Who made it?

[Aguila Blanca]

And what was it called?

A number of years ago, somebody made a single action .22 handgun that looked from five feet away like a clone of a Colt SAA revolver, but was actually a single shot pistol. If I recall correctly, I believe the entire "cylinder" swung out for loading.

Does anyone recognize this description? I'd like to figure out what make and model it was because I'm curious about it, and I might want to start looking for one. I think it would be easier to find if it had a name.

 

[springer99]

I seem to remember Ruger had one that operated like that but think it was chambered for 22Jet.

 

[DaleA]

Might be this one...if so give Springer99 the credit for remembering it was one of the Ruger odd handguns.

The Ruger Hawkeye was a single-shot pistol chambered for the .256 Winchester Magnum cartridge, produced by Sturm, Ruger in the 1960s.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ruger_Hawkeye

 

[Hawg]

Probably a Savage 101.

 

[Sevens]

Colt also made the Camp Perry Model, where the "cylinder" was a flat rectangle and the otherwise "double action" revolver was just a single shot .22LR.

 

[Dfariswheel]

HAWG has it.
The gun was the Savage 101, in which the entire barrel and "cylinder" were one piece that swung out to load.
It looked like a single action revolver.

The original idea for this was the Colt Camp Perry Model, which was the frame and action of an Officer's Model Target double action with a one piece barrel and flat chamber that swung out like a DA revolver:

http://www.coltfever.com/Camp_Perry.html

 

[Bob Wright]

As a matter of interest, Colt made, or had made, a small scale Model 1860 Army cap-and-ball single shot .22 R.F.

Bob Wright

 

[briandg]

I'm inclined to think that you saw the ruger model but it was in .256.

 

[Aguila Blanca]

Probably a Savage 101.

That's the one! Thanks.

I'm a bit taken aback at the prices. That probably explains why I've never bought one.

Bob, do you have any further info on the little Colt you mentioned? They're probably also obscenely expensive, but it sounds like a nice little plinker.

 

[Old Stony]

I had one of the Savages many, many years ago. I was impressed since it looked like a cowboy revolver...but in actuality it was pretty boring to shoot.

 

[Aguila Blanca]

Anything single shot gets boring fairly quickly, especially compared to a semi-automatic. I first looked at/for the Savage 101 when I wanted to teach my daughter to shoot. She was sixteen at the time (my late wife's granddaughter, recently adopted by us) and, like many/most/all teenagers, more than slightly lacking in patience and discipline. I wanted something single shot so I wouldn't have to continually jump on her for shooting too fast.

As it turned out, the opportunity to teach her to shoot never came around. When my wife died three (and a half) years ago, my daughter went off the deep end and made seven attempts to kill herself within six months. There's no way I'm going to let her anywhere near a firearm. Even one shot would be enough to finish the job.

But I still think one of those Savages would be cool to have around -- but not for $450.

 

[James K]

The Savage 101 had a retail price of $21.50 back in the 1970's, but usually sold for under $20. The standard Colt Scout ran $64, while the Ruger Bearcat as $39 and the Single Six was $64. Of course the others were revolvers, while the little Savage was a single shot.

One note on the Savage 101. Be very careful if you separate the barrel-cylinder from the frame. There is a small ball bearing detent in the barrel assembly to provide tension on the locking. During disassembly, the little ball can get into one of the dummy "chambers" in the cylinder, locking the two parts together. Fixing the problem is the very devil.

Jim

 

[5whiskey]

As it turned out, the opportunity to teach her to shoot never came around. When my wife died three (and a half) years ago, my daughter went off the deep end and made seven attempts to kill herself within six months. There's no way I'm going to let her anywhere near a firearm. Even one shot would be enough to finish the job.

Off topic, but that is a really sad story. My heart goes out to you AB. I know you weren't prodding for any sympathy, but man I'm really sorry.

 

[Aguila Blanca]

Off topic, but that is a really sad story. My heart goes out to you AB. I know you weren't prodding for any sympathy, but man I'm really sorry.

Thanks. No, not looking for sympathy, just explaining why I first became aware of the thing.

My daughter seems to have come through the depression. She's back in university (in her native country, so far away from my gun safe) and seems to be holding her own. Nonetheless, when she comes home to visit a trip to the range will not be on the agenda.