FWS Armory: The Return of the Revolver!

Revolvers are an iconic piece of American history and a symbol of the American Cowboy around the world. These lethal tools of the much romanticized Old-West, are ingrained into common American culture and psyche, causing a deep seeded love affair with the revolver. This great evolutionary step forward for firearms came when the 1836 with Samuel Colt's rotating cylinder loaded with six shots. This placed a great deal of firepower in the hands of the shooter, up until the revolver, each shot would mean a reload or swapping to a backup gun. The wheelgun allowed for the much romanced Old-West and its outlaws and gunfighters, rich movie characters, like Dirty Harry, and even up until the later 1980's, most police departments were still wielded the deadly Dirty Harry .44 magnum.

However, the death of the service  revolvers was began in 1911, when the US military made an automatic clip pistol the official sidearm, and over the next century, ACP's being less prone to jams, and continued to improve until the revolver was soon abandon by the police departments around the world, tje FBI, and most hobby shooters. It seemed that the revolvers were a dying breed.That was until recently, the revolver is regaining ground in firearm sales and re-development more powerful loads like the Taurus Judge. Revolvers are finding new fans in the world of self-defense firearms with these new revolvers firing shotgun shells coupled with the new Moon-Clips.Revolvers were part of my life, due to my father is an old-school wheelgun man, at an early age, my father instructed me with an .357 single-action Ruger Blackhawk. Added to this, was  my great-grandfather and grandfather both were lawmen in New Mexico, both my brother and I have their old revolvers. Even now, I still like the simplicity of the old wheelgun, and the ceremony in cocking back the hammer and spinning the chamber... 

Why Revolvers are in Sci-Fi Anyway?

It seems like a step backward when old-fashioned wheel-guns make an appearance next to FTL ships and off-world colonization. This begs the question, why would a creator of sci-fi include a revolver in their vision of the future? The simplest answer to invoke the Dirty Harry/Cowboy iconic and global POV on these wheel-guns...nothing says badass more than a magnum stripped to your leg. Of course, it can say something about your sci-fi world, if you are making a Western/Sci-Fi, like Firefly, than there will be revolvers, because that fits in your created universe.

Given the loaded perception of revolvers in the minds of people, the choice of a character carrying these type of weapon can say something about the character without being said, like Revolver Ocelot from Metal Gear Solid and Colonel Quaritch or even Rick Deckard. The revolver being their choice of sidearm, says their are so deadly with their aim and abilities, that they don't have need of magazines. It also can be used to date character, often older characters, like cops, are shown with revolvers, since they are old-breed and still don't trust the new magazine-fed pistols, this can be seen in Die Hard where Bruce Willis as a Beretta 92F and old beat-cop Powell as a revolver. Another commonly held believe on revolvers is that they are generally more powerful than the standard modern pistol, often revolvers are more like hand-cannons than normal sidearms. For example, in most video games, the revolver is often the most powerful handgun in the game, like Gears of War or Rainbow Six: Vegas, or when the fictional enemy is hard-to-kill, the revolvers are used, like in Avatar or Blade Runner. Since the original posting of this Armory blogpost, both the new sci-fi films Looper and the remake of Total Recall have continued the trend of revolvers in science fiction...maybe they read FWS?

