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January 05, 2009



Petzal: And Now, A Really Manly Handgun

My thanks to Tom McIntyre for this one.

In the beginning was the .357 Magnum, and it was good, and then the .44 Magnum, which was much better, and made Clint Eastwood famous and Elmer Keith happy. Eventually, though, rumblings of discontent were heard throughout the land, and there followed the .454 Casull, and the .475 Linebaugh, and the .480 Ruger, and the .460 and .500 S&W, and hand surgeons everywhere rejoiced. But in Switzerland, a gentleman named Zeliska felt the need for something bigger, and so he went, money in hand (lots of money) to the firm of K. Pfeifer Waffen in Feldkirch, Austria and Herr Pfeifer did him proud.
The Pfeifer single-action revolver is chambered for the .600 Nitro Express cartridge. This round, which dates from the early 20th century, is an elephant whomper so extreme that very few rifles have been made for it. The .600 fires a 900-grain bullet at 1,950 fps, produces 3 1/2 tons of muzzle energy, and is three times more powerful than a .500 S&W magnum.

The Pfeifer revolver weighs 13.3 pounds, is just under 22 inches long, has a ported 13-inch barrel, walnut grips, and gold-plated hammer, ejector, screws, and cylinder pin. The rear sight is adjustable, and the price is $16, 501. If you’re not man enough to hack the .600, you can get the gun in .458 Winchester, but you should be wary of also developing an interest in Judy Garland recordings and Broadway musicals.
Personally, I will wait until Herr Pfeifer comes out with a .50 BMG version. Watch the video to see the .600 in action.


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I saw that vid on youtube a while ago. Amazing gun! Just make your first shot count if you are carrying it as protection, because by the time you recover about 5 minutes later...well.




So, is that like a slow pushing recoil of a .480 Ruger, or the intense slapping recoil of the .454 Casull? Ah, if it hits you in the head anyway, what does it matter?

Looks like a pith helmet or hard hat should be standard equipment with this beast, along with a leather gauntlet and a hired revolver carrier. Maybe add shooting sticks and a counterweight hanging off the barrel. I know! Add a shoulder stock.


Do we have time to order a set for Obama and Biden?





I'm not sure that's the same gun--looked like a Contender action to me.


Of course it has a gold plated hammer! For some reason the word "compensating" and the phrase, "hey ya'll watch this..." come to mind.

Some where Elmer is sitting under that big old hat calling Bull$&!#
on such pieces of hardware. But I bet he does have a bit of a grin on his face...

Dave Petzal

To Nit-Picker: You may be right. It looked like he broke the gun to load it, and as far as I can see, the Pfeifer doesn't break. Anyone else with any intel?


I note that the firing range seemed to be empty as he prepares to fire. Wonder why?


U-Tube video is a Contender
First it is definately a break action, second is the
distinctive trigger guard, and third, no shooter of revolvers ever places his off hand foreward of the cylinder like that twice.
I wonder if they will ever find anyone to actually shoot the Pfeifer revolver?
Makes my puny little .41 and .44 mags look like mouse guns!


I'm with CRM - If he'd shot a revolver of .600 NE caliber the least of his worries would have been shooting the light load. Looking for his fingers in the next county would have been what he'd be up to.


Look how long that thing is! At what point does a handgun become a rifle?

Dr. Ralph

Looks like a Contender to me... stainless steel and black composite too with the extended trigger guard like T/C's and #1's. Definitely not the revolver McIntyre is holding. Cool video though, did the guy hit himself in the face or not is what my son and I are arguing over.

Go to my link it shows the same .600 Nitro T/C and the same guys. Never wrong Dave?

Dr. Ralph

No need to wait Dave, Pfeifer has your revolver now! Guiness World Record Revolver. 28mm, 25.4mm to an inch... hmmmmmm.

Dr. Ralph

P.S. Don't forget to take the muzzlebreak off and shoot it once just to see how hard it really kicks...

Tennessee Hunter Guy

the ultimate backup gun for africa

Jim in Mo

Mr. Zeliska has more money than I have sheets of toilet paper.

Cl;ay Cooper

Dave probably a 50 S&W

Jim in Mo

I'm not so much for fantasy but I read more than my fair share of science fiction. Have you ever thought of changing your writing career.

Clay Cooper

I remember those 454 Casull shooters in Alaska and telling them both state and federal law requires taking the John Deer Plow front sight off that cannon. WHY? When you shoot that Kodiak it’s going to swipe it out of your hands and shove it up your _____!

Clay Cooper

Tennessee Hunter Guy

I must respectfully disagree with you Sir. The #1 bar far backup gun is a Ruger Mark II 22 pistol and a pair of tennis shoes. Shoot your hunting partner in the ankle and run like hell !!!!

Clay Cooper

David, the blast from that 600 muzzle break would have blown the tin right off the roof!


Back in the 19th century Some Hiungarian guy invented an 11mm revolver (it may have been pinfire), The name is on the tip of my toungue and I just can't come up with it...Anyway the King of Montenegro thought these huge 11mm revolvers were his ticket to national security so he decreed that every Montenegran adult male would carry one of these monsters at all times. I think it might be a fair compitition to this .60 caliber big shot.


Looks like a girlie gun to me. Best to place that first shot prudently as the repeats will be slow in coming.

Blue Ox

Has Zeliska ever actually fired his new toy? Just wondering.

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