The automatic revolver is a strange hybrid of revolver and automatic pistol that uses the energy of firing for cocking the hammer and revolving the cylinder. The first of its kind, the Webley Fosbery automatic revolver, was released in 1901. It was the result of a quest for a reliable, accurate, rapid fire handgun. It was quite successful in its time, but became less desirable when reliable, accurate automatic pistols became available. See the revolvers section for more information.

A newer automatic revolver that is still produced today is the Mateba Autorevolver.

Between roughly 1880 and 1895, the term "automatic revolver" was used for top-break revolvers that automatically ejected spent rounds when opened.