Tranter (revolver) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Tranter Revolver |
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Tranter revolver (Second Model with single trigger) in .44 Army, from the collection of General JEB Stuart
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| Type | Revolver |
| Place of origin | United Kingdom |
| Service history | |
| In service | 1855–1878 |
| Used by | United Kingdom & Colonies, Confederate States, United States, Australia, Canada |
| Wars | American Civil War, Anglo-Zulu War, Fenian raids, Red River Rebellion |
| Production history | |
| Designer | William Tranter & Robert Adams |
| Designed | 1853 |
| Manufacturer | Tranter |
| Produced | c.1854-c.1880 |
| No. built | approx |
| Specifications | |
| Mass | approx 2.4lb (1.1 kg), unloaded |
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| Calibre | Percussion: 120-bore (.32-calibre), .36-caliber Navy (.374-calibre), 80-bore (.387-calibre), 54-bore (.442-calibre), .44-caliber Army (.451-calibre), 38-bore (.506-calibre), & 24-bore (.577-calibre). Cartridge: .230 Tranter Rimfire, .297 Tranter Rimfire, .320 Tranter Rimfire, .380 Tranter Rimfire, .442 Tranter Rimfire; .320 Tranter Centrefire, .380 Tranter Centrefire, .442 Tranter Short Centrefire, .450 Adams, .500 Tranter Centrefire, .577 Tranter Centerfire Revolver. |
| Action | Double-action |
| Muzzle velocity | 620ft/s (190m/s) |
| Effective firing range | 35yds |
| Maximum firing range | 100yds |
| Feed system | 5 or 6-round cylinder |
| Sights | Fixed front post and rear notch |
The Tranter revolver was a type of handgun invented around 1856. It was created by an English gun designer named William Tranter (1816–1890). This revolver used a special system called "double-action percussion cap & ball." This means it could fire by just pulling the trigger, and it used a cap and ball (a small explosive cap and a lead ball) instead of a modern bullet.
Early Tranter revolvers were often based on designs by Robert Adams. William Tranter had already made many Adams-style revolvers before creating his own. His first unique design used parts from an Adams revolver. He also added a new part he developed with James Kerr. This first model was called the Tranter-Adams-Kerr.
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How the Tranter Revolver Was Designed
The Tranter revolver had a strong, "solid-frame" design. This made it look a lot like another popular gun, the Beaumont–Adams revolver. William Tranter made three main versions of his revolver. The biggest change between these versions was how the ramrod was attached. The ramrod was a tool used to push the bullet and powder into the gun's barrel.
- On the first model, the ramrod could be taken off.
- On the second model, it was hooked to the gun's frame.
- On the third model (made in 1856), it was screwed onto the barrel.
How the Double-Trigger Tranter Worked
Some Tranter revolvers had two triggers. This was a bit unusual!
- The first trigger was located below the main trigger guard. You would pull this lower trigger to prepare the gun to fire. This action would pull back the hammer and spin the cylinder to load the next shot.
- The hammer on this model did not have a "spur" (a part you could pull with your thumb). So, you couldn't cock it with your thumb.
- Once the lower trigger was pulled, you could then pull the upper trigger to fire the gun. This was like firing in "single-action" mode.
- For faster shooting, you could pull both triggers at the same time. This made it a "double-action" weapon, meaning one pull of the trigger did both jobs: cocking and firing.
History of the Tranter Revolver
The Tranter revolver became very popular during the American Civil War (1861-1865). The Confederate States of America (the Southern states) needed many weapons. They couldn't get guns from factories in the North and didn't make many of their own. So, they bought weapons from other countries.
William Tranter had a deal with a company in New Orleans, USA, to sell his revolvers. When the Civil War started, this company continued to sell Tranter's guns. Because they were reliable and worked well, Tranter revolvers were liked by the Confederate soldiers.
The Tranter revolver was made in several different sizes, called "calibers." The most popular sizes were .36, .442, and .50. Tranter even made special "Army" (.44 caliber) and "Navy" (.36 caliber) models just for the American market.
After the American Civil War, Tranter kept making his percussion revolvers. Even though new guns that used cartridges (modern bullets) were becoming available, many people still thought percussion guns were safer and cheaper. In 1863, Tranter got a special right (a patent) to make "rimfire" cartridges in England. He started making guns that used these new cartridges, often using the same basic design as his older models. By 1868, he also began making revolvers that used "centrefire" cartridges, which are more like modern bullets.
In 1867, Tranter's company grew and opened a new factory in Aston Cross, Birmingham, England. It was called "The Tranter Gun and Pistol Factory." In 1878, the British Army ordered Tranter revolvers for the Anglo-Zulu War. This was the last time the British military officially used Tranter revolvers. William Tranter retired in 1885. His patents (he had 24 for gun designs and 19 for cartridges!) and his factory were later bought by a company called Kynoch.
Famous People Who Used Tranter Revolvers
Many interesting people used Tranter revolvers:
- Allan Pinkerton, who started the famous Pinkerton Detective Agency.
- The North-West Mounted Police in Canada.
- Confederate General James Ewell Brown Stuart.
- African explorer Paul Du Chaillu.
- Australian bushrangers like Ben Hall.
- Even Arthur Conan Doyle's famous detective, Sherlock Holmes, was known to use one in stories.
- Richard Jordan Gatling, who invented the Gatling Gun, owned a small Tranter revolver.
Tranter Revolvers in Movies
The Tranter revolver has appeared in several movies:
- In the 1984 film Greystoke: The Legend Of Tarzan, a Tranter revolver was used by a character named Lord John Clayton.
- In the 1971 western movie Hannie Caulder, the main character, played by Raquel Welch, carries a first-model Tranter with two triggers. In the movie, a gunsmith custom-made it for her.
- The 1856 Tranter Revolver and a Tranter Revolving Rifle are important in the 2016 Australian film The Legend of Ben Hall. This is because these weapons were actually used by the real-life bushrangers Ben Hall and John Gilbert.
- In the novels about Harry Flashman, the character often talks about carrying and using Tranter revolvers.