The Progenitor of Sci-Fi Revolvers: The Blade Runner Detective Special

In 1982, the world was blessed with the one of the greatest sci-fi movies of all time, Blade Runner, and the style and atmosphere have been copied the globe over. Adding to the iconic style of my favorite film, is the futuristic revolver that Rep-Det Rick Deckard uses in Blade Runner. The gun itself was never named in the movie, however it has been christened by the Internet with a few names: the PKD Blaster, the M2019, and the Doppelganger. However the best title that fits, to me, is: The Pflager-Kitsumata LAPD M2019 Detective Special Series-D .44 Revolver.
In the film, Deckard uses the powerful handgun to "retire" several Replicants, however, the gun is never reloaded on screen to allow to see the caliber or operation of the Detective Special. In the 2007 re-release of Blade Runner the gun's report was clearly modified from the original 1982 cut to a more "revolver"-like in operation.
Some fans have theorized that the M2019 .44 Detective Special as a secondary barrel under the gun that shoots some kind of high-caliber Replicant-killing round,  similar, in theory, to the Civil War-era LeMat revolver that had an underslung single-shot 16ga. shotgun.
This theory does not hold water, when examining the hero-prop, as it  as no secondary barrel. The hero-prop itself was a mule, built from a bolt-action Steyr-Mannlicher SL model rifle and Charter Arms Bulldog revolver, and this gun, as gone on to influenced sci-fi creators to consider something else beside the DEW blaster.

The question often comes up on why Ridley Scott decided for Deckard to use a heavy-framed sci-fi revolver?
I have two answers to that.

The first is the real-world answer: Scott wanted Blade Runner to stand out from the sci-fi films being made in 1982, and since it's really a sci-fi dystopia Noir film, the traditional gumshoe private eyes used snub-nosed revolvers, and Deckard being modeled after those Film Noir detectives, dictated that he should carry a 21st century snub-nosed revolver. The original idea, created by Syd Mead, was for a blaster-like weapon, but Ridley rejected it, wanting something more real, with more forced behind it. One also as to remember, in 1982, most cops were still carrying revolvers and not automatic clip pistols like today.  

The second answer is from the world 2019 POV. In my Blade Runner book, Lifespan...one of the main characters answers why:
No much choice! The Major had always liked pistols, but the one’s here in Vickers were not to his favor…the Pläger-Katsumate revolvers. He thought as the he viewed wall after wall of the heavy, over-thought, overly-powerful pistols. While the Americans contact soldiers liked the raw power and brute looks of the PK’s, he did not. Just give me my old trusty Webley! He thought, After all, if it was good enough for my great grandfather in the Great War then it should be here!

Pläger-Katumate Arms was under the temporary benefit of a fever by colonial officers that enjoyed looking the part of killers, like those damned Blade-Runners! When the Skin-Jobs be came illegal in 2010 and the Rep-Dects started in 2011, the fear of magazine pistols jamming, caused the little niche company of PK to enjoy orders from the LA, Hong Kong, and London PD’s for their sidearms to be the powerful six-shot PK-D .44 Magnum, and the snub-nosed Chief-Special. These policemen were worried that given the power, speed, and skills of a Rep, that the small rounds of a regular pistol would not have the stopping power to bring down a Rep in one-shot, added to this was the fear at in a life-or-death moment, if the magazine should fail, then you were a calk-outline for the evening news!

He picked up on the standard PK-D M2019 series, and marveled at its weight and design; it did look the part of a man-killer though. He mused as he pulled on the lever. One of the big selling points of the Pläger-Katumate Arms neo revolvers was their patented lever quick release system. The Major lifted the small lever arm up to the top of the central cylinder of the weapon, and pulled back, just like on his old Enfield, and in one swift motion, the cylinder was open, and the empty .44 shells (if there had been any) would have been ejected, then once a speed-loader was slammed in, and the bolt closed, you were ready to retire more Reps. It was a bitch to clean and strip though.
Here is a great site for the M2019:
http://www.pflagerkatsumata.com/PKD1.htm

The Future of Revolvers

Caseless Rounds

One of the best "futuristic" ideas extending the life of revolvers is caseless ammunition, however, one of the negatives of caseless ammo is the rounds cooking-off the propellant that surrounds the sabot due to the heat generated in the body of the weapon. Revolvers could be reloaded quicker without the need to remove the shells, and thermal cook-off is not an issue due to less heat generated by wheelguns. FWS will be writing a massive article on caseless ammunition...watch for it!

