The test gun is a bespoke Manor & Co .22 revolving carbine – a most unusual (but repeatable) custom creation. It is built on a centrefire-sized frame with interchangeable .22 Long Rifle (LR) and .22 Magnum cylinders (in .22 LR the cylinder capacity is nine shots; in .22 Magnum, eight). The gun weighs in at just under 4½lb with a 19⅞in barrel (overall length is a handy 36in). While the Manor carbine has open sights, the rear element can be swapped for a rail suiting Weaver-type scope mounts. [Legally, this long-barrelled revolver is a Section 1 firearm and may be held on a firearm certificate.]

The aesthetics of the Manor carbine are excellent, with London finish and striking wood (Turkish walnut). It was displayed at the World Gunmakers’ Evening at the Savoy earlier in the year and generated much interest. Elegantly stocked and reengineered by British craftsmen, this most curious, almost Bondesque creation could not fail to attract attention. The action is not blued but ceramic finished, with the barrel conventionally blacked, while the butt has exceptional figure and well-conceived shapes, with more than average drop at heel. Though short and slim, the fore-end is comfortable and offers some extra purchase (because of the position forward of the cylinder, wearing a protective glove on the front hand is still advisable).

The styling succeeds unexpectedly well considering the unusual form. Apart from the weatherproof action finish, the wood is hand oiled and chequered. The grip is particularly good. My only practical quibble is the release catch for the cylinder, which is a bit fiddly in operation. The sights are good too, while the high-visibility foresight is not what I am used to on a rifle but proves well suited to this gun and my vision (a gold fore-sight, as used in express rifles, might work too).

I asked the man who conceived the gun, Gerry Coulter, owner of Manor & Co, how this intriguing firearm came to be: “After seeing the film For a Few Dollars More, I researched the Colt Buntline Specials used by Lee Van Cleef, including one with a detachable stock that he used like a carbine. I discovered Colt had made a run of them in the 1950s and a third generation in the 1970s. That inspired me to make a modern, updated version. The originals didn’t have a fore-end but I wanted to make it a bit more user-friendly. It also had to comply with current British firearms legislation, which created significant engineering challenges.”

Coulter’s first pre-prototype port of call was a well-known British pistolsmith who gave him more information on how the gun would have to be constructed to legally qualify as a long pistol or carbine. Then he spoke to his local firearms licensing officer, who said you could not use them in large calibre for shooting game, so he settled on making a .22 rimfire initially. Now, a stainless- steel .357 version is being developed for gallery range shooting too.

Revolving rifles have a surprisingly long history. Elisha Collier patented a flintlock design in 1818. This required hand rotation of the cylinder and may have inspired Samuel Colt (although his concept for the modern revolver is usually put down to observing ratchet and pawl capstans as a young sailor). Colt whittled a basic design in wood and would go on to offer pistols and carbines in self-rotating percussion form and as centrefire weapons. Colt revolving carbines were used by some Pony Express riders and during the US Civil War. Various modern copies have been produced since, not least by Colt as mentioned. The Brazilian maker Rossi and Heritage Arms market their Peacemaker-style single-action revolving carbines (the Rossi chambered for .410 and .45 Long Colt cartridges, the Heritage gun, .22). Alpha Proj, a Czech firm, offers a well-priced doubleaction carbine in .357. The Manor carbine is aimed at a different market, though.

Manor & Co’s gun is one of the few revolving double-action carbines ever made. The action is ceramic finished and the wood hand oiled and chequered

Technical

The gun – one of very few revolving double-action carbines ever made – is based on a Smith & Wesson-type revolver frame, US sourced by Manor & Co and equipped with a Walther barrel. The original barrel is bored out then the new, much-longer one sleeved in and hot riveted in position so it cannot be removed without destroying the frame (thus conforming to strict UK legal requirements). As the pistol is double action, it may be fired either pulling through on the trigger, which will rotate the cylinder, lift and drop the hammer, or single action, with the thumb cocking the hammer and causing the cylinder to rotate. Each of the gun’s interchangeable cylinders is supplied with its own yoke (the part connecting the cylinder to the frame and allowing it to swing out for loading and unloading). The cylinders are individually machined to match the modified frame and secured by a thumbscrew to the left. These screws, the trigger and hammer are all nickel plated.

Shooting impressions

Holding and sighting skills with pistols – applying to this open-sighted carbine – require much practice and degrade quickly. Conventional pistol marksmanship (and rifle shooting with open sights) demands 100% focus on the front sight while maintaining perfect alignment with the back sight as you pull the trigger. Imagine a capital ‘E’ turned on its side ω. You must hold this image through the shot. On range, though, initial results were disappointing using conventional technique. Instead I focused on the centre of the target (retaining subliminal vision of the high-visibility fore-sight) and made surprisingly good groups. A small, low-magnification telescopic or red-dot sight would also work well. Verdict? Great fun and ideal for rabbit shooting or target practice. Full marks for making it too.

Manor & Co