Ask Ian: Analyzing the Savage Rotating Barrel (at 7500 frames/sec)
This analysis of the Savage Model 1907, led by firearms expert Ian McCollum, delves into its unique rotating barrel delayed blowback system. Using high-speed photography at 7500 frames per second, the video empirically demonstrates how the barrel rotates approximately 5 degrees during the slide's rearward travel. This mechanism, designed by Elbert Searle, allowed for a lighter slide compared to traditional locked-breech designs and was intended to circumvent existing patents. The analysis confirms it is a delayed blowback, not a locked breech system.











