REVOLVERS are fire-arms in which the barrels, or a portion of the barrels, being made to turn round on the cocking of the piece, are brought successively under the hammer, and permit of a rapid succes sion of discharges (rout the same piece. Revolvers, or repeating fire arms, are not an invention of modern times; many of a very ancient slate are to be seen in museums and collections of old arms. The are in several points very similar to the most recent improvements, but it was not till the introduction of the percussion cap removed the difficulty of retaining the priming of each charge In its place during the rotation of the chamber, that the be considered a really serviceable weapon ; while at the same time it was not till the great improvement of modern times in chew accurate machine menu facture that it became practicable to make such instruments in large numbers. For many years revolvers were made with the barrels all in one; five or six barrels being fixed together were made to revolve round a central axis, so as to bring their nipples successively under the hammer.
This, 'flowerer, eves wheu the bullet was almost uneervkeebly was a heavy cluing weapon. The adoption of revolving chamber* and one barrel overcame this ditliculty. fag. 1 shows the outline of Colonel Ceara revolver. This pistol tirst became generally known in England at the Great Exhibition of 1a51, where it excited a good deal Id attention. It had been for some ;cars much used in America, and found of great service in bush-fighting and in the backwoods. This undoubtedly pet English guninakers to work in the mme direction, for numerow revolting pistols have since been invented in England. There are three size. of Colt's pistol, the smaller containing fire chamberw The bullets may be either spherical or conical, and are nude slightly larger than the chamber, into which they are forced by the leave ramrod, and fit so tightly that the pistol can be carried in the hotter, monk downwards, withont their being shaken from their The chamber is again slightly larger than the barrel, which, tZ rifled. the bullets on being forced through them take the rifling
most effecUrely.
11, repeteenta Adains's revolver, which, since its invention, has received numerous improvement. (especially the lever.renirod, which the eerlier pistol. were not provided with), and may now be considered the moat efficient arm of this description. In Colt's pistol it is neces sary to cock the piece with the thumb before each discharge, while Adams's ptsug can be fired with only a continuous pull of the trigger ; this gives thilatter a great advantage in rapidity, an important point with a pistol which is not so much required for long accurate shots as for quick shooting in a inalste. By another improvement in Adams's pistol, however, wears enabled to cock it for accurate shooting with the trigger or the thumb, when a further slight pull fires the pistol. Fly.
lock of Adams's revolver, aud.sfg. 4, of Colt's revolver, which are taken from Stealth's Artillery,' by Cook and Hyde, will explain the action of the locks in the two pistols. Revolving or repeating pistols will _undoubtedly supersede all others, as being far the most efficient arm ; good shooting may be made with them at 100 or 200, and fair even at 800 yards. For cavalry, on board ship, or at close quarters generally, they are a moat formidable weapon. Rifles end large fire arms have been made on the same principle, and for some purposes they may be very useful ; but they labour under the disadvantage of reduced penetrative power and range from the escape of gas at the junction of the chamber and barrel, which has never yet been com pletely overcome.