Moon Clips

Moon clips are an old idea, (1908), but are starting to finally catch on due to the easy-of-use and speed of reloading. A thin metal frame holds the shells in place to be loaded into the cylinder, much like a traditional speedloader. Moon clips, unlike speedloaders, eject with the shells, and one-time use, making them less to drag the reloading process.

Adjustable Cylinders

Much like the Mateba autorevlvors, and the Taurus Judge, and the Sig Sauer P229, that can fire different types of ammunition, it could be possible for a revolver to have adjustable cylinders or cylinder chambers to fit all manner of ammunition.

Examples of Real Steel "Futuristic" Revolvers

The Howdah Pistol

This was a British designed multi-barreled (2-4 barrels) single-shot gun to be used while hunting lethal animals in India and Africa. These were a last-resort weapon when their primary rifle was down or out of ammo...or of course, if the animal was on-top of you. The gun is rarely seen in films, only the new Sherlock Holmes and The Ghost and the Darkness seem to feature these old handcannons.

The Webley Mark IV .455

One of the more interesting looking real-steel revolvers that as been used in sci-fi films is the very powerful .455 Webley Mark IV. Due to its unique design and being one of the iconic weapons of the British Empire, it as been used in sci-fi films as a base to work off or being put into the work outright. I am proud to say that I have held on these in my very hands, and it one most balanced and good feeling revolver I have ever handled.

S&W 38 Bodyguard

The .38 bodyguard five-shot revolver as a built-in laser aiming device, and was specially designed for close-protection and/or concealed handgun work.  

S&W The Governor

This S&W massive cylinder revolver that can fire six rounds of .45 long, the .45 short, and .410 shotgun shells seems to be aimed directly at the same market as the five-shot Taurus Judge. I am surprised Taurus as not sued S&W over the similiarities between the Judge and the Governor.

Taurus Judge/Home Defender

When it comes to badass revolver that pumped new blood into the old gun, the Taurus Judge is the king of the 21st century. The Judge is a five-shot revolver that fires .410 shotgun shells and/or .45 long within the need to change out barrels. The gun is very popular for home/car defend and for shooters that wanna look cool. The first time, I saw the Judge, it reminded me of the M2019 .44 Detective Special. Anyone got a Nexus 6 that they want to retire?  

The S&W .500 Nitro Express

This massive handcannon fires 12.7mm rounds, and original the round during the blackpowder days was used for big-game hunting. Now, this modern .500 massive handcannon is just for showing off at the gun-range and for hunting big game. According to the TV show Mythbusters the gasses escaping the cylinder can burn the hands of inexperienced shooters, along

The .600 Nitro-Express

The five shot, single-action Pfeifer Zeliska .600 caliber handcannon is according to many sources is the "most powerful (and expensive) handgun in the world today". The two really issue with this 13lbs gun, is the recoil energy that as been known to throw the gun out of the hands of the shooter, leaving  injuries, and the gun is extreme expensive. The gun itself is about $16,000 and each bullet cost $40. Holy Frak! You gotta want something or someone dead real bad to use this fucking cannon! The real question is if you could hit them with it!

The Ruger Alaskan

This short-barreled, large caliber revolver is offered in several calibers: .454 Casull, .480, and .44. The gun's name is reference to it's intended use...self-defense against bears and other dangerous, don't-fuck-with-me animals.In addition, some shooters, like my Dad, use this for car/home protection, so that the local ICU can get some business.  

The Mateba Autorevolver

The most futuristic revolver ever made, is the Italian Mateba Model 6 Unica Auto-Revolver. This gun was offered in .375, .44, and .454 Casull around 1997 to 2005, and a considered rare.The gun was a semi-automatic revolver, that had the barrel was on the lower frame than a typical revovler's upper frame mounted barrel. The gun, now out of production, as been seen in several sci-fi films and Anime (Ghost in the Shell) and typical sells for about $1200 in the commonly found .357 magnum version. 

