The latest handgun to appear on the market is the Model 101 Single Action offered by Savage Arms Corp., Chicopee Falls, Mass. At first glance, the Model 101 appears to be a traditionally styled 6-shot single-action revolver. Actually it is a single-shot pistol with dummy cylinder pinned to the barrel to form an integral unit. Thus, there is no gap at junction of barrel and cylinder to leak gas as in ordinary revolvers.

The barrel and cylinder swing to the right to expose the breech for loading or ejection. The rod ejector is actuated by a thumb button under the left side of the barrel near the muzzle. The firing pin is of spring-loaded independent type pinned in the frame. The hammer rebounds so that it is unnecessary to partially or fully cock it before opening the breech. The mainspring is a virtually unbreakable coil spring. The frame and dummy cylinder are of die-cast alloy with barrel and other parts of steel. Grips are of laminated walnut-colored wood impregnated with plastic.

Our sample gun was test fired at 50 ft. with both regular and high velocity ammunition. The trigger pull by scale check proved to vary from 4 ½ to 5 lbs. with long but smooth creep. The relatively heavy hammer fall resulted in a pronounced muzzle twitch at instant of sear disengagement and this, coupled with the heavy trigger pull, made the gun rather difficult to shoot accurately when fired offhand or from rest. Smallest 5-shot group was 15/16’’; smallest 10-shot group 2-3/16’’. The gun is convenient to load and ejection is positive.

The Model 101 is of ingenious design and appears suitably accurate for informal shooting.