Tranter Revolver
William Tranter · Revolver · Discontinued · 1856
Also known as: Tranter Double-Trigger Revolver, Tranter Patent Revolver
Overview
The Tranter Revolver was a British double-action percussion revolver designed around 1856 by Birmingham gunmaker William Tranter, best known for its distinctive dual-trigger mechanism. A lower trigger projecting through a slot in the guard rotated the cylinder and cocked the hammer, while a second upper trigger fired the shot - allowing the user to fire deliberately as a single action or rapidly by squeezing both together as a double action. Built on a solid frame with an octagonal rifled barrel and five-shot cylinder, Tranter revolvers in .36 and .44 calibre were popular with Confederate officers during the American Civil War.
Specifications
| Barrel Length | 152 mm (5.98") |
| Action Type | Double Action |
| Firing Mechanism | Double Action |
| Trigger Type | Set Trigger |
| Magazine Capacity | 5 rounds |
| Magazine Type | Internal |
| Effective Range | 30 m (33 yd) |
| Barrel Rifling | Right Hand |
| Frame Material | Steel |
| Barrel Material | Steel |
| Stock Material | Wood |
| Finish | Blued |
Calibers
- .442 (54-bore) Percussion Ball · primary — also known as 54-bore, .442 cal, 11.2mm
- .500 (38-bore) Percussion Ball — also known as 38-bore, .500 cal, 12.7mm
Features
- Firing modes: Repeating
- Feed systems: Five Shot Percussion Cylinder
- Features: Double Trigger Mechanism, Octagonal Barrel, Percussion Cap Ignition, Muzzle Loading Chambers, Five Shot Cylinder, Loading Lever
Service history
Operators
- Confederate States Army
- British colonial forces
Conflicts
- American Civil War (1861-1865)
- Indian Rebellion of 1857 (1857-1858)
Production
Production years: 1856-1880
Built on the Adams solid-frame patent; thousands exported to Confederate forces during the American Civil War
Origin
Country of origin: United Kingdom
Designer: William Tranter
Discontinued: 1880
Notes
Tranter bore sizes ranged across 120 (.338), 80 (.380), 54 (.442), 38 (.506), and 24 (.577) bore. Later models replaced the double trigger with a conventional single-trigger lock. Thousands were shipped from Birmingham to New Orleans under contract for the Confederacy.
Background
Tranter's clever twin-trigger lock let a steady marksman cock with the lower trigger and fire precisely with the upper - or, in a fight, mash both at once and empty the cylinder as fast as he could pull, making it a favorite sidearm of Confederate cavalry officers.