S333 Thunderstruck
The S333 Thunderstruck is an aluminum-frame revolver designed and manufactured by Standard Manufacturing of New Britain, Connecticut. Introduced in 2019 and intended for concealed carry, is notable for being a volley gun, as each pull of the trigger simultaneously fires two .22 Winchester Magnum Rimfire cartridges.
S333 Thunderstruck | |
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Type | Revolver |
Place of origin | |
Production history | |
Designed | c. 2019 |
Manufacturer | Standard Manufacturing |
Unit cost | $429 (MSRP) |
Produced | 2019–present |
Specifications | |
Mass | 18 oz (510 g) |
Barrel length | 1.25 in (32 mm) |
Cartridge | .22 Winchester Magnum Rimfire |
Action | Double action only (DAO) volley gun |
Rate of fire | 2 rounds (simultaneously) per pull |
Feed system | 8-round cylinder |
Sights | Iron sights |
References | [1] |
Background
Standard Manufacturing is known for producing the DP-12, a pump action double-barreled shotgun with dual tube magazines, with each trigger pull alternating which barrel is fired from.[2] In 2017, Standard Manufacturing introduced the S333 Volleyfire, a pepper-box revolver with a cylinder holding six rounds of .25 ACP, generally regarded as a low-powered cartridge.[3] The Volleyfire has dual firing mechanisms and barrels, such that each trigger pull fires two rounds simultaneously.[3] As of October 2019, the Volleyfire was no longer in production.[4]
Operation
Like its precursor the Volleyfire, the Thunderstruck has dual firing mechanisms and barrels, such that each trigger pull fires two rounds simultaneously.[4] The Thunderstruck's cylinder holds eight rounds of .22 Winchester Magnum Rimfire (.22 WMR); each barrel has a length of 1.25 inches (32 mm).[4] There is a partial trigger guard (not wrap-around) along with a blade safety on the trigger, which is meant to be pulled using two fingers and requires a pull exceeding 20 pounds-force (89 N).[4] Operation is double action only (DAO) and there is no exposed hammer.
Legality
Part of the definition of a machine gun per United States federal law is "Any weapon which shoots, is designed to shoot, or can be readily restored to shoot, automatically more than one shot without manual reloading, by a single function of the trigger".[7] However, per the manufacturer, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) has stated that the Thunderstruck "...does not meet the ATF definition of a 'machine gun'."[8] Reportedly, this is because the two rounds are fired simultaneously, not sequentially.[3]
References
- "S333 Thunderstruck". stdgun.com. Retrieved March 18, 2020.
- "Gun Review: Standard Manufacturing DP-12 shotgun (VIDEO)". Guns.com. Retrieved 2 May 2019.
- Jeremy S. (January 18, 2017). "New From Standard Manufacturing: S333 Volleyfire". thetruthaboutguns.com. Retrieved March 18, 2020.
- Zimmerman, Dan (October 29, 2019). "Gun Review: Standard Manufacturing S333 Thunderstruck Double Barrel Revolver". thetruthaboutguns.com. Retrieved March 18, 2020.
- TheFireArmGuy (November 7, 2019). "[FIREARM REVIEW] Standard manufacturing S333 Thunderstruck". concealednation.org. Retrieved March 18, 2020.
- "The S333 Thunderstruck™ - The Ultimate In Personal Protection". Standard Manufacturing LLC. July 10, 2019. Retrieved March 18, 2020 – via YouTube.
- "26 U.S. Code § 5845. Definitions". Retrieved March 18, 2020 – via cornell.edu.
- "Standard Mfg's 8-Capacity, Double Barrel S333 Pistol Is Finally Available". ballisticmag.com. July 10, 2019. Retrieved March 18, 2020.