In the Frontier period, there was a need for powerful revolvers. This need was met with such guns as the brute-strong '75 Remington, classic S&W Schofield and the immortal Colt Peacemaker. What many do not realize is that there was an additional gun that was very competitive—the Merwin, Hulbert. These revolvers came in three sizes, several calibers, many barrel lengths and four different model variations. However, all of them had one feature in common—a unique twist-and-pull system of selective extraction. In this system, the shooter works a latch on the bottom of the frame, twists the barrel and cylinder 90 degrees, pulls it forward and then gives it a little shake. Cartridges are held against the standing breech. The distance the cylinder moves forward is that of a fired case, so those fall away, leaving live rounds in place. Close the action and top off with fresh rounds. The system demanded meticulous hand-fitting, but is a delight to use. Merwins had other features that also helped them stand out, such as scoop flute cylinders and folding hammers for concealed carry. However the feature that I like most of all is the interchangeable spare barrels. You could have a 3 1/2-inch barrel for going to town and a 7-incher for daily carry out on the range. Beautiful!
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