The REX Russian Revolver
The MP412 REX is a double-action Russian made .357magnum break-open revolver that was designed for the export market. The REX features an automatic shell-ejector. The REX became known to most of us, including yours truly, via the Battlefield: Bad Company video game, and some sources say that this was used as the base gun for the WASP SN-9 revolver in Avatar.  

Examples of Science Fiction Revolvers

The SN-9 "Wasp" from AVATAR

The SN-9 WASP revolver, wielded by Colonel Quaritch, was built from a .357 magnum break-open revolver possible the REX Russian revolver, but according to many sources, the WASP shots HV 9mm sabot rounds. This gun was bought by RDA personal due to its greater stopping-power than the normal RDA sidearm. The WASP seen in the film is fitted with a scope and light. According to the Avatar game, the WASP as an automatic revolver and as two-round bursts. 

The Boltok Pistol from the Gears of War video game series

The primary sidearm for the Locus Horde is the powerful Boltok pistol, and my personal weapon of choice when I play Gears of War. Since the game is violent, over the top, and brutal, the choice of large-framed wheelgun makes sense.  

Navy-type Revolver from Borderlands

Littered the massive amount of guns in this game, is several revolvers. All manner of attachments exist.  

The Shotgun Revolver handgun from the flash-fiction serial CUSTOM

In my own  flash-fiction serial, Custom, the human soldiers waging the losing war against the crab-like Nix. To bring down these nightmare creatures, their sidearm was based on the Taurus Judge loaded with .410 shotgun shells.  

The Cosmo Dragoon from Galaxy-Express 999/Captain Harlock

Within the overlapping universe of Leiji Matsumoto, this gun, the  Cosmo Dragoon is used as the standard handgun. From the pictures, the Cosmo Dragoon as a central cylinder, like a revolver, however, in operation the Cosmo Dragoon is a simple DEW blaster. Forget Captain Jack, Captain Harlock is the best fictional (space) pirate!

The ISA M4 Revolver from KILLZONE 2 and KILLZONE 3

Between Killzone 1 and 2, the ISA forces switch, (in mid-war, mind you) from an magazine-fed pistol to the powerful M4 revolver. The interesting thing about the M4 is the reloading, it changes out the entire cylinder, much like the old black powder revolvers. I have no real answer why the developers of Killzone changed over, expect that this pistol is worlds different that the enemy's pistols and besides, that it looks really cool... 

The Smith & Wilson Model 67 from Escape From New York

In one of the best films of all time, Escape from New York, one of the coolness characters of all time, Snake Plissken is given an S&W Model 67 .38, fitted with a scope and some speed-loaders. Over the course of the film, it finds it way into the hands of Maggie, and dies with her. This is a oddball gun when placed in the fictional timeframe of 1997, however if you remember that is actually the very early 1980's, it makes more sense. Police were still using revolvers and Snake using the .38 wheelgun was channeling the Dirty Harry vibe. Some believe that the revolver is actually a .357, like I believed for years, however the IMFDB entry is clear...it is a .38. Pity, I love the .357 round. 

Various Mocked-up Revolvers from Firefly and Serenity

Firefly was one of the most promising Sci-Fi series to be ever cancelled, and in this sci-fi western, the 'verse was filled with all manner of futuristic revolvers. The two best, were Captain Mel Reynold's used a heavily modified Taurus Model 85 revolver, or in the series known as a "Moses Brothers Self-Defense Engine Frontier Model B". The caliber is never said on-screen and I never remember seeing him reload this gun, despite being his primary weapon in the both the series and movie.

The other primary futuristic revolver is Jayne Cobb's sidearm used in the series and not the movie. This heavily modified LeMat reproduction cavalry Revolver from the Civil War era, and is more of a traditional looking revolver with cylinder fully exposed. The actually LeMat revolver is a unique blackpowder revolver (of course, there French in origin), most had nine cylinders or either .36 or .42, and a underslung single-shot 16 gauge smooth bore shotgun.

