by SI Staff - Thursday, January 10, 2019

Though the .22 WMR is chambered in many of today's pocket-size, concealed-carry guns, counting on this caliber for personal defense carries with it a number of drawbacks. First, the round is fairly anemic compared to other popular self-defense rounds, and the rimfire ignition system used isn't as reliable as centerfire cartridges. With the launch of its double-barrel S333 Volleyfire revolver, Standard Manufacturing aims to close the gap.The Standard Manufacturing S333 Volleyfire is unlike any other revolver on the market today because it features two barrels that both fire simultaneously with a single pull of the trigger. This sends two .22 WMR rounds downrange simultaneously, doubling the stopping power of each shot and mitigating the disastrous consequences of a misfire. If one round doesn't ignite, odds are the second one will. Unlike a semi-automatic firearm, a dud in the cylinder doesn't impede functioning, thanks to the gun's double-action operation.Each S333 Volleyfire is equipped with an eight-round cylinder, machined in such a way that allows two chambers to align with each of the side-by-side barrels. Four trigger pulls send eight rounds downrange, thanks to the double-action mechanism that indexes the revolver cylinder with each trigger pull. The trigger itself is also unique for a compact, concealed-carry revolver, since it features two hooks for both the index and middle finger of a shooter's dominant hand. Included in the trigger face is an articulated safety blade, which must be pulled along with the trigger to allow the gun to fire.At this point, clued-in firearm enthusiasts might be asking how the S333 doesn't run afoul of NFA machine-gun laws, which prohibit new-manufacture machine guns from being sold to civilians. After all, the ATF's definition of a machine gun is a firearm that "fires more than one round with each pull of the trigger," just like the S333. However, the ATF does make an exception for "volley guns" and allows the manufacture and sale of firearms that fire more than one round with each pull of the trigger, provided that those rounds are fired from separate barrels.To allow for a light, easily carried package, the frame of each Standard Manufacturing S333 Volleyfire is machined from 7075 aluminum and treated with an anodized finish. The cylinder and barrels are machined from high-strength steel, and the barrels measure 1.25 inches long. The grip is molded from polymer, leading to an overall weight of 18 ounces, unloaded, for the revolver.The suggested retail price on the Standard Manufacturing S333 Volleyfire is $369.