Anyone have, or have seen the Lever Action Circuit Judge?

[aether_Tech]

I have a hankering for cool, and/or weird guns. And there's nothing cooler than a lever action revolver in my opinion.

That being said, I am curious if anyone here has one of the lever action Circuit Judges, or has ever had a chance to see one in person? Or, just in general knows anything about the action?

1. As a revolver, and like the non-lever actions, there is going to be some cylinder gap. Though, I am wondering if Rossi spent some extra grey matter time on this design? Does the Lever action provide any additional cam force against the cylinder and the forcing cone?

2. Was the lever action version only available in 410/45lc? Could a 410/45 be converted down to 357/38sp?

3. Anyone in the Twin Cities, MN, have one that I can try at the range?

[Ranch Dog]

I think the idea was cataloged in 2011, but I've never seen one for sale (a Rossi thing). Maybe it was offered outside the USA.

[aether_Tech]

I think the idea was cataloged in 2011, but I've never seen one for sale (a Rossi thing). Maybe it was offered outside the USA.

The only facts I know about it, it was made, then discontinued quickly. There was at least one in the USA, but the guy I was trying to buy it from stopped communicating.

[Archer]

I recommend Paul Herrell's https://www.youtube.com/c/PaulHarrell commentary on the judge and circuit judge line.

I do have a friend in Arkansas who uses a judge as a snake gun while buzzing around the homestead.

[Ranch Dog]

I tried both the 44 Mag and 45 Colt (non-lever), the strangest, most inaccurate firearm I've owned. I really wanted them to work.

[aether_Tech]

I recommend Paul Herrell's https://www.youtube.com/c/PaulHarrell commentary on the judge and circuit judge line.

I do have a friend in Arkansas who uses a judge as a snake gun while buzzing around the homestead.

I did see his video already.


[quote="Ranch Dog]I tried both the 44 Mag and 45 Colt (non-lever), the strangest, most inaccurate firearm I've owned. I really wanted them to work.
[/quote]

The [lack of] accuracy doesn't concern me, since 99% of the time it'll be shooting 0 or 00 410.; and just having a fun plinker 22 rifle is fine for me. (I find the marlin 60 and hawthorn sentry (sear 1 shot bolt) to both be boring.) The only issue with the 22m/22 I've heard is the apparent lack of muzzle energy - but at the ranges I'll be shooting that won't make much of a difference anyway.

[Reese-Mo]

If I had to guess.... that is a photo-editor mock up, not anything that exists in actual steel and wood.



I have owned two Judges, got rid of them because I just didn't bond with 'em. S&W Governor does me mo' better since I have 45acp options. Just me. __BUT__ I've been all inside the Judge, and I have no idea how they'd make that work based on the images. Actually, I do have an idea... but its rather pediculous.

The whole concept of revolving rifles is a bit nebulous. Getting splatter in the face, even without a lawyer'd up society, isn't fun

[aether_Tech]

If I had to guess.... that is a photo-editor mock up, not anything that exists in actual steel and wood.



I have owned two Judges, got rid of them because I just didn't bond with 'em. S&W Governor does me mo' better since I have 45acp options. Just me. __BUT__ I've been all inside the Judge, and I have no idea how they'd make that work based on the images. Actually, I do have an idea... but its rather pediculous.

The whole concept of revolving rifles is a bit nebulous. Getting splatter in the face, even without a lawyer'd up society, isn't fun

Rossi said they made them (over the phone,) and the product number exists on various gun seller sites, and I know one of them exists in the USA

The lever just cocks the hammer and rotates the cylinder, shouldn't actually be that complicated. However, Im starting to suspect they didn't take the time and effort to design a cam forward on it to seal the forcing cone better....

[Reese-Mo]

The way I see it is a projection on the back of the lever pushes a projection on the front of the trigger down. The trigger rotates, in turn rotating the hammer as in DA mode. But... Theres a catch/notch on the hammer dog to act as a sear which locks the hammer and trigger back. The lever can now be returned to its normal position. Pulling the trigger would complete the last little bit of DA release. The trigger could then slide over the hammer dog to return forward.

[Archer]

Rossi included a cylinder gap shield around the bottom 120 degrees or so to prevent you from flame cutting your arm. I don't think ANY of them of any persuasion did the Nagant revolver trick of rocking the cylinder forward and even if they did that still leaves the second trick of using an extra long cartridge folded over the bullet to complete the gas seal.

As for the mechanism of the lever, it just turns a double action revolver trigger into a more or less two handed operation.