The Sidewinder features a swing-out cylinder allowing for speedy reloads without removing the cylinder. As with all of the mini-revolvers, the frame starts out as an investment casting, with the barrel and cylinder machined from solid stainless steel bar stock. This allows for precise machining to meet the tolerance levels needed for a firearm of that size. The fit and finish is excellent. The cylinder and sides of the frame are polished, while the topstrap, sides of the barrel, bottom of the frame and backstrap have a matte finish that provides an attractive contrast. The Sidewinder is a five-shot, single-action-only design with an exposed hammer and an unguarded trigger. The bird's-head profile of the grip has the same dimensions as the other Mini-Revolvers and will accommodate any of the optional stocks. Due to the internal design and the location of the cylinder hand and stop, the Sidewinder opens to the right side of the frame. To open the cylinder, the hammer is set on half-cock. The knurled end of the ejection rod is then pushed forward to release the cylinder. Once the cylinder is in the open position, the ejector rod is depressed, allowing the empty cases to be partially ejected. The size and design requires the empty cases to be individually removed, and the cylinder has to be rotated to allow the empties to clear the stock.