The Merwin Hulbert

[mikthestick]

Hi
I am a Brit therefore don,t have the right to bear arms in my country. It doesn't stop me being interested. Question:- To open a Merwin Hulbert (Top strap version) you push the stud under the frame toward the trigger guard and turn barrel and cylinder clockwise. The lever at the side of the barrel releases the barrel and allows the cylinder to be removed. In addition the open top version has a barrel key like the colt. This key seems to far forward to catch the spindle on which the cylinder rotates so what does it do and how does it do it. thank you mik.

 

[Bart Noir]

Alas, I have only had the opportunity to buy an M&H once, and I passed it up. It was only a .38 anyway.

So I can't help you.

There is a company in the US that is trying to get them back into production, and the only version they have advertised in magazines is the open top. So maybe their website will have exploded drawings or a place you can ask your questions.

And if they say they are actually shipping completed revolvers, report back soon!

http://www.merwinhulbertco.com/

Bart Noir

 

[James K]

OK, here is a "how to" on the M&H.

A. To load the gun, first time.

1. Half cock hammer.
2. Open loading gate. (It pushes down rather than swinging out.)
3. Turn cylinder to load, just like a SAA. Note that the rims of the cartridges are stopped by a ring that is part of the frame but which fits into the cylinder when the latter is closed.
4. Close loading gate and begin firing.

B. After firing all or some of the cartridges:

1. Half cock the hammer.
2. Push the barrel latch in and turn the barrel to the right.
3. Pull the barrel forward. The ring in the frame will hold the rims of all the cartridges in the cylinder. (The cylinder cannot be loaded except through the loading gate.)
4. Fired cartridges will fall free (or get tangled up with unfired ones).
5. Unfired cartridges will be kept from dropping because the bullet is in the cylinder.
6. Push the barrel back and turn it counterclockwise to lock.

To reload, follow the instructions in A above except load only the empty chambers.

The cylinder is not removed under normal conditions, but a latch provides for pulling the barrel and cylinder off the center pin for cleaning. (When this is done by someone unfamiliar with the gun, the inevitable result is that the cylinder falls off the barrel and drops to the floor.)

The problem with the gun is that it is slow to load and its main feature, the retention of unfired rounds, is of little practical value and worse, the unfired rounds can get in the way of the fired cases, preventing them from dropping freely. The gun also requires cartridges with a specific case length to function properly. That is why some cartridges in the old days were specifically called Merwin & Hulbert cartridges. If other cartridges with different case lengths are used, either the loaded rounds will drop out, or fired cases will be retained.

Jim

 

[mikthestick]

Thankyou both

I went to the Merwin website got this picture of center pins. it looks to me as though the barrel key stops the barrel going too far back towards the hammer. How very strange.

 

[James K]

I did make one error in the above. I knew, but forgot, that the ring is part of the center pin, not part of the frame. For practical purposes, there is no difference, since the center pin is a permanent installation in the frame.

Two things stop the cylinder-barrel assembly from going too far back. The first is the cylinder itself, and the second is the length of the slot in the center pin for the latch. If the cylinder is left off and the latch pushed, the top strap will not allow the barrel to move too far back.

Jim