the pressures of modern cartridges would stress the typical top hinge of the break top to the breaking point... not something modern insurance companies or consumers want to risk.

it is an inherently weak design

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eh, then i retract my comment and leave it to the above thread to hammer out

Well, actually, Ted, I took the very same position as yours. My link was aimed more at clance.

Bob Wright just likes top-break revolvers, and, like clance, wishes that someone would make a really modern one.

A few years ago, I designed a top-break-revolver system in which the closure latch, normally under tension and weak, was instead placed under compression. Consulting with an engineer, I was praised for my design, but also I was told that the tooling for production would be prohibitively expensive, thus making the whole idea impractical.
(The design's top-strap, with its square hole, was still a replica of Webley's, but beefier. It, of course, was still under tension. But it contained enough metal to make that not a problem.)

Originally Posted by Steve M1911A1

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Thanks Steve, I'll move my inquiry and idea to this other thread.

Well, gee whiz clance, great minds DO run in the same gutters!

Bob Wright