Rock Island Auction Company is known for curating some of the most expensive, gorgeous, and unique collections of firearms to ever see an auction floor. Everything from canons, small arms, and even such blades as cavalry swords. Soon, on August 25th – 27th, they [Read More…]
For today’s edition of Wheelgun Wednesday, we have another artifact of American history found in the catalogs of the Rock Island Auction Company. Consigned to the upcoming May 2023 Rock Island Premier Firearms Auction, this Beaumont-Adams percussion revolver [Read More…]
Taylor’s & Company have announced the introduction of a 9x19mm version of their 1875 Outlaw revolver. Combining the classic look of an old west revolver, the 1875 Remington, with a modern cartridge. The 9mm 1875 Outlaw will be available in two barrel lengths [Read More…]
If you’re a revolver guy you’ll be interested in the latest book from Headstamp Publishing. They have launched their latest project ‘Clockwork Basilisk‘, an in-depth examination of the early revolvers developed by Elisha Collier and Artemas [Read More…]
Prior to the Civil War, firearms inventors were attempting various mechanisms and designs in order to enable revolvers to be fired faster without breaking the firing grip. One of these designs, the Adams system, is a true double action. Another design, the Starr, [Read More…]
A couple of Wheelgun Wednesdays ago, we talked about the President Ulysses S. Grant’s Remington New Model Army revolvers that are consigned to the upcoming May 2022 Rock Island Premier Firearms Auction. Today, we’ll take a look at another amazing lot found in [Read More…]
Every time Rock Island Auction Company publishes a catalog of a Premier Auction, the first thing this author does is sort the list of lots in descending order of estimated high price and without an exception, the lot with the highest estimated price is always something [Read More…]
As we all (should) know, one of the primary rules of firearm safety is “always keep the firearm pointed in a safe direction”. How, then, does one accomplish this with a horizontal turret revolver? Even worse, the Cochran underhammer turret revolver was a [Read More…]
Along with the Mexican American War and the Crimean War, the United States Civil War was a 19th-century proving ground of myriad new tactics and technologies of warfare, including the revolver. One of the primary debates within Confederate circles was whether to field [Read More…]
The Wild West era holds a special place in the hearts of many firearms enthusiasts. Plenty of shooters today grew up with figures of cowboys, sheriffs, and outlaws on horseback with lever-action rifles and classic revolvers. What would American firearms history be [Read More…]
This week on Wheelgun Wednesday I am bringing the Hugo Hensel back for all you revolver lovers and appreciators. It has been a while since I was at the helm of a good old wheel gun article and I assure you I have been super excited and patient to share some more [Read More…]
Need a Big Bore Revolver? Henry Pate’s got you covered. By the time the American Civil War broke out, Henry Clay Pate already had some combat experience from the 1850s. Pate, a U.S. Marshal and staunch slavery supporter, had participated in the attack on [Read More…]
Not So Fast, Nagant When we think of a revolver candidate for a suppressor, invariably our mind drifts to the M1895 Nagant. A good revolver, to be true. Gas-sealed revolvers, however, were around far earlier, with the UK having a rich history of development in this [Read More…]
Photo Of The Day – Today we take a look at an offering from Rock Island Auction Company, one of the world’s top auction houses specialized in antique and collector firearms. This is offered in their December Premier, and you’re looking at a pair of [Read More…]
Welcome back to another installment of TFB’s Wheelgun Wednesday series of articles. Today we’ll talk about revolvers embellished by Tiffany & Co. This article is based on the six Tiffany Colt and Smith & Wesson revolvers that are consigned to [Read More…]
“Well, you gonna pull those pistols or whistle ‘Dixie’?” Moments after delivering this line in the 1976 film “The Outlaw Josey Wales”, Clint Eastwood (playing the titular character) deftly draws a brace of Colt revolvers and opens [Read More…]
The MATEBA Autorevolver, thanks to some media exposure, uniqueness and limited availability, has gained a cult status among firearm enthusiasts. In the anticipation of hopefully seeing newly manufactured models on the market, here we get the chance to have a close look [Read More…]
Yes, it’s true, there was actually a double action revolver in service during the United States’ Civil War, though 600 of only 1000 made were actually purchased by the military. The particular firearm in question is an Adams & Kerr .36 caliber [Read More…]
My good friend John Lyons is a big fan of American Old West history and a collector of percussion firearms. I remember when his collection started several years ago with an acquisition of a Uberti replica of Colt Model 1851 Navy revolver. Fast forward a couple of years [Read More…]
Here is a simple .22 revolver project built by a reader from absolute scratch using basic tools while following the plans here. For a gun built at home from scrap steel it isn’t far off from looking like a commercially produced handgun, far flung from typical [Read More…]
“There are two kinds of people in this world, my friend: those who like their pistols engraved, and those who don’t.” Fortunately for the former, Cimarron has added another choice to their 1851 Percussion Revolver lineup: The 1851 Navy “Laser [Read More…]
This American revolving rifle is designed by Ralph Mershon and Jehu Hollingsworth. It is a percussion firearm and it is reportedly a select fire one with full-auto fire capability/mode! After loading the cylinder, the shooter had to wind up the built-in spring which [Read More…]
Revolvers got their start in 1835 thanks to Samuel Colt, and in the years to follow there were quite a few designs and innovations – and, yes, failures – in the gun world. It was 1856 when Smith and Wesson began manufacturing cartridge revolvers, and others [Read More…]
Like any other Rock Island premier firearms auction, the upcoming August 2022 auction is also full of unique firearms of virtually every category. However, what caught my attention when I was browsing its catalog, was the amazingly large collection of various rare [Read More…]
The Rock Island Auction Company is well known in gun circles for interesting old, unique, and rare firearms that are auctioned off to private collectors. Established in 1933 by Pat Hogan, RIAC sought to specialize in collectors’ firearms, and militaria, and [Read More…]
Colt, one of the oldest and most venerable names in US firearms manufacturing may be on the verge of being acquired by one of Europe’s leading brands. Česká Zbrojovka better known as CZ are well regarded for for their classic CZ 75 pistols, their bolt actions [Read More…]
At the beginning of last month, we took a look at some of the rarest and most obscure firearms consigned to the Spring 2020 Poulin Firearms Auction. Initially planned to be held in April, this auction was postponed due to the Coronavirus Pandemic and took place in [Read More…]
Continuing our series of articles dedicated to the most valuable firearms consigned to major American auctions, today we’ll take a look at the top 5 most expensive lots sold during the June 2020 Rock Island Premier Gun Auction. This auction took place from June [Read More…]
Welcome back to another installment of our series of articles dedicated to the most obscure firearms seen in the catalogs of major American auction houses. In this article, we’ll take a look at four rare and unusual firearms consigned to the Spring 2020 Poulin [Read More…]
At the beginning of the past month, we reported about Rock Island Auction Company preparing to hold the world’s largest firearm auction. The auction took place as scheduled (February 13th to 16th) and with over 11,200 guns sold in over 5,500 lots, the [Read More…]
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