Bang Up
Harrington & Richardson · Revolver · Discontinued
Also known as: Bang Up No. 4
Overview
The Bang Up is a cheap single-action, spur-trigger pocket revolver of the American "Suicide Special" type, chambered for the .22 Short rimfire cartridge in a seven-shot solid-frame cylinder. Made in the United States in the late 19th century, it was sold under the fanciful "Bang Up" trade name and is attributed to Harrington & Richardson (and, in some references, to the wholesaler Ely & Wray). Typically nickel-plated with hard-rubber grips and a short barrel, it was one of the countless inexpensive concealable pocket revolvers marketed to civilians during the post-Civil War boom in cheap American handguns.
Specifications
| Weight (empty) | 200 g (7.1 oz) |
| Overall Length | 165 mm (6.50") |
| Barrel Length | 57 mm (2.24") |
| Action Type | Revolving |
| Firing Mechanism | Single Action |
| Trigger Type | Single Action |
| Magazine Capacity | 7 rounds |
| Magazine Type | Revolving Cylinder |
| Muzzle Velocity | 220 m/s (722 fps) |
| Muzzle Energy | 45 J (33 ft·lbf) |
| Effective Range | 10 m (11 yd) |
| Barrel Rifling | Right Hand |
| Frame Material | Steel |
| Barrel Material | Steel |
| Stock Material | Hard Rubber |
| Finish | Nickel |
Calibers
- .22 Short · primary — also known as .22 Short
Features
- Firing modes: Manual
- Feed systems: Revolving Cylinder
- Features: Spur Trigger, Exposed Hammer, Solid Frame, Fixed Sights, Fluted Cylinder, Bird'S Head Grip
Production
Production years: c. 1870s-1890s
One of many low-cost 'Suicide Special' trade-name revolvers; exact output for the 'Bang Up' name is undocumented.
Origin
Country of origin: United States
Notes
"Suicide Special" was the collector term for the flood of cheap, solid-frame, single-action spur-trigger pocket revolvers produced in the U.S. c. 1870s-1890s under hundreds of catchy trade names. The Guns Dictionary (archivingindustry.com) lists "Bang Up" as a cheap Suicide Special revolver made in the U.S.A. by Ely & Wray or Harrington & Richardson. Physical dimensions here are representative of the small-frame .22 rimfire class and are not maker-certified for every example.
Background
In the decades after the Civil War, U.S. makers churned out cheap pocket revolvers under hundreds of flashy trade names like 'Bang Up,' 'Bloodhound' and 'Blue Whistler' - a marketing free-for-all that collectors later dubbed 'Suicide Specials' for their dubious quality.