The Experimental Paul Mauser C78 (Zig-Zag) revolver.

[Mauro]

After spending much of his time in an important collection in Germany, the Paul Mauser experimental C78 Zig-Zag revolver in calibre 10.6mm used for the Patent 3903 “Innovations in Revolvers” (Additional patent to No. 2564 of 2 March 1878 - Patented in the German Empire on April 9, 1878, and effective through 1 March 1893) is available for detailed analysis.

Additionally, most of the original letters exchanged in 1878 between Paul and Wilhelm Mauser and Wilhelm and his wife Josephine concerning the development of the C78 revolver are available in the Paul Mauser Archive.

This gives us the opportunity to describe the genesis and the chronology of the C78 revolver and the different patent models and prototypes made by Paul Mauser himself.

In the Paul Mauser Archive, the original patents are preserved and I present here one page of the USA patent granted on the 11th of March 1879 that shows above the early hinged-frame model and on the bottom the latest design. Why this late patent and not the original 3903, it is because in one page you can see both hinged-frame patent models.

A very detailed article was prepared and sent to Man at Arms for the Gun and Sword Collector magazine and will be published in one of the next issues.

However, I present an abstract with some nice photos in the Paul Mauser Archive web site, you can see here:

http://www.paul-mauser-archive.com/paul_mauser_revolver.htm

As you can read and see in the comparative photos of the abstract, the most evident differences between the Paul Mauser experimental C78 revolver and the standard model are that:

• the experimental revolver is in general bigger and the barrel is longer;
• it is designed for a unique necked concept ammunition that Paul Mauser tested but never put into production;
• the safety is not present;
• the machining of the cylinder grooves is different;
• the dismounting lever is affixed with a screw;
• the hammer is attached to the frame with a screw and not with a pin (note that the two screws are quite visible in the patent drawing, see figure seven).
• The experimental revolver is marked PATENT. on the hinge in order to highlight the primary reason this specific firearm was produced and GEBr MAUSER & Cie OBERNDORF a/N on the left side of the frame similar to the mark found on the solid frame C78 revolver.

I will let you know when the full article will be published.

Mauro Baudino
Mauser Company and Firearms Historian
www.lugerlp08.com
www.paul-mauser-archive.com
www.theparabellumisback.com
www.facebook.com/PaulMauserArchive/