Snubnosed revolver
Encyclopedia
Revolver
A revolver is a repeating firearm that has a cylinder containing multiple chambers and at least one barrel for firing. The first revolver ever made was built by Elisha Collier in 1818. The percussion cap revolver was invented by Samuel Colt in 1836. This weapon became known as the Colt Paterson...
has a barrel length of less than three (3) inches. It was a popular type of firearm with undercover police officers due to its compact size and ease of handling. Its popularity was temporarily overshadowed with the wide-scale availability of compact semi-automatic pistols in the 1980s and their gradual adoption by police in the 1990s.
History and use
The first snubnosed revolver were the various "Sheriff's Model", "Shopkeeper Special", and "Banker Special" versions of the Colt Single Action ArmyColt Single Action Army
The Colt Single Action Army is a single action revolver with a revolving cylinder holding six metallic cartridges. It was designed for the U.S...
revolver made by Colt
Colt's Manufacturing Company
Colt's Manufacturing Company is a United States firearms manufacturer, whose first predecessor corporation was founded in 1836 by Sam Colt. Colt is best known for the engineering, production, and marketing of firearms over the later half of the 19th and the 20th century...
, in the 19th Century.
Two developments resulted in a resurgence in popularity of these revolvers in the United States starting in the mid-1990s. First, the passage of Right to Carry laws in various states created new markets for reliable, concealed carry firearms. Second, the passage of the Federal Assault Weapons Ban
Federal assault weapons ban
The Federal Assault Weapons Ban was a subtitle of the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994, a federal law in the United States that included a prohibition on the manufacture for civilian use of certain semi-automatic firearms, so called "assault weapons"...
limited the availability of pistol magazines holding more than 10 rounds, thus reducing the advantages of the "Wonder Nine
Wonder Nine
Wonder Nine is a term coined by firearms author Robert Shimek which then became popular in American firearm-related magazines during the 1980s. It refers to any handgun that is chambered in 9x19mm Parabellum and has a double stack magazine, as well as a double-action trigger for at least the first...
" pistols normally capable of holding 15 or more rounds. These are in addition to the advantages of simplicity and reliability common to revolvers.
The increased demand for snubnosed revolvers has been met with the introduction of numerous new models from Smith & Wesson
Smith & Wesson
Smith & Wesson is the largest manufacturer of handguns in the United States. The corporate headquarters is in Springfield, Massachusetts. Founded in 1852, Smith & Wesson's pistols and revolvers have become standard issue to police and armed forces throughout the world...
, Taurus
Taurus (manufacturer)
Forjas Taurus is a manufacturing conglomerate based in Porto Alegre, Brazil. Beginning as a tool and die manufacturer, the company now consists of divisions focusing on firearms, metals manufacturing, plastics, body armor, helmets, and civil construction.-History:Taurus produced its first...
and others. While some were made of traditional carbon steel, stainless steel
Stainless steel
In metallurgy, stainless steel, also known as inox steel or inox from French "inoxydable", is defined as a steel alloy with a minimum of 10.5 or 11% chromium content by mass....
, and lightweight aluminum alloys that had been in use for decades, many of the new models used high-strength, lightweight metal alloys such as titanium
Titanium
Titanium is a chemical element with the symbol Ti and atomic number 22. It has a low density and is a strong, lustrous, corrosion-resistant transition metal with a silver color....
and scandium
Scandium
Scandium is a chemical element with symbol Sc and atomic number 21. A silvery-white metallic transition metal, it has historically been sometimes classified as a rare earth element, together with yttrium and the lanthanoids...
.
Popular snubnosed revolvers
.38 Special.38 Special
The .38 Smith & Wesson Special is a rimmed, centerfire cartridge designed by Smith & Wesson. It is most commonly used in revolvers, although some semi-automatic pistols and carbines also use this round...
- ColtColt's Manufacturing CompanyColt's Manufacturing Company is a United States firearms manufacturer, whose first predecessor corporation was founded in 1836 by Sam Colt. Colt is best known for the engineering, production, and marketing of firearms over the later half of the 19th and the 20th century...
- Detective SpecialColt Detective's SpecialThe Colt Detective Special is a carbon steel framed double-action short-barreled revolver, and is an example of a class of firearms known to gun enthusiasts as "snubnosed", "snubbies", or "belly guns". As the name "Detective Special" suggests, this model revolver was used as a concealed weapon by...
- CobraColt Cobra .38 Special revolverThe Colt Cobra is a lightweight, aluminum-framed, double-action short-barrelled revolver chambered in .38 Special, .32 Colt New Police, and .22 LR...
- Agent
- Colt Bankers .38 Special Revolver
- Detective Special
- Smith & WessonSmith & WessonSmith & Wesson is the largest manufacturer of handguns in the United States. The corporate headquarters is in Springfield, Massachusetts. Founded in 1852, Smith & Wesson's pistols and revolvers have become standard issue to police and armed forces throughout the world...
- Chief's Special - standard and "Airweight" (Models 36Smith & Wesson Model 36The Smith & Wesson Model 36 is a revolver chambered for .38 Special. Like nearly all other "J-frame" Smith & Wesson revolvers, it has a 5-round capacity in a swing-out cylinder, and features an exposed hammer. It features a nickel-plated or blued finish and either wood or rubber grips...
, Model 37, & 60Smith & Wesson Model 60The Smith & Wesson Model 60 revolver is a 5-shot snubnosed revolver that is chambered in either .38 Special or .357 Magnum calibers. Like nearly all other "J-frame" Smith & Wesson revolvers, it has a swing-out cylinder, and features an exposed hammer...
