Hold the frame in the left hand, cylinder facing up. With the right hand, index each cartridge. Note: The cylinder does not have a loading gate. You are loading directly into the exposed chambers. Load one, skip one, load four? No. This is a double-action revolver. Load all chambers. Do not leave the chamber under the hammer empty unless carrying on half-cock (and Arminius half-cocks are notoriously vague). 2. Closing and the "Half-Cock" Debate Step Four: The Closure Swing the barrel/cylinder assembly back down until it meets the frame. The top latch should snap audibly. Do not slap it closed—lower it with authority but respect. A warped hinge ruins the timing.
With the action broken open, the star extractor will rise. Do not assume it will clear all spent casings. Use the extractor rod (the knurled post beneath the barrel) by pushing it firmly in (toward the cylinder) to fully seat the star. This is the Arminius’s chief weakness—weak extraction. Tap the rod twice with the heel of the left hand. Arminius Revolver Manual Of Arms
The double-action pull is long, grinding, and sounds like a mortise lock turning. Do not stage it. Pull through in a single, constant acceleration. The cylinder will rotate, the hammer will rise, and at the last millimeter, the trigger will release. Do not anticipate the break. Hold the frame in the left hand, cylinder facing up
Foreword: The Arminius name, borne by the Friederich Pickert company of Zella-Mehlis (later H. Weihrauch), represents the working man’s equalizer. Unlike the sanctity of a Colt or the precision of a Smith & Wesson, the Arminius is a revolver of pragmatism—often a 7-shot .22 or a stout .38 S&W caliber break-top. To master this weapon is to understand the economy of motion. This manual presumes a clean, functional specimen. 1. Inspection and Loading (The Break-Top Action) Step One: The Hinge Test Grasp the revolver by the walnut grip with the right hand. With the left hand, pull the top latch (located atop the frame, just behind the barrel) rearward . Press the muzzle downward on the hinge. The barrel and cylinder will tip up as one unit. Inspect the forcing cone for fouling and the cylinder for free rotation. You are loading directly into the exposed chambers