Editing Revolver (section)

=== Top-break cylinder ===
[[File:IOF-32-REV-4.JPG|upright|thumb|An [[IOF .32 Revolver|IOF .32]] top-break revolver]]

In a [[top-break]] revolver, the frame is hinged at the bottom front of the cylinder. Releasing the lock and pushing the barrel down exposes the rear face of the cylinder. In most top-break revolvers, this act also operates an [[Extractor (firearms)|extractor]] that pushes the cartridges in the chambers back far enough that they will fall free, or can be removed easily.  Fresh rounds are then inserted into the cylinder. The barrel and cylinder are then rotated back and locked in place, and the revolver is ready to fire.<ref name="forensic" />

Top-break revolvers are able to be loaded more rapidly than fixed frame revolvers, especially with the aid of a speedloader or moon clip. However, this design is much weaker and cannot handle high pressure rounds. While this design has become mostly obsolete, supplanted by the stronger yet equally convenient swing-out cylinder design, manufacturers  still make reproductions of late 19th century designs for use in [[cowboy action shooting]].<ref name="forensic" />

The first top-break revolver was patented in France and Britain at the end of December in 1858 by Devisme.<ref name="auto">{{Cite web|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Kw85Thx5dEkC&q=Brooman+1858+2990+Devisme&pg=RA20-PP3|title=English Patents of Inventions, Specifications: 1858, 2958 - 3007|year=1859|access-date=2020-10-17|archive-date=2023-04-22|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230422232157/https://books.google.com/books?id=Kw85Thx5dEkC&q=Brooman+1858+2990+Devisme&pg=RA20-PP3|url-status=live}}</ref> The most commonly found top-break revolvers were manufactured by Smith & Wesson, Webley & Scott, Iver Johnson, Harrington & Richardson, Manhattan Fire Arms, [[Meriden Arms]], and [[Forehand & Wadsworth]].<ref name="Taffin2005">{{cite book|last=Taffin|first=John|author-link=John Taffin|editor=Kevin Michalowski|title=The Gun Digest Book of Cowboy Action Shooting: Guns Gear Tactics|url=https://archive.org/details/Cowboy_Action_Shooting_The_Gun_Digest_Book_of|year=2005|publisher=Gun Digest Books|isbn=0-89689-140-2|pages=[https://archive.org/details/Cowboy_Action_Shooting_The_Gun_Digest_Book_of/page/n178 173]–175}}</ref>