Galand Revolver
Galand · Revolver · Out Of Production · 1868
Also known as: Revolver Galand Modele 1868, Galand & Sommerville, Model 1870 Boarding Revolver
Overview
The Galand Revolver is a French double-action revolver designed by Charles-Francois Galand and patented in 1868. Its defining feature is the Galand simultaneous extraction system: pivoting the trigger-guard lever forward drags the barrel and cylinder forward along the arbor while a fixed extractor plate strips all six spent cases out at once, making it one of the fastest-reloading revolvers of its era. It was produced in 7.9mm, 9mm, and 12mm chamberings across workshops in Liege, Paris, and Birmingham (the English-market guns badged Galand & Sommerville).
Specifications
| Overall Length | 248 mm (9.76") |
| Barrel Length | 124 mm (4.88") |
| Firing Mechanism | Double Action Single Action |
| Trigger Type | Double Action |
| Magazine Capacity | 6 rounds |
| Magazine Type | Internal |
| Effective Range | 50 m (55 yd) |
| Barrel Rifling | Right Hand |
| Number of Grooves | 5 |
| Frame Material | Steel |
| Barrel Material | Steel |
| Stock Material | Wood |
| Finish | Blued |
Calibers
- 12mm Galand · primary — also known as 11.5mm Galand, 12mm CF
Features
- Firing modes: Repeating
- Feed systems: Revolver Cylinder
- Features: Simultaneous Extraction, Trigger Guard Extraction Lever, Octagonal Barrel
Service history
Operators
- Imperial Russian Navy · adopted 1871 · as Model 1870 Boarding Revolver
- Romanian Army
Conflicts
- Russo-Turkish War (1877-1878)
Production
Production years: 1868-1885
No total figure published; the Imperial Russian Navy contract alone was roughly 4,000 (1,500 from Tula, 2,500 Belgian) circa 1871-1878, alongside broad civilian and commercial production across Liege, Paris and Birmingham makers
Origin
Country of origin: France
Designer: Charles-Francois Galand
Discontinued: 1885
Notes
The 12mm Galand cartridge has a thick rim distinct from and not interchangeable with the 12mm Perrin; the bullet is closer to 11mm despite the 12mm case designation. Exact period weight and ballistics are not published in accessible sources and are left null.
Background
A Galand is the revolver Tuco first picks up and assembles in the gunshop scene of Sergio Leone's 1966 film The Good, the Bad and the Ugly. Rejected by the French army in the 1872 trials, its most prestigious customer became the Imperial Russian Navy, who called it probably the most advanced Russian handgun until the 1895 Nagant.