Author Topic: Dan Wesson copy? (Read 1536 times)

David Carey · « **on:** December 21, 2006, 07:57:06 AM »

This link was posted in the "general handgun discussions" scroll down the page they not only have interchangable barrels, you can also change out the cylinder to a different caliber.

http://www.jtl.de/english/revolver/revolver_e.htm

Dave

DWTim · « **Reply #1 on:** December 21, 2006, 10:51:18 AM »

I'd have to see the guts. From the pictures, it looks like the frame is different, and so is the cylinder latch. The cylinders are also removable like a DW small frame.

But, the barrel assembly looks like a Karl Lewis rip-off to me.

Still, that is the nicest-looking European revolver I've ever seen. If I had the money, and they were being imported, I'd snatch one up.

David Carey · « **Reply #2 on:** December 21, 2006, 02:28:13 PM »

There are pictures of more then one gun on the site but the one picture with all the barrels and the extra cylinder says this.

"Only 1 basic frame required because of quick change system
(barrel and cylinder in a few seconds)

Despite its change of function, all settings will remain the same

sighting-in target, trigger and so on
Convert to all current calibres "

It is hard to believe that it works but it must. It would be nice to see one in person.

Dave

DWTim · « **Reply #3 on:** December 21, 2006, 03:08:28 PM »

Oops, it's got a "safety" built into it.

Wow, what a way to ruin a perfectly good revolver.

RollTide · « **Reply #4 on:** December 21, 2006, 05:45:55 PM »

I fired of an email to them, we will see what they say.

Roll Tide

David Carey · « **Reply #5 on:** December 21, 2006, 06:33:36 PM »

Good idea Rolltide,

I do not see a visable latch for the cylinder.

I hope you get a reply I would like to know what it sells for.

Dave

GrantCunningham · « **Reply #6 on:** December 22, 2006, 04:46:58 AM »

The frame is very similar to a Korth; the cylinder release is to the shooter's right of the hammer spur. Even the cylinder detach mechamism appears to be like a Korth.

Interesting....

wiley · « **Reply #7 on:** December 22, 2006, 06:36:29 AM »

Does not appear to be a tensioned barrel. Looks like it screws in to the frame and locks up with the small feature below the lug. It took DW a while to figure out that the tensioned barrel was a "good" thing beyond barrel interchanges. These guys don't have it!

GRIMJIM · « **Reply #8 on:** December 22, 2006, 08:15:56 AM »

I didn't see a barrel latch either, though there has to be one somewhere. I clicked the products link and was surprised to see a lot of other products not firearm related. Camera repair, is the one that sticks in my head but there were other strange ones. Sounds like a company with it's hands in a lot of things. I wonder what the quality is like. Pretty nice looking pistol though.

RollTide · « **Reply #9 on:** December 23, 2006, 12:36:05 AM »

How can they make a single mechanism that uses an 8 shot, 7 shot, 6 shot, and 5 shot cylinder all in the same gun?

I guess I am showing my ignorance of how revolvers work internally, but it seems like there would have to be some change in the geometry of the hand and other parts for cylinders with different number of stops.

Roll Tide

darrell8937 · « **Reply #10 on:** December 28, 2006, 05:22:12 PM »

I think I would rather own one of their "Butter Testers" Lets see, we fix cameras, make dairy testing equiptment and , Hey , why not a revolver! That is strange!

RollTide · « **Reply #11 on:** January 02, 2007, 08:00:39 AM »

Darrell,
Have you ever considered all the diverse industries the owners of S&W and other big gun companies have been invovled in through the years. For a firearms maker to be owned or aquired by a conglomerate involved in many different industries is a rather common tale.

Janz has indeed responded to my email and are in process of sending me more information via snail mail from Germany, so it could take a while.

Personally I am interested in their revolvers, but if they send any info on the butter tester, Darrell, you will be first on my list to send it to (I guess the only one on the list at present.)

HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE

El Hombre · « **Reply #12 on:** January 02, 2007, 08:59:38 AM »

Interesting. I don't know if it would be legal in the US.
I think Thompson Center had to jump through alot of hoops to keep the Contender legal due to the multiple calibers / one serial number frame issue.

Hope nobody forgets to change out the barrel assembly when they put in the 44 mag frame. 44 mag cylinder with a 22 barrel....Ouch!!!

DWTim · « **Reply #13 on:** January 02, 2007, 11:06:54 AM »

I was under the impression that the BATF considers whatever has the trigger group in it to be the "gun", so a T/C barrel is technically not a gun. That's why you can buy all the AK kits you want, but if you want the receiver, you either have to be a legit manufacturer, or go through an FFL to get one. The same goes for AR-15 clones, with the lower receiver being the actual point of interest.

