
Where's the release lever?

Maybe I misunderstood the opening question, but he didn't ask for a list of top break revolvers, he asked:

Quote:
Is there a top-break revolver with a release lever? It would be similar to a cylinder release lever, ...
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Old September 27, 2019, 10:14 AM   #8
4V50 Gary
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Webley and Enfields both used a lever. There is a clone of the Webley, but I never saw any marks on it. Must be Spanish.
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Old September 27, 2019, 12:48 PM   #9
Bill DeShivs
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The last version of the S&W Safety Hammerless used both a thumb latch and a lift-up latch, I believe.
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Old September 27, 2019, 12:59 PM   #10
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My Webley Mk VI (1917) has a hefty lever on the left side of the frame (about where the cylinder latch is on S&Ws and Colts). Pushing forward on the lever unlatches the barrel so it can be pivoted open. All the Webley DA's did it that way, as far as I know.
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Old September 27, 2019, 01:03 PM   #11
jar
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Each one has a lever of some form. The H&R and Smith is a lever you raise, the H&S is a lever moved horizontally.
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Old September 27, 2019, 01:29 PM   #12
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The Smith & Wesson Perfected series of top break revolvers had both the barrel latch and the thumb latch like on modern S&W DA revolvers.

Some one many years ago observed that if a police officer were holding a suspect at gun point, the miscreant could disarm the officer merely by reaching over and unlatching the barrel latch and opening the gun and ejecting the cartridges.

S&W engineers agreed and developed the thumb latch that carries over to this day on S&W revolvers.

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Old September 27, 2019, 03:46 PM   #13
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I have an Enfield MK1 in 38S&W/38-200. Its your typical British top-break revolver like the Webley's. The lever opens the gun and the empties are ejected (mostly) when its open.




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