Revolver ID?

[sapper740]

Originally Posted by Dean (Ajax)

Kicking around here somewhere is a book on British Service revolvers.I remember reading that Canada recieved a pile of pistols from the US on a Lend Lease Bases..when Camp X opened they guurads first carried these Lead Lease Pistol before Automatiics were issued..and oother odd thiing, is that one type of these pistol could take 2 differant types of rounds..wish I could find my boook.

Dean

Dean, you're probably thinking about the .38 Long Colt and the .38 Special which were both U.S. service rounds used in the S.&W. Military and Police revolver. Their dimensions, other than length, were identical and thusly could be chambered in the same firearm. There are any number of revolvers that can chamber various rounds. Ignoring the numerous .22 RF cartridges and the various hand-cannons based on the .45-70 cartridge et al we'll concentrate on the centre-fire cartridges.

Any revolver chambered for the longest and highest pressure round will safely fire any shorter and lower pressure round:

.357 Maximum>.357 Magnum>.38 Spcl.>.38 Long Colt>.38 Short Colt

.444 Marlin(a rifle round)>.44 Magnum>.44 Spcl.>.44 Russian

There are currently both a revolver and a derringer being manufactured in the U.S. that will chamber both the .410 shotshell and the .45 LC and for a time Ruger made a revolver they called the convertible which had two cylinders, one for .38 Spcl and the other in 9mm Parabellum. Lastly, and not as well known is you can buy chamber inserts that will allow you to safely fire .32 Auto (7.65mm in Europe) in any rifle chambered for .30-30 Winchester, .308 Winchester/7.62 NATO, .30-06, or .300 Winchester Magnum. Derek.