Standard Catalog of Military Firearms. Phillip Peterson

      Courtesy Geschichte und Technik der europaischen Militarrevolver,

       Journal-Verlag Schwend GmbH with permission

      Model 1873 with barrel and frame markings • Paul Goodwin photo

       Civilian Extractor

       Model 1873 Navy

      Built on a Chamelot-Delvigne type locking system with a solid frame, fixed cylinder, and mechanical rod ejection. Chambered for the 11mm cartridge and fitted with a 4.7" half-round half-octagon barrel. Non-fluted cylinder. It is both a single- and double-action revolver. Finish was left in the white. Marked “MRE D’ARMES ST. ETIENNE” on the right side of the frame. On top of the barrel marked “MLE 1873 M” or “NAVY.” There are many other small markings on the revolver as well. Weight is approximately 36 oz. Used by the French navy for its NCOs from 1874 to 1945. Built by French military armory at St. Etienne. Between 1873 and 1886 approximately 350,000 of these revolvers were produced.

       Navy

      A Model 1874 Army revolver sold at auction for $805. Condition is 90 percent original blue.

       Amoskeag Auction Company, Sept. 2003

       Model 1874

      The Model 1874 was essentially the same as the Model 1873 but with a fluted cylinder. Used by French naval officers from 1878 to 1945. Between 1874 and 1886 approximately 36,000 of these revolvers were produced.

       Model 1892

      Chambered for an 8mm centerfire cartridge and has a 4.6" barrel with a 6-shot cylinder. Weight is about 30 oz. It is erroneously referred to as a “Lebel,” but there is no certainty that Nicolas Lebel had anything to do with its design or production, but was the chairman of the selection board that chose the design. This revolver is a simple double action, with a swing-out cylinder that swings to the right side for loading. The design of this weapon is similar to the Italian Model 1889. There is one redeeming feature on this revolver, and that is a hinged side plate on the left side of the frame that could be swung away after unlocking so that repairs or cleaning of the lockwork could be performed with relative simplicity. The cartridge for which this weapon was chambered was woefully inadequate. This revolver remained in use from its introduction in 1893 until the end of WWII in 1945, mainly because the French never got around to designing a replacement.

      Model 1892 with frame markings • Paul Goodwin photo

      NOTE: There are a number of commercial variations of this revolver, some of which are Spanish-made copies and others are St. Etienne commercial examples.

      Close-up of the barrel marking indicating year of manufacture on Model 1892 • Courtesy Stoddard Martial collection, Paul Goodwin photo

       Model 1892 “A Pompe”

      As above, except that the cylinder latch is a sleeve around the ejector rod that can be moved forward to release the cylinder.

       Le Francais Model 28 Type Armee