I'm sure it's plenty legal, since DW has been selling interchangeable barrel guns for years, and I believe you can buy conversion cylinders for sixguns without being an FFL-holder. In that respect, those new cartridge conversion cylinders for blackpowder replica guns are apparently taking advantage of a "loophole". (Read: Remaining liberty.)

But who needs real reasons to ban this gun? The powers that be will just make something up, like, it's made of x-ray stealth plastic, or it shoots teflon bullets that only kill cops, or that it could be converted to 50 caliber and be used to shoot down jet airliners.

Sorry, El Hombre, but you mentioned the legal aspect and now I'm cynical. I bet when they do make it here, the barrels will be tack-welded on, for everyone's safety.

El Hombre · « **Reply #14 on:** January 03, 2007, 02:33:21 AM »

Quote from: DWTim on January 02, 2007, 11:06:54 AM

I'm sure it's plenty legal, since DW has been selling interchangeable barrel guns for years, and I believe you can buy conversion cylinders for sixguns without being an FFL-holder. In that respect, those new cartridge conversion cylinders for blackpowder replica guns are apparently taking advantage of a "loophole". (Read: Remaining liberty.)

Tim,
It's true that DW has been selling changable barrels , but the caliber stayed the same. I believe that is where the situation gets "sticky". The same with the blackpowder conversions, the caliber, (usually 44 or 45) stays the same with the conversion. I'm no legal expert, I just remember that there was some issue with the one frame, changeable barrels/calibers on the T/C. I think the same problems might occur with this revolver.
That being said, I'd like to have one, looks like a fun piece. It would be interesting to see how the well the timing stays with the changable cylinders.

GrantCunningham · « **Reply #15 on:** January 03, 2007, 08:56:02 PM »

The regulatory problem with the Contender was that it could be transformed from a pistol into a rifle, and vice-versa. Caliber had nothing to do with it; it was simply the fact that you could take a pistol frame and barrel, add a shoulder stock, and end up with an illegal short barrel rifle.

El Hombre · « **Reply #16 on:** January 04, 2007, 03:08:30 AM »

Grant,
I remember the pistol/rifle issue. I was thinking there was an issue withe the barrel/caliber changability also. I may be mistaken. My wife says sometimes I make stuff up!

GrantCunningham · « **Reply #17 on:** January 04, 2007, 06:34:23 AM »

Actually, your memory is fine - except it wasn't about caliber per se, but with cartridge type. This was with regard to shotgun barrels: not only could you make a SBR too easily, you could also make pistol that fired shotshells - which is quite illegal.

Again, it was an issue of being able to reconfigure between long gun/handgun and too easily coming up with an illegal combination, but the cartridge type was a concern as well.

DWTim · « **Reply #18 on:** January 04, 2007, 06:55:11 AM »

Grant,

What is the status with the 45/410 derringers and the Taurus 45/410 revolver? Does the legal definition of shotgun have to do with the bore?

GrantCunningham · « **Reply #19 on:** January 04, 2007, 07:13:51 AM »

Generally, the way around a pistol that can fire shotshells being declared a "sawed off shotgun" is to rifle the barrel. My understanding - and I am not an expert in legal matters, you understand - is that if the barrel is rifled, it's not considered a shotgun under federal law.

Hence, I think you'll find that all of the handguns which fire the .410 shotshell have rifled barrels.

(This is not legal advice, you understand!)

unspellable · « **Reply #20 on:** January 04, 2007, 08:09:21 AM »

Caliber or cartrdige dosen't matter. One sees all sorts of dual caliber self loaders, not to mention single shots.

The contender got into problems from two directions. You could easily put a shoulder stock on it along with a short barrel. You could by it with a muzzle loading barrel, in which case was it a muzzle loader or a firearm under federal regs.

The short smooth bored handgun issue has a curious history. Back at the dawn of history, Marble, of Marble's Game Getter fame argued they should be exempt from the excise tax on firearms since the Game Getter was an agricultural implement used for pest control. (So why was it a "Game Getter"?) They carried the argument and got the exemption so it was no longer a "handgun". Comes the law to regulate machine guns and such. Since the Game getter is not a handgun or shotgun it gets lumped in with "other" firearms such as shooting canes, palm squeezers, pen guns, etc. Ergo, short guns with smooth barrels are "other" firearms and subject to federal registration and tax.