page_title: Cylinder (firearms)
hierarchical_section_title: Cylinder (firearms)
caption_attribution_description: Français&#160;: Revolver Webley Mk VI Webley &amp; Scott Mk VI. Caliber .455
context_page_description: In firearms, the cylinder is the cylindrical, rotating part of a revolver containing multiple chambers, each of which is capable of holding a single cartridge. The cylinder revolves around a central axis in the revolver to sequentially bring each individual chamber into alignment with the barrel for repeated firing. Each time the gun is cocked, the cylinder indexes by one chamber. Like a magazine, the cylinder stores ammunitions within the revolver and allows the gun to fire multiple times before needing to reload.
  Typically revolver cylinders are designed to generally hold six cartridges, but some small-frame concealable revolvers such as the Smith & Wesson 638 have a 5-shot cylinder, due to the smaller overall size and limited available space. The Nagant M1895 revolver has a 7-shot cylinder, the Webley-Fosbery Automatic Revolver has an 8-shot cylinder in .38 caliber, and the LeMat Revolver has a 9-shot cylinder. Several models of .22 rimfire-caliber revolvers have cylinders holding 9 or 10 rounds.
  As a rule, cylinders are not designed to be detached from the firearm.
context_section_description: In firearms, the cylinder is the cylindrical, rotating part of a revolver containing multiple chambers, each of which is capable of holding a single cartridge.  The cylinder revolves around a central axis in the revolver to sequentially bring each individual chamber into alignment with the barrel for repeated firing.  Each time the gun is cocked, the cylinder indexes by one chamber (for five-shooters, by 72°, for six-shooters, by 60°, for seven-shooters, by 51.43°, or for eight-shooters, by 45°). Like a magazine, the cylinder stores ammunitions within the revolver and allows the gun to fire multiple times before needing to reload.
  Typically revolver cylinders are designed to generally hold six cartridges (hence revolvers sometimes are referred to as "six-shooters"), but some small-frame concealable revolvers such as the Smith & Wesson 638 have a 5-shot cylinder, due to the smaller overall size and limited available space. The Nagant M1895 revolver has a 7-shot cylinder, the Webley-Fosbery Automatic Revolver has an 8-shot cylinder in .38 caliber, and the LeMat Revolver has a 9-shot cylinder. Several models of .22 rimfire-caliber revolvers have cylinders holding 9 or 10 rounds.
  As a rule, cylinders are not designed to be detached from the firearm (except for cleaning).  Rapid reloading is instead facilitated by the use of a speedloader or moon clip, although these work only on top-break and swing-out cylinder revolvers; revolvers having fixed cylinders must be unloaded and loaded one chamber at a time.
caption: Close up of the cylinder on a Webley Mk VI service revolver
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