Galand-Sommerville Revolver
Braendlin & Sommerville · Revolver · Discontinued · 1868
Also known as: Galand & Sommerville, Galand Self-Extracting Revolver, Galand 1868
Overview
The Galand-Sommerville is a 19th-century British self-extracting double-action revolver, the English-made version of Charles-Francois Galand's 1868 design produced under license in Birmingham by the firm Braendlin & Sommerville, after whom the patent partner Sommerville lent the gun its name. Its defining feature is a lever beneath the barrel that, when pulled forward, slides the barrel and cylinder away from the standing breech while a fixed extractor plate strips the spent cases from the chambers, allowing far faster reloading than the gate-loaded revolvers of the period. English-pattern examples were typically chambered for the .450 Adams centerfire cartridge then standard in British service and civilian revolvers.
Specifications
| Weight (empty) | 1020 g (36.0 oz) |
| Overall Length | 290 mm (11.42") |
| Barrel Length | 152 mm (5.98") |
| Action Type | Break Action |
| Firing Mechanism | Hammer Fired |
| Trigger Type | Double Action |
| Magazine Capacity | 6 rounds |
| Magazine Type | Cylinder |
| Muzzle Velocity | 190 m/s (623 fps) |
| Muzzle Energy | 264 J (195 ft·lbf) |
| Effective Range | 25 m (27 yd) |
| Maximum Range | 100 m (109 yd) |
| Barrel Rifling | Right Hand |
| Frame Material | Steel |
| Barrel Material | Steel |
| Stock Material | Walnut |
| Finish | Blued |
Calibers
- .450 Adams · primary — also known as .450 Boxer, .450 Revolver
Features
- Firing modes: Repeating
- Feed systems: Revolving Cylinder
- Safety mechanisms: Half Cock
- Features: Self Extracting, Break Open Frame, Lever Actuated Extractor
Service history
Operators
- British civilian and colonial market
Production
Production years: 1868-1880
Manufactured under license in Birmingham, England by Braendlin & Sommerville alongside Liege-made Continental examples.
Origin
Country of origin: United Kingdom
Designer: Charles-Francois Galand
Discontinued: 1880
Notes
The same Galand mechanism was built on the Continent in Liege and offered in 9mm and 12mm; the British-made guns marketed by Sommerville commonly used the .450 chambering. Often catalogued simply as the Galand or Galand & Sommerville revolver.
Background
The Galand self-extracting system made loading the revolver dramatically faster than contemporary gate-loaded pistols such as the Colt Peacemaker, by ejecting all spent cases in a single forward pull of the under-barrel lever.