The Colt Python .357 from Half-Life 2

Bring down headcrab Zombies is a simple act of joy with this Colt Python .357. The power of the weapon is well-displayed with the great amount of recoil...the choice for Dr.Freeman weidling this could be a reference to Escape form New York.

The Smith & Wesson Model 29 from Road Warrior (AKA: Mad Max 2)

In the Citizen Kane of Post-Apocalyptic films, The Road Warrior as it all...great cars, great lines, and great villains that have a cool scoped revolver. From the ceremony surrounding the revealing of the revolver in the film, it tells the audience that ammo is rare, and the pictures, death's-head SS patch in the lined case, all inform us of the possible backstory to the ruler of the wasteland...

The M2019 .44 Detective Special from BLADE RUNNER

Please see above

The Colonial Sidearm from BattleStar Galactica (2003)

In a nod to Blade Runner, the new BSG had the colonial forces wield this odd-looking mule that was replace with the FN FiveSeven pistol in the second season. Both of their pistols were mounted with a micro-grenade launcher, and seem to modeled of off the LeMat Revolver of the American Civil War, that had under slung single-shot shotgun. 

The Colt Single Action Army from the Metal Gear series

In the groundbreaking Metal Gear Solid, one of the members of FOXHOUND Special Forces Group is Revolver Ocelot. During the games, Revolver Ocelot said: "this is the greatest handgun ever made. The Colt Single Action Army. Six bullets... More than enough to kill anything that moves. Now I'll show you why they call me... 'Revolver'." 

The AD Police Earth Shaker Mega-Revolver from Bubble Gum Crisis

In the 1987, Anime cyberpunk classic, Bubblegum Crisis, the AD Police hotshot, Leon McNichol carries a revolver as his sidearm. However, when the shit-its-the-fan and the Boomers are attacking, he pulls out a massive 14mm shell handcannon (see below). Given the link between revolvers and their iconic status, it seems that Leon uses a revolver to seem cool.

The M2007 Mateba from Ghost in the Shell

In both the Anime and Magna, the normal cop Togusa of Section Six, uses a M2007 Mateba Autorevolver instead of the 5mm M5 Seburo. He often says that worries about the automatics jamming up, and that he "likes" his .44 Mateba. Ghost in the Shell could be using the Mateba to play-up the normal cop ascept of Togusa.  

Ronin's Blaster Revolver from Stargate: Atlantis

I am not a big Stargate fan, I did watch more of Atlantis than SG1, and got to enjoy the prop departments great work with Ronin's DEW blaster/revolver. Despite the prop being cool, the series was trying too hard to play up Ronin being a badass character by arming him with a Han Solo-like blaster that also tapped into the iconic-status of revolvers in the American Psyche. The gun is seen using a "stun" and "Kill" setting, and seemly as endless ammunition. 

Various Revolvers from World War Robot

In Ashley Wood's universe of limited story and muted paintings, there is a great war in the 1980's and 90's that waged across Earth, Luna, and Mars between several factions. The gas-masked face of this conflict is Nom de Plume, a ghost of the battlefields, and control of these warbots. In the painting of Nom de Plume, he wields an odd, futuristic revolver, similar to a Mateba...there is no information on the gun on any ThreeA sources. Several of the Warbots that fight the bulk of the Great War, especially the Bertie Mark I, use some sort of massive hand revolver cannon, similar to Hell Boy's Samaritan hand-cannon. Once again, no information is available on the gun itself.

The Samaritan Hand-Cannon from Hellboy

The mother of all unique revolvers is the ten pound Samaritan hand-cannon from the Hellboy series, and it is said that normal humans cannot fire the gun without breaking their arms. Only four massive 22mm shells fit in the cylinder, and inside the shells themselves is a mix of garlic, holy water, water oak shaving. According to sources, the body of the gun is made from church bells and wood from true crucifix itself!

