French 1892 revolvers

[Stevie]

I could not find any Lugers in my budget reality, but I have managed to scrape up an 1890's French army revolver. I'ts a St. Etiennes 1892(made in 95)8mm handfull of smokeless gunpowder destruction. Really pretty nice, cylinder swings out the wrong way, good mechanics and bore, busted and worn smooth grips, looks like it has been lethal in the past, cheap. The lanyard ring is missing. Where can a fellow find some info. and parts sources for these fine made pistols? I got 50 or so rounds of ammo of new and old make in the deal.

Thankya, thankya, Stevie.

[Edward Tinker]

Stevie, I have never seen one of these?

Pictures if possible?



Ed

[Stevie]

I've never had much succsess posting pictures to this sight, but I'll see if my wife will help me.
These guns look much like a Russian Nagant revolver. Ammo looks like .32S&W long. The cylinder pops out of the right side. Quite well manufactured and smooth functioning. I've only got one and a half grips, and the mainspring is a biter! Shoots ok and seems fairly potent. I'm going out of state for a few days, but I'll sweet talk my lady and I bet I can get a picture.

Thanks, Stevie.

[Michael Zeleny]

Your 1892 model was commonly called the Lebel or Mod�¨le d'Ordonnance and was the first revolver of swingout cylinder design adopted in Europe. It was produced until 1950, succeeding the most popular revolver in the world of its time, the indestructible M1873 "B�¢tisseur dâ??Empires" 12x15.5R blackpowder solid frame of a Chamelot-Delvigne design, best known today for playing supporting parts in The Mummy. If fires the smokeless 8 mm French M.1892 cartridge, also known as 8x27R Mod�¨le 92 Fran�§ais "R�©glementaire", 7.7 mm Clair, 8 mm Franz�¶sischer Ordonnanz Revolver M.1892, 8 mm Lebel Revolver, 8 mm R�©glementaire M.1892, 8 mm Revolver M.1892, 8.3x27.5 Lebel Revolver, DWM 525 594, GR 662, SAA 3830, or EB 092. It propels a 7.2 gram bullet to the velocity of 259 meters per second and energy of 241 joules at the muzzle, ballistically comparable to .38S&W. The ammunition is unobtainable, but reportedly may be formed from .32-20 cases.

http://www.rayrilingarmsbooks.com/cg....cgi/1675.html
http://oldarsenal.com/French%20M.%201892%20Revolver.htm
http://www.secondeguerre.net/Armes/revolverlebel.htm

[John -Melb]

If you can get them, 310 Cadet cases loaded with a short, round nosed lead slug should work in your Lebel. Bertram's make 310 Cadet cases and ammo, but I don't know if it's available in your part of the world.

This snippet of information has been brought to you as a result of my mis-spent youth......

[Stevie]

Some more information about my French 1892.The gentleman I purchased the revolver from purchased it from an Arab man in Libya in the late 50's, grips already broken and lanyard gone(darn). The gentleman(my retired neighbor)also has some cool Arab flintlock and percussian muskets and pistols, all purchased for but a few dollars in North Africa(won't sell). He does not remember what was paid for the French gun, but said it could not have been more than a couple of bucks! I gave him $90,plus installed a new battery in his wifes car and checked the altenator output( he paid for the battery).
Ammunition is available from Fiocci, and I have purchased a used set of grips from a parts house in Indiana. I can find no other parts anywhere(lanyard assembly, and grip holder/lanyard retainer thingybob are needed). Oh well, electrical tape worked to secure the grips in the past.

Thanks, Stevie.

[Pete Ebbink]

Michael,

Please check your Private Message box/icon...

Regards,

Pete... <img border="0" alt="[typing]" title="" src="graemlins/yltype.gif" />