Why do SA turn one way and DA turn the other?

[2ndAmendmentNut]

Just curious…

How come when you are looking down the sights of a single action revolver the cylinder turns clockwise and double actions turn counterclockwise?

[Bret4207]

Colts all turn the same way, double action or single action. Smith's and other real guns turn the proper direction as God intended.

[9.3X62AL]

Colts all turn the same way, double action or single action. Smith's and other real guns turn the proper direction as God intended.

I really thought your serial and ongoing heresies would recede once you retired. From this, I can only conclude that you are an unrepentant and unreconstructed HATER of Colt revolvers. Not a bad thing necessarily--it does mean one less competitor for the finite number of FINE MACHINERY ITEMS once made in Hartford. Far be it from me to inflict the odious presence of a Python in 357 or a New Service in 45 Colt on your much-refined sensibilities. YA PHILISTINE! :)

[2ndAmendmentNut]

I had forgotten Colts all turn the same way, (which is scary seeing as I have owned and shot a few.) Any one know why God intended double actions (with exception of Colts) to turn counterclockwise?:)

[felix]

Ah, the English influence coming through into the States. Colt also does their rifling in the opposite direction. I assume other barrel makers do the same using equipment from this old country. The Germans have the most up-to-date hammer forging equipment, however. At least as of 10 years ago, and that is why Ruger jumped onto those machines. ... felix

Berdan was an American and Boxer was an Englishman!!! Now, which primer did God intend, Bret? Prolly neither.

[Doc Highwall]

Dan Wessons turn clockwise.

[9.3X62AL]

I recall some text from Colt revolver ad copy in the 1970s that claimed their counter-clockwise cylinder revolution in combination with locking bolt engagement and advancing hand tension pulled the cylinder crane into closer contact with the revolver's frame at time of firing. My thoughts at the time (and now) are that such a claim was a bit of a 'reach'. I don't see any of my swing-out cylinder model S&Ws or Rugers spreading the crane after years of double-action firing. But there it is there.

Why do they differ? Dunno. Samuel Colt was left-handed, which could be a reason. It's just one of 'those things' to me, like left-hand threads on the left-side wheel lug bolts of older Mopar vehicles.

Why is there air? To blow up basketballs, of course. :) (Thanks to Bill Cosby)

[S.R.Custom]

Now, which primer did God intend, Bret? Prolly neither.

Indeed. The Almighty's preferred source of ignition, without a question, would have to be the one that involves the most faith and prayer-- flint & steel. "Oh God in heaven, thou art great. Please let there be a spark!"

[mack1]

9.3X63AL the left hand threads on mopars are to prevent them from losing when the wheels are turning forward as to cylindars on DA revolvers I have no idea.

[skimmerhead]

maybe the reason some guns turn one way and some guns turn the other is so people can come on this forum and have jovieal conversations about why. or it could have something to do with global warming, not sure.:veryconfu

skimmerhead

[exile]

I don't know, but could it have something to do with patents? Like the fact that the triggers on Browning High Powers suck because (supposedly) to put a 1911 trigger on a Browning would have infringed on a previous patent?

exile

[Bret4207]

9.3X63AL the left hand threads on mopars are to prevent them from losing when the wheels are turning forward as to cylindars on DA revolvers I have no idea.

Yes, that's why all the wheels are constantly falling off Chevies and Fords.



Stir, stir, stir........[smilie=s:

[Combat Diver]

Don't forget that the New Smith and Wesson DA Bodyguard turns in the opposite direction of their other revolvers.

CD

[pmeisel]

That left-hand Mopar thread still provides humor and trouble decades after they gave it up.

[Bret4207]

Ah, the English influence coming through into the States. Colt also does their rifling in the opposite direction. I assume other barrel makers do the same using equipment from this old country. The Germans have the most up-to-date hammer forging equipment, however. At least as of 10 years ago, and that is why Ruger jumped onto those machines. ... felix

Berdan was an American and Boxer was an Englishman!!! Now, which primer did God intend, Bret? Prolly neither.

