# Old one



## spacedoggy (May 11, 2006)

Hey anyone tell me what this is. Have an old Lady in town who lost her husband and this was his service revolver. I don"t want her to be taken and she has no kids to leave it to. It been so long I forgot how to post photos.


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## Mike Barham (Mar 30, 2006)

Any markings on the gun?

It looks _Chamelot Delvigne_-ish, but it's hard to tell from the pic.


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## spacedoggy (May 11, 2006)

hey Mike I have not seen it yet and she has been sent to a nursing home for a short time. I've asked her but I don't think she can see that good.


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## Baldy (Jun 21, 2006)

I don't think I have ever seen one like that.:smt017


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## Steve M1911A1 (Feb 6, 2008)

It's pretty definitely French (or a Spanish copy of a French revolver).
It seems to me to be a smaller-caliber version of the French M1874 service revolver, so Mike Barham is probably correct.
It'd be nice to know with which military the deceased man saw service, and where, and his rank. It'd also be nice to know the pistol's approximate caliber, bearing in mind that that of the French M1874 was 11mm (.43).


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## DJ Niner (Oct 3, 2006)

It appears to resemble some of the Swiss designs by Rudolf Schmidt, which were reworks of some of the original designs discussed above. Perhaps a commercial model?

http://www.swissrifles.com/pistols/

(photos at above link)

"In 1871 the Swiss began looking for a replacement for their muzzle loading pistols. During their trials, they examined pistols from Galand (a French design), Smith & Wesson (an American design), and Chamelot & Delvinge (a Belgium design). Each design was then modified by Major (later promoted to Colonel) Rudolf Schmidt and tested at the Thun Arsenal. In the end the modified Chamelot & Delvinge design won. 900 Model 72s were produced in Belgium, and were amongst the last Swiss designed, foreign produced weapons ever purchased by the Swiss. While the 1872 was originally designed to fire rimfire ammunition, nearly all of the revolvers were converted to fire centerfire ammunition. The converted revolvers were re-designated Model 1872/78s."

The flat-faced, square-cornered front of the frame is what I can't find in any other revolver photos on the web. Some references state that the Swiss models were originally rimfires, and virtually all were eventually converted to centerfire. Maybe this is an original rimfire?


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## Steve M1911A1 (Feb 6, 2008)

The flat-front frame and rebated cylinder don't match any of the Swiss-pistol photos. Also, the ejection-rod attachment is somewhat different, and closer to the French model.
More likely a commercial version; maybe Belgian then, if not French.
Maybe a Swiss officer's private purchase?
Have you any way to get closer to it, spacedoggy? Read the markings on it, and post them here. Cock the hammer to see if it's a rimfire.


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## Bob Wright (May 10, 2006)

The name Peiper(?) comes to mind, as does Nambu. I think it is of Belgian design, made under license by several European makers.

Seems the Japanese had an 8mm revolver of this type.

Bob Wright

Took another look. Rule out Nambu.


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