The Bigger
Bang!
(from a Colt Walker Black Powder Revolver)
This photograph shows a 6 shot .44 calibre Colt Walker revolver being fired on the 25 metre range. This gun was originally produced in the mid 1840's as a collaboration between Captain Samuel Walker and Samuel Colt the gun maker. The design of the gun made it quite massive for a handgun and it weighed-in at around 4½ pounds (double that of a 'normal' revolver of its day) and it was and still is, the most powerful black powder repeating handgun ever made. As can be seen the loading lever has started to drop from the horizontal and indeed this was a common problem with these guns and led to a number of modifications in an attempt to prevent its happening (when the lever drops, it can prevent the cylinder from turning). The gun that is being shown is a Uberti, Italian made reproduction. See also the slow-motion video of this same gun being fired.