Uncle Felix, ya gotta remember that at the time Berdan and Boxer (not to be confused with Laurel and Hardy) were developing their respective systems the US and Britain weren't on the best terms. It's perfectly obvious each was sent to the other country by their respective Gov'ts as saboteurs! That or both were traitors and were going for big bucks. I haven't got the details figured out yet, but I have a high degree of confidence in the former theory.

The priming system The Almighty preferred? Perfectly obvious. I'm sure we all recall the Lindsay-McNiel-McGillicuddy system. These Scotsmen perfected their ingenious priming system long before Berdan or Boxer were even a twinkle in their daddies eyes. Gilroy McGillicuddy, or "Squid" to his friends, was the real brains behind the operation. Lindsay was the money man, yes- that's Angus Lord Tweekswater-Rathburton-Featherdown Lindsay, 7th Earl of Hardcastlenmackormick, just as you thought. Rastus McNeil was the lab assistant lost in the development of the famous priming compound. Poor guy, I'm sure we all remember how he went and lets face it- that was just an ugly way to go. In fact the character "Beeker" on "The Muppet Show" is actually based on poor Rastus. I thought the resemblance between the famous painting of Rastus's death mask and Beekers appearance was just a fluke at first, but after doing a little research I found that McGillicuddys great, great, great, great grandson Norman (Squid to his friends) was an assistant puppeteer on the show and was instrumental in Beekers character development. A fine tribute to a brave man, I'm sure we'll all agree.

Well, in closing my argument I'd just like to point out the obvious advantages of the LMM system would have made it the worlds foremost priming system if it hadn't had been for the diabolical madman Count Frinstein Von Hergenstrumblurgenermanischhankele, leader of the near forgotten Grand Duchy of Phlgmeinswkghrruokl (that's pronounced dee-troit). Using his incredible and ill gotten wealth the Count was able to secure various mines in Minnesota, the upper midwest and in extreme Northern NY. This gave rise of course to his priming system which was so very similar to the LMM as to be nearly identical. Unfortunately for LLM, the Count managed to get the patent rights secured and that essentially wiped LLM out of existence and gave rise to both 3M and Dutch Boy paints. Having cornered both the abrasives and paint market priming was never the same.

Sad, isn't it?

[Finster101]

Bret, just how much coffee have you had this morning? :coffee:

[44man]

Bret, just how much coffee have you had this morning? :coffee:
Bret started the day with a bottle of Jack! :bigsmyl2::bigsmyl2:

[felix]

Bret, bring some of that stuff with you on your visit to the midwest. I need several snorts. ... felix

How long did it take for you to compose that? No wonder I was rewarded with "F" scores in history classes. ... felix

[Shuz]

Bret, bring some of that stuff with you on your visit to the midwest. I need several snorts. ... felix

How long did it take for you to compose that? No wonder I was rewarded with "F" scores in history classes. ... felix

Me Too!

[fecmech]

leader of the near forgotten Grand Duchy of Phlgmeinswkghrruokl (that's pronounced dee-troit).
Sad, isn't it?
Bret, that was great, I'm still laughing.

[theperfessor]

Bret, you wouldn't get very good marks in History but a solid A+ in Creative Writing.

You gotta have a little more ventilation when you paint...

[Cactus Farmer]

When a little chuckle is called for, I now,know where to go and who to turn too.
Bret, well done sir!

[Three-Fifty-Seven]

That was a great read!

I'm just happy whichever way they turn, that they line up more or less with the barrel!

[9.3X62AL]

Bret, that was a CLASSIC! And I award style points for how well you handled the spelling and syntax of the transcontinental nomenclature assigned to many of the account's characters.

Artistic Impression--9.8

Technical Merit-------9.9

[kingstrider]

Depends on the brand, each does things a little differently.

[Bret4207]

Gentlemen, do I detect a note of incredulity in your responses? I assure you on my unblemished honor as an Eagle Scout.............well, okay I was a Merit Badge or 2 away from Star, but the principal is the same. Anyway, I assure you that practically every word is pretty much almost more or less the complete and unfettered truth...give or take a detail or 3. I'm shocked and saddened by your lack of faith in my veracity!

[jimb16]

Don't you guys know that it depends on whether they were built north or south of the equator! Haven't you guys ever heard of the Coreollus effect?

