Tranter revolvers and revolving carbines were among Britain’s most highly respected both for quality of manufacture and innovative design. The first model Tranter featured a unique twin trigger system to enable either single-action or double-action fire.
Fast Facts
- William Tranter of Birmingham, England, created his double-action cap and ball revolver around 1855.
- Tranter’s revolvers acquired a reputation for innovative design and superb quality.
- When cartridge revolvers began to replace cap and ball William Tranter made conversion revolvers to enable the old cap and ball pistols to use cartridges.
- Tranter revolvers were a favorite of famous Australian bushranger Ben Hall.
- A Tranter conversion revolver is for sale by Rock Island Auction at time of writing.
The Tranter revolvers were a favorite of one of Australia’s most famous Bushrangers (i.e. outlaws): a man named Ben Hall. As I understand the history Ben Hall used both Tranter revolvers and also had a Tranter revolving carbine.
I used to live in the area in which Ben Hall forged his legend and from time to time would go past the place where he and his gang staged their most famous robbery. The gang bailed up the gold escort coach at a place now called “Escort Rock” near the town of Eugowra in New South Wales.
The gang got away with a stash of banknotes and 2,700 ounces of gold which at that time was valued at £14,000 – a veritable king’s ransom back in 1862.
Tranter revolvers were of course not only used by bushrangers but also by ordinary citizens, police officers, and military officers throughout Britain’s Empire of that era. Tranters were also purchased by officers of the United States military including those of the Confederacy.
Tranters were famous for their imaginative design and superb quality of manufacture.
One of the most unique features of William Tranter’s first model revolver was its double trigger, one trigger set in the trigger-guard, and a second trigger set below the trigger-guard.
To fire the revolver the lower trigger was first depressed: this would cock the hammer and rotate the cylinder. The revolver could then be fired in single-action mode by use of the upper trigger in the trigger-guard.
The Tranter could also be fired in what might be termed “panic mode” simply by depressing both triggers at the same time – this enabled full double-action operation allowing the shooter to rapidly dispatch little lead sleeping pills at their adversary with a view to ending the emergency.
Tranter’s early revolvers were cap and ball muzzle-loaders but as cartridge loading became much preferred in the 1870’s some were converted to use black-powder cartridges.
The early conversions were to rimfire cartridges, while later conversions were to centerfire black-powder cartridges.
Like Colt early conversions the Tranter initially used a removable back-plate that fitted on the rear of the cylinder. For these Tranter conversions reloading required removal of the cylinder and back-plate.
Later Tranter conversions used a conventional loading gate so that the revolver could be reloaded simply by opening the gate, ejecting the fired cases, and inserting fresh cartridges: just as one does on a Colt Single Action Army.
Tranter went on to make his second series of revolvers which did away with the twin trigger system and instead used a conventional double-action.
Tranter’s business was acquired by British ammunition maker George Kynoch in 1885.
One of Tranter’s first model conversion revolvers is for sale by Rock Island Auction at time of publication.
This revolver is chambered for a 38 CF (center-fire) black-powder cartridge and features the loading gate system of the later conversions.
You can find the sale page for this revolver if you click here.
Rock Island Auction describe the condition of this item as follows:-
“Very fine, with much of the original finish, some flaking at a few of the edges showing smooth brown patina, some light freckling, and crisp engraving. Grip is also very fine with a few light handling marks and crisp checkering. The action occasionally hangs up, otherwise mechanically very good. Case is good.”
For those who are fans of American Western movies who might like to try something similar but different there has been a television series about Ben Hall which you can find on YouTube if you click here.
There is also a more recent movie about Ben Hall which you can find if you click here.
The story of Ben Hall took place in Eastern Australia so rather than being an “American Western” it is an “Australian Eastern”.
If you do enjoy one of these movies I hope you find it to be exotic but fascinating.
Picture Credits: All pictures courtesy Rock Island Auction
Jon Branch is the founder and senior editor of Revivaler and has written a significant number of articles for various publications including official Buying Guides for eBay, classic car articles for Hagerty, magazine articles for both the Australian Shooters Journal and the Australian Shooter, and he’s a long time contributor to Silodrome.
Jon has done radio, television, magazine and newspaper interviews on various issues, and has traveled extensively, having lived in Britain, Australia, China and Hong Kong. His travels have taken him to Indonesia, Israel, Italy, Japan and a number of other countries. He has studied the Japanese sword arts and has a long history of involvement in the shooting sports, which has included authoring submissions to government on various firearms related issues and assisting in the design and establishment of shooting ranges.
