No one really seems to know how it happened. I've heard all minds of reasons like patent issues, clockwise means a stronger lockup, faster loading. Don't ask why the last two reasons would be valid.
I like:
Because they can,
If there's two people doing things,they'll do them differently,
And my favorite:
Looking downward upon the northern hemisphere the rotation of the earth is counter-clockwise. Thus, if living in the northern hemisphere, a cylinder rotating counter-clockwise would not be fighting against the earth's rotation and would turn faster, leading to quicker shots. Ruger and Smiths rule here. Of course if one lived in the southern hemisphere the opposite would be true, so for the fastest revolver shots there one should choose a Colt revolver.
Colt actually made guns that turned ccw, the Army and Navy models, supposedly at the request of the Navy.
I understand that a new model of a SW turns cw like the Colts.
It appears that most makers use the SW rotational direction.
Also consider that Colt is barely in business now. A true sw aficionado might blame their situation on the rotation of their revolvers.