[StarMetal]

Gentlemen, do I detect a note of incredulity in your responses? I assure you on my unblemished honor as an Eagle Scout.............well, okay I was a Merit Badge or 2 away from Star, but the principal is the same. Anyway, I assure you that practically every word is pretty much almost more or less the complete and unfettered truth...give or take a detail or 3. I'm shocked and saddened by your lack of faith in my veracity!

Two away from Star :shock::shock::shock::groner: You'll never get as far as....Star :bigsmyl2::kidding::kidding:

[MtGun44]

I am witing with bated breath for the next exciting episode of the LMM priming system
capers! I had no idea of the connection between that system and Dutch Boy paint. Are
the Royal Dutch Shell and Builderberger secrets tied up in this history lesson somehow?

Well done Bret, you shoulda been a writer! :drinks:

Bill

PS Back in the real world . . . Did Smith actually change cyl rotation direction
on some of the new snubbies!!!??? :shock:

[SharpsShooter]

Bret, that's right up there with the saga of the Asperly Aimless. :D

SS

[Bret4207]

Bill, as it happens there is a connection, a rather tenuous one but still,one shouldn't scoff at even tenuous connection when mad Dutchmen, ELEANOR ROOSEVELT and SOUPY SALES are involved!!! Oh, I know what you're thinking, "Soupy Sales? The comedian?" Yes my friends, the very same Soupy Sales who laughed his way across our tv screens back in the early 60's, unbeknown to most, was actually the illegitimate son of Eleanors personal secretary Gladys Kratz and Ludwig Von Hoftschmister-Feelgeman Zales, heir to the throne of Upper Lipschitzenschtein, which was of course located in the very lower south east corner of Holland prior to that fateful day the Nazis bombed the dike! Ludwig, or "Wiggy" as he preferred to be called, met Gladys at a State Dept function is Bayonne NJ in 1935. He was apparently smitten with Gladys beauty, grace and charm. It was to be expected I suppose since Gladys had been crowned Prune Queen in 1932 in her hometown of Wrinkles, Calif. No doubt her girl next door charm and looks were something new to Wiggy, who was more used to glamorous European beauties of the Marlene Deitrich, Sonja Heiny, and Talulla Bankhead type. Gladys would have been quite something to man used to women with just one eyebrow for instance, (yes, I am aware that the only surviving photo of Gladys shows her with the upper eyebrown shaved off, but reports indicate she was still "au natural" at her meeting with Wiggy.) At any rate, a whirlwind romance ensued and it is apparent Gladys surrendered her virtue to Wiggy over that wild and memorable weekend. Of course this was the 1930s and her condition was soon known to Mrs Roosevelt. A compassionate woman, Mrs R. was heard to have said, "Well, at least Franklin had nothing to do with this one." and promptly trundled Gladys off to Mrs. Higgenbotthams Convalescent Home for Young Ladies of Questionable Repute on Rt 7 just outside Droopy Bottom, Az where young Soupy was born some 8 months later. The name Soupy is thought to have been a mistake during the birth recording. A nurse at the scene recounts the story thus- Young Gladys was distraught over her predicament and was rather emotional at the time. When asked what the childs name was to be Gladys was heard to wail, "Gawwww, I was so STUPID!" which the clerk recorded as "Soupy" for some reason. She was then heard to say, "I'll get you ZALES!" which the clerk recorded as "Sales".

In time Gladys was able to return to her previous employment where she later met a returning GI, one Abner Butz of Athol, NY. Abner and Gladys had 3 other children (all bearing Gladys penchant for strong horizontal hair growth on the forehead) and their youngest son Irwin (Squid to his friends) was engaged to the daughter of my cousins girlfriends mothers brothers bosses best friend and that's how I was able to ferret out this incredible story.