); regular spur hammer - Centennial - standard and "Airweight" (Models 40, 42, 442, 640, 642) (once also available in 9x19mm9 mm Luger ParabellumThe 9×19mm Parabellum cartridge was designed by Georg Luger and introduced in 1902 by the German weapons manufacturer Deutsche Waffen- und Munitionsfabriken for their Luger semi-automatic pistol...
caliber as the Model 940); enclosed/concealed hammer - Bodyguard - standard and "Airweight" (Models 38, 49, 638, 649); shrouded hammer
- Chief's Special - standard and "Airweight" (Models 36
- TaurusTaurus (manufacturer)Forjas Taurus is a manufacturing conglomerate based in Porto Alegre, Brazil. Beginning as a tool and die manufacturer, the company now consists of divisions focusing on firearms, metals manufacturing, plastics, body armor, helmets, and civil construction.-History:Taurus produced its first...
- Model 85Taurus Model 85The Taurus Model 85 is a small-frame revolver manufactured by the Brazilian firearm company Taurus International.The Model 85 is available in several configurations. These include blued steel, stainless steel, and "Ultralite" variants constructed of aluminum and titanium, with steel lockwork...
- Model CIA - Similar to Centennial concealed hammer revolver.
- Model 850 Protector
- Model 605
- Model 650
- Model 85
- Charter ArmsCharter ArmsCharter Arms Co. is an American manufacturer of revolvers that are relatively inexpensive yet serviceable handguns. The original Charter Arms produced revolvers chambered in calibers .22 Long Rifle, .22 Winchester Magnum, .32 Long, .32 H&R Magnum, .327 Federal Magnum, .357 Magnum, .38 Special and...
- Undercover
- Off Duty
- Ruger
- SP-101Ruger SP-101The Ruger SP-101 is a series of double action revolvers produced by the American company Sturm, Ruger. The SP101 is a small frame and all-steel construction carry revolver, with a 5-shot , 6-shot , or 8-shot cylinder.-History:The Ruger SP-101 was introduced in 1989 as the smaller frame...
- LCRRuger LCRThe Ruger LCR is a compact .38 Special caliber revolver built by Ruger and announced in January 2009. The LCR acronym stands for 'Lightweight Compact Revolver'. It incorporates several novel features such as a polymer grip and trigger housing, monolithic receiver, and constant force trigger...
- SP-101
.357 Magnum
.357 Magnum
The .357 S&W Magnum , or simply .357 Magnum, is a revolver cartridge created by Elmer Keith, Phillip B. Sharpe, Colonel D. B. Wesson of firearms manufacturer Smith & Wesson, and Winchester. It is based upon Smith & Wesson's earlier .38 Special cartridge. The .357 Magnum cartridge was introduced in...
- ColtColt's Manufacturing CompanyColt's Manufacturing Company is a United States firearms manufacturer, whose first predecessor corporation was founded in 1836 by Sam Colt. Colt is best known for the engineering, production, and marketing of firearms over the later half of the 19th and the 20th century...
- Magnum Carry
- Smith & WessonSmith & WessonSmith & Wesson is the largest manufacturer of handguns in the United States. The corporate headquarters is in Springfield, Massachusetts. Founded in 1852, Smith & Wesson's pistols and revolvers have become standard issue to police and armed forces throughout the world...
- Model 19S&W Model 19The S&W Model 19 is a revolver produced by Smith & Wesson on its K-frame platform. The model 19 is chambered for .357 Magnum. The K-frame is somewhat smaller and lighter than the original N-frame .357, usually known as the S&W Model 27.-History:...
and similar Model 66 - Model 13 (3" version was standard FBI service revolver) and similar Model 65
- Model 19
- Ruger
- SP-101
- LCRRuger LCRThe Ruger LCR is a compact .38 Special caliber revolver built by Ruger and announced in January 2009. The LCR acronym stands for 'Lightweight Compact Revolver'. It incorporates several novel features such as a polymer grip and trigger housing, monolithic receiver, and constant force trigger...
- Charter ArmsCharter ArmsCharter Arms Co. is an American manufacturer of revolvers that are relatively inexpensive yet serviceable handguns. The original Charter Arms produced revolvers chambered in calibers .22 Long Rifle, .22 Winchester Magnum, .32 Long, .32 H&R Magnum, .327 Federal Magnum, .357 Magnum, .38 Special and...
- BulldogCharter Arms BulldogThe Bulldog is a 5-shot double action revolver designed by Doug McClenahan and produced by Charter Arms. It was introduced in 1973. The Bulldog has been available for the .44 Special and .357 Magnum cartridges with a length of 7.2 inches and 6.7 inches and barrel lengths of either 2.5 inches or...
- Bulldog
.44 Special
.44 Special
The .44 Special or .44 S&W Special is a smokeless powder center fire metallic cartridge developed by Smith & Wesson in 1907 as the standard chambering for their New Century revolver, introduced in 1908.-Development history:...
- Charter ArmsCharter ArmsCharter Arms Co. is an American manufacturer of revolvers that are relatively inexpensive yet serviceable handguns. The original Charter Arms produced revolvers chambered in calibers .22 Long Rifle, .22 Winchester Magnum, .32 Long, .32 H&R Magnum, .327 Federal Magnum, .357 Magnum, .38 Special and...
- BulldogCharter Arms BulldogThe Bulldog is a 5-shot double action revolver designed by Doug McClenahan and produced by Charter Arms. It was introduced in 1973. The Bulldog has been available for the .44 Special and .357 Magnum cartridges with a length of 7.2 inches and 6.7 inches and barrel lengths of either 2.5 inches or...
- Bulldog