The .44 Magnum Revolver-Rifle from Metro: 2033

In this post-apocalyptic shooter set in Moscow, the underground soldiers have only sidearm in the game, the .44 magnum fitted with long-barrel, silencer (which don't work on revolver), scope, and stock which makes this revolver into pistol-caliber carbine. Since when did they get the Dirty Harry gun in Mother Russia?

The S&W Model 29 from Cowboy Bebop

In the episode "Black Dog Serenade", Jet's former partner in the Inn-Solar System Police, uses a S&W Model 29. This most likely is trying to age the characters, showing them as old-school cops.

The Slammer from Hard Boiled

In the overcooked and overdone Frank Moore 1990 comic, the insurance investigator, Carl Seltz, finds out he's an homicidal cyborg tax collector, and one of his weapons of choice is a massive revolver, called the Slammer. From the look of the Slammer, it appears to have several weapons in one...maybe the upcoming movie will cast some light on this cool gun. 

The Majestic Revolver from Crysis 2

The Majestic in the second Crysis game is large frame revolver that fires "compact .50" rounds, and seems modeled after the Mateba autorevolvers. Much like the M4 revolver from Killzone 2 and 3, the Majestic is reloaded via an entire cylinder.  

The .454 Revolver from Alien Nation

Alien Nation is one of those films that never got its due from being a very creative sci-fi film...when I saw District 9, I could not help but make comparison with this 1980's sci-fi gem. In the film, which takes place in 1991 (LOL), alien slaves have landed on Earth and are taking into society. Sykes, a human detective loses a partner to a alien robbers with heavy weaponry...to answer this, he arms himself with a Freedom Arms Model 83 .454 Revolver.

The Custom Mateba Unica 6 from Gamer

In this unique hard-core science-fiction film, Gerard Bulter uses an slightly modified Mateba auto-revolver when going into a simulation social game, called 'society' to rescue his wife. In these scenes, Mr. (300) Butler uses this rarely seen futuristic revolver. There are a number of Blade Runner references in Gamer and it is my guess that they put the Mateba to fill in for the M2019 .44 Detective Special.  

The Revolver Laser Blaster from The Galaxy Rangers

In this mid-1980's American(!) Anime-quise Cartoon TV series, the frontier of human colonial development was defended by the Galaxy Rangers. These brave lawmen and women used really cool fighters, shuttles, robotic-horses, mind-powers, and a directed-energy revolver. The series was cancelled after one year, and the toy line was never released, however a few people possess the prototype water-gun based off the futuristic revolver sidearm. And Yes...I watched when it was on...sign..

Future DEW Colt Revolver from Saber Rider and the Star Sheriffs

This Western Sci-fi Anime series (made by the same people as Voltron and similar to Galaxy Rangers) ran in the mid-80's in America. Given the space western theme, several primary weapon used by the human settlers and the Star Sheriff characters, especially Colt, was an odd futuristic directed-energy Revolvers that loaded power cells into the chambers. A massive version of this DEW revolver was the main armament of the Ramrod Mecha used by the Star Sheriffs.

The Mateba Model 6 Unica from Looper

The futuristic Mateba Model 6 Unica fitted with a five inch barrel in .357 magnum is used in the time-travelling epic Looper, and since I've not seen it...I've got nothing on it. Given the weapon choices seen in the rest of the movie, the choice of the revolver is both a nod to the badass cultural mindset and the given the film a retro-future look. Either way, the Mateba revolver keeps it place as the go-to futuristic revolver. Need to get one...

The .357 Chiappa Rhino 50DS from Total Recall (2012)

In the much-better update to the 1990 Total Recall, both the hero and villain, use the Chiappa Rhino .357 DS50 Revolver. Kate Beckinsale uses the chrome variant while Colin Farrell and various UFB police officers use the more traditional black color. Both are fitted with small green LED lights and custom barrel weight. Lords of Kobol...Kate Beckinsale is hot!