At this point we must return to Wiggy, or as he later became known- THE MAD DUTCHMAN of BURLINGTON! Wiggy, never knowing he had fathered a son with his one true love, was pulled from Bayonne and sent to that cesspool of intrigue and danger- Burlington, Vt. In his guise as mild mannered hemorrhoid ointment salesman, Wiggy was able to infiltrate a Communist Marble Workers Union with ties to the highest offices of Stalins Gov't. Unfortunately for Wiggy his actions caught the attention of one Hans Builderberger, the notorious henchman of Rudolf Von Victhenschtrummerstien. The exact cause of Wiggys affliction and how it was transmitted to him is still not precisely known, but local legend says that after a particularly festive celebration at the Marble Workers Hall, Wiggy was seen to be leaving with a vivacious blonde, one Trixy Freeferall, aka- Toots O'Hoolihan, aka- Heeta Lader, aka- Doris Schwengleman. At any rate, 3 days later Wiggy was found in ditch just off Rt 149 in Whitehall NY, babbling incoherently about Nazis and bearing strange bruises about his neck and upper torso that appeared to have been made by something resembling a human mouth! Wiggy never recovered and was institutionalized at The Blister Rust Sanitarium in White Pines, Vt. just outside Burlington on the shores of Otter Creek. He never spoke a word of coherent English for the rest of his sad life, screaming in Dutch at passersby, small children and cats. The only thing understandable he was ever heard to say was "WHOA BABY!" whenever a woman with light colored hair would pass by.

The details are there if one looks. I suppose it's best to just say- Truth is stranger than fiction!

[pmeisel]

Remember when Soupy told kids to get "those green pieces of paper with President's pictures on them" and "send them to me!"? People thought that was outrageous -- then along came the Popeils, Billy Mays, and Shamwow Vince.....

Sorry to hear of Wiggy's tough end....

[Bret4207]

Remember when Soupy thought the camera was off and said, "....There, that oughta keep the little b#$*^)ds happy..." That was the end of that show.

[9.3X62AL]

Bret, I love how you are filling in all those gaps of history that my public school education in CA overlooked. I am in your debt.

[Bret4207]

Don't mention it old friend, I'm just grateful to be of service.

[sundog]

Al, Bret is yet another outstanding product of the New York State Board of Regents! A great pride amongst us all.

[Papa smurf]

Bret4207-----Papa Smurf here. I'm guessing Sam Colt was left handed. The loading gates and cutouts for installing percussion cap are on the wrong side as well as the cylinder turning the wrong way. Good Shooting--------Papa Smurf

[Bret4207]

Corky! Please! I'm blushing.......:oops:

[Char-Gar]

New York!!!! Get a rope!

[Multigunner]

The early Colt swing out cylinder revolvers turned counter clockwise same as the S&W, but they soon found this could cause cylinder misalignment if the crane assembly became worn. They then reverted to the clockwise rotation same as the old revolvers.
If you notice removal of material from the righthand recoil shield to allow for a loading gate and earlier a capping recess of the C&B revolvers, would have weakened the frame at the point where its milled internally for the hand to move in rotating the cylinder had it also been on the right hand side.

[skimmerhead]

bret i was thinking how do you tell if your gun turns from left to right or right to left? now i have given this alot of thought, if your right handed and it turns left to right which way does it turn if your left handed? what if your laying on your back? does it have to do with the earths rotating axis? i'm very :veryconfuconfused can you help?

[Multigunner]

Bret4207-----Papa Smurf here. I'm guessing Sam Colt was left handed. The loading gates and cutouts for installing percussion cap are on the wrong side as well as the cylinder turning the wrong way. Good Shooting--------Papa Smurf

Never seemed that way to me, its easier to handle smaller objects like bullets with the right hand while holding the pistol in the left hand, and ejecting spent rounds with the Left index finger on the ejector button is a very natural method.
The Winchester lever actions also have the loading gate on the righthand side.

I would not see any advantage in the loading gate being on the left hand side.

With a swing out cylinder the situation is different, you still use the lefthand to eject but with all chambers fully exposed reloading with the lefthand is easier, though I still use my right hand to reload.

Some European swing out cylinder revolvers swing to the right, never got used to those.

It is a fact that in Colt's day (before the revolver became a common weapon)an officer would most likely go into battle with his sword in his right hand and pistol in the lefthand. You can't get much use from a sword unless you use your strong side hand, and smoothbore single shot pistols were for extreme close range. In the lefthand a heavy horse pistol also served as a maingauce to deflect or beat down the opponents blade.