What Are the Parts of a Revolver? (A Guide)

If you're a hunter wanting to add a revolver to your weapons toolbox, you're entering a tradition of simplicity, reliability, and power. Revolvers offer a simple and reliable design coupled with the ability to handle a wide range of calibers. This makes them an outstanding option for hunting small to large game. 

However, before you take your hunting revolver to the field, you should understand how it works and familiarize yourself with its key components. After all, knowing your firearm inside and out maximizes your effectiveness and safety and is a critical first step toward mastering this classic type of pistol.

What are the parts of a revolver? Keep reading to find out!

How Do Revolvers Work?

The revolver's core design consists of a rotating cylinder that holds multiple cartridges in separate chambers. Every time the hammer is cocked, the cylinder rotates to align the next cartridge with the barrel.

The manually revolving cylinder eliminates the need for magazines or more complicated actions. After all, fewer moving parts means fewer opportunities for malfunctions in the field. 

What Are the Main Parts of a Revolver?

To be proficient with a revolver for hunting, you should understand the function of each major component. 

The primary parts of a revolver include:

• Frame: The revolver's frame is like its backbone. This sturdy metal structure contains all other components, including the barrel, cylinder, firing mechanism, sights, and grip. 
  
  
• Barrel: A thick, cylindrical tube attached to the frame that the fired bullet passes through. Barrels range from 2-6 inches, although some hunting pistols will have eight-inch or longer barrels. The barrel's interior has spiral grooves (rifling) to spin the bullet to improve accuracy and range. 
  
  
• Cylinder: A rotating metal cylinder typically holding 5-6 cartridges in individual chambers. Each cylinder chamber is aligned with the barrel by cocking the hammer in a single-action revolver or pressing the trigger in a double-action revolver.
  
  
• Trigger: Functionally, the trigger is a lever your index finger presses to initiate firing. A single-action revolver must have the hammer manually cocked before the trigger will work. A double-action revolver can both cock and fire with one (long) trigger press. 
  
  
• Hammer: Located at the rear of the frame behind the cylinder, the hammer is released from its cocked position by the trigger. The hammer then strikes the firing pin, which detonates the cartridge primer.

Revolver hammers can be externally cocked by the user, and others have internal hammers inside the frame that cannot be manually cocked. 

Additional Key Components of a Revolver

Several other parts are essential to operating a modern-day revolver.

These include: 

• Grip: The textured area on the revolver's frame is where your hand grasps and holds the pistol. Grips are made in different thicknesses and materials, from wood to synthetics. They are also interchangeable and should be selected based on comfort and control while shooting. 
  
  
• Sights: Many hunting revolvers have a fixed front and adjustable rear sight. Aligning the front and rear sight allows you to line up the revolver's muzzle to your eye for more accurate and precise shooting.
  
  
• Ejector Rod: The ejector rod is manually operated under the barrel to push the spent cartridges from the cylinder chambers. The ejector rod on most double-action pistols will eject all the spent cartridges simultaneously.

For most single-action revolvers, you must manually rotate the cylinder to line up each chamber with the ejector rod and eject the spent cartridges one at a time.

Internal Mechanisms and Safety

Many hunters consider revolvers safer in the field than semi-automatic pistols since they have simpler mechanical designs, fewer moving parts, and less complexity of operation, especially in high-stress situations.

As with all pistols, the trigger guard is the first line of defense. This metal barrier makes it harder, but not impossible, for the trigger to be accidentally pressed.

Note that revolvers have no external safety and rely on internal safety mechanisms like transfer bars and hammer blocks. When the hammer is forward, the transfer bar or hammer block is placed between the hammer and the firing pin. The bar drops out of the way when the hammer is cocked.

This design reduces the chance of an accidental discharge if you drop the revolver or if there is an impact on the uncocked hammer. 

Revolver Variations and Customizations

Exploring different configurations and modifications can help you select the best revolver for your hunting needs. Here are a few to consider.

Single-Action vs. Double-Action

Single-action revolvers typically have a shorter and lighter trigger pull than a double-action. This action favors hunting situations where you need more precision for longer distances.

Double-action trades more rapid follow-up shots for precision since the longer trigger travel can create more movement in the gun.

Materials

Revolvers have traditionally been made from steel, which is heavy but absorbs more recoil. This makes steel the favored frame material for powerful hunting cartridges like the .44 Magnum or the .454 Casull.

Lightweight aluminum alloys are also used to reduce the revolver's weight but significantly increase felt recoil.

Common Modifications

Many hunters modify the grips to improve comfort, control, and accuracy. Depending on the texturing and finger grooves you prefer, custom grips are available that provide a better fit to your hand and a more secure purchase. 

Consider modifying the front sight with a fiber optic or tritium insert for better visibility in low-light conditions. Adjustable rear sights can also be retrofitted to your revolver to increase your accuracy at longer distances dramatically. 

While some revolvers have an adjustable trigger pull, most will require the services of a qualified gunsmith to lighten the trigger pull weight. A lighter trigger requires less pressure to operate, but there is always a balance between ease of operation and safety when modifying triggers. 

Should You Use a Revolver to Hunt?

If you enjoy getting closer to animals and want to test your stalking prowess, using a revolver can be an attractive hunting challenge.

A .22 LR can be lethal on small game like grouse, rabbits, and squirrels. Larger and more powerful calibers, such as the .357 Magnum, .44 Magnum, and .454 Casull, are preferred for larger game, such as feral hogs, whitetail deer, black bears, and even elk. 

No matter which caliber you choose, make sure you can consistently hit your quarry's vital zone at the distance you expect to be hunting. More importantly, you should be able to effectively manage recoil to deliver a second or third follow-up shot rapidly. 

Always check your local regulations to ensure you use legal calibers and barrel lengths for the species you are hunting. 

Safety First: Handling and Practice

Although properly holding a revolver is relatively simple and natural, you should be mindful of where you place your support hand fingers on the frame. The gap between the cylinder and the barrel is where hot gasses will escape when the cartridge is fired. 

A good starting point is to grasp the revolver with your dominant (firing) hand so the web of the hand is as high up on the shoulder of the grip as possible. Wrap your support hand around your dominant hand, making as much contact as possible between the grip and your hands while keeping your thumbs out of the way. 

Use dry fire practice (with dummy rounds) to improve trigger manipulation and reloading. You'll want to be able to fire, unload, reload, and fire follow-up shots in high-pressure and low-light situations. 

As always, follow the Firearm Safety Rules when handling your revolver — at home, at the range, or in the field.

Know How to Stay Safe When Using Revolvers for Hunting

Hunting with a revolver can add a fantastic new challenge to your outdoor pursuits, but it's important to fully understand the parts of a revolver before heading out for a hunt.

The revolver's shorter range capabilities and multiple caliber options will test your stalking and marksmanship skills in a way that a rifle cannot. Revolvers also offer reliability and simplicity, making them the preferred close-range weapon in rain, snow, and extreme cold. 

Like all hunting activities, successfully using a revolver in the field takes skill and a lot of practice. Consider expanding your firearms and hunting knowledge with a state-specific hunter education course like what we offer here at ilearntohunt.com. You'll learn essential safety principles, marksmanship fundamentals, field skills, first aid, conservation practices, and more. 

Plus, our gamified experience makes it fun to learn! Choose the course for your state and get started.