"The revolver is dead!": so they said in the early 20th century, when the first successful semi-automatic pistols started being successful. The same verdict has been repeated many times over the years. But the truth is that the revolver is still alive and kicking, in every form and for every use, from personal defense and sport shooting to leisure shooting. To prove it, in this article we did a roundup of some of the most interesting, curious, unique, innovative or valuable models from several manufacturers that have appeared in recent years. Enjoy it!
Chiappa Rhino 30 D, the sci-fi revolver
Chiappa's Rhino revolver series looks almost sci-fi due to its unique look featuring the barrel aligned with the lower cylinder chamber – at 6 o'clock – instead of the top chamber as in conventional revolvers. The peculiar architecture of Rhino revolvers allows for a better recoil and muzzle climb management. Chambered in .357 Magnum and designed for concealed carry with its 3” barrel, the Rhino 30 DS model is one of the latest iterations. It features a six-round, stainless steel cylinder and a one-piece aluminum frame. Finish is nickel-plated. Sights include a front sight with fiber optic insert and an adjustable rear notch, also with fiber optic inserts for a rapid target acquisition. Grips are black synthetic rubber.
Henry Big Boy Revolver, Henry's first handgun
In 2023 Henry, famed for its lever-action rifles, introduced its first handgun, the Big Boy, an old-style 6-shot double-action/single-action revolver in .357 Mag/.38 Spl. with medium-sized, highly polished blued steel frame, polished brass trigger guard and American walnut grips. Two grip configurations are offered: the Gunfighter flared style or the rounded and more compact Birdshead style. The notch rear sight is fixed, the front sight has interchangeable blades with different heights (high, medium or low). Barrel is 4”, or 102 mm long. Intended uses are hunting, self-defense or plinking – especially if you fire .38 Special light target loads.
Ruger Super Redhawk in .22 Hornet, the long-range varmint hunter
The Super Redhawk revolver has been known for many years and in many calibers, but last year Ruger decided to chamber it for a pretty unusual centerfire cartridge, the .22 Hornet. The latter was developed in the 1930s and is ideal for long-range varmint hunting, small game hunting and survival. The Ruger Super Redhawk in .22 Hornet has a 8-round capacity, and comes with a replaceable front sight featuring a HiViz green insert and an adjustable rear sight. Barrel is 9.5”/241 mm long. The monogrip is a Hogue Tamer. Construction is stainless steel, with extra metal in the top strap, sidewalls and barrel mounting areas, for use with powerful hunting loads.
Kimber K6s Stainless (LG), for concealed carry
The Kimber K6s Stainless (LG) in .357 Magnum is a powerful 2-inch barrel revolver expressly designed for concealed carry, and comes factory with Crimson Trace Master Series Lasergrips to help in reactive and instinctive shooting. The grip is composed of a wooden and a rubber section. The six-shot cylinder is the thinnest among .357 magnum revolvers, featuring a hand ejector and counterbored chambers. Thanks to great ergonomics, the recoil of the K6s is manageable even with factory .357 Magnum cartridges. All in all, a very elegant and high-quality gun, very functional for defensive use and for everyday carry.
Korth, “Made in Germany” excellence
Often described as the “Rolls Royce of revolvers”, Korth products are renowned for their top quality. In a partnership with Korth, Nighthawk Custom released the Korth Ranger, a .357 Magnum revolver with a 4”/101 mm barrel, featuring a striking skeletonized barrel shroud, a polished Lothar Walther barrel and Jim Wilson Turkish walnut grips. The Korth Ranger also incorporates a Picatinny rail on top for mounting optics, and below for mounting a light/laser. Rear sight is adjustable, coupled with a fast changeable front sight. All parts are fully machined – a Korth's trademark – and hand-fitted by expert gunsmiths in Germany.
Umarex T4E HDR 50, CO2 for home defense
A double-action only revolver that fires rubber balls with a diameter of half an inch (1.27 cm) powered by a CO2 cartridge: this is the Umarex T4E HDR 50, intended for home defense and informal target shooting. HDR in fact stands for "home defense revolver", especially in countries where self-defense laws are very strict when it comes to "real" firearms, so alternative tools such as capsicum sprays or non-lethal guns such as this Umarex T4E HDR are very popular. The Umarex T4E HDR cylinder, almost entirely made of plastic, is removable and has a capacity of six .50 caliber balls. There are two Picatinny rails, one on the top of the frame and one on the lower barrel, for accessories and sighting devices. Trigger has an automatic safety similarly to Glock pistols.
Colt 8” Python, the long snake
Colt announced the long-awaited reintroduction of the iconic .357 Python revolver in 2020. More recently, they also added a 8” version. The longer barrel provides enhanced accuracy and sight radius for target shooting. Front sight is user-interchangeable, grip is walnut grip with the iconic Colt medallion. Cylinder capacity is 6 rounds. The revolver is available in matte stainless or stainless steel finishes. All “new-generation” Pythons also have reinforced frames: the adjustable target rear sight has been re-designed, with thirty percent more steel beneath it, for more strength and improved reliability.
S333 Thunderstruck, the unique twin-barreled revolver
Another very unusual gun, the Standard Manufacturing S333 Volleyfire Thunderstruck is a twin-barreled revolver featuring an articulated safety integral into the trigger. Chambered in .22 Magnum, the S333 can fire two shots simultaneously, delivering all 8 rounds in the swing-out cylinder in just three seconds. It has no full trigger guard – just a sort of “fang” in front of the trigger – but features an articulated safety integral to the trigger. The S333 is conceived for defensive purposes and features a concealed hammer, functioning as a conventional double-action revolver. Frame is 7075 aircraft grade aluminum, with 1 ¼” (32 mm) barrels and polymer grip.
Uberti 1851 Richards Navy, Blondie's sixgun
A non-historical firearm and a must for moviegoers, the Uberti 1851 Richards Navy is actually a replica of the sixgun used by “Blondie” (Clint Eastwood) in Sergio Leone's The Good, the Bad and the Ugly movie (1964) – the gun is also sold in the US by Cimarron Arms as the "Man with No Name Conversion" after the character played by Eastwood. Chambered in .38 Special, it is a metallic cartridge conversion based on the Colt 1851 Navy cap and ball revolver model. The octagonal barrel is 7 ½” (190 mm) long, and the loading lever is obviously for aesthetic purposes only, but it can be used as a practical spent cases ejector.
Smith & Wesson Model 327 WR, Jerry Miculek's record-breaking revolver
From S&W's Performance Center, the Smith & Wesson Model 327 WR is a limited-edition (only 1,880 units made) of the 9mm revolver used on October 6, 2023 by Jerry Miculek's to set a world record: six steel plates hit from the draw at seven yards in just 1.88 seconds. The Model 327 WR is optic-ready and comes with a Vortex Compdot reflex sight.
It is a double action only, N-frame revolver, with 8-round cylinder and 5”/127 mm Quad-Ported stainless steel barrel. The Jerry Miculek laminated wood signature grips provide optimal ergonomics. Frame is made from lighweight scandium. A true collector's gun.
Pedersoli Remington Pattern, for Old West fans and sport shooters
One of the most used guns in MLAIC (Muzzle Loaderes Association International Confederation) revolver shooting competitions, Pedersoli's Remington Pattern is a six-shot, .44 caliber single-action revolver that replicates the percussion model used during the American Civil War and in the Old West. Two versions are available: the Target model, featuring a blued finish, and the Custom model, distinguished by a chrome finish, which has an even higher level of mechanical accuracy and is designed for competition. Barrel length is 203 mm.
