Historical Gallery

Historical Information.

This page summarizes some topics discussed in great details in the Paul Mauser book.

The Experimental Paul Mauser C78 revolver.

Mauro Baudino, Gerben van Vlimmeren - www.paul-mauser-archive.com Acknowledgement: Marc Erickson for the help in producing this study.   The Paul Mauser experimental C78 (Zig-Zag) Revolver in 10.6mm black powder caliber is described here together with associated historical documents from the Paul Mauser Archive and with it's unique experimental ammunition and dismounting tool. This revolver is Paul Mauser's own experimental patent model developed to test and patent the C78 Hinged Frame variation, and documented in German patent 3903 - Innovations in Revolvers on the 9th of April 1878. It     is     a     unique     specimen,     chambered     for     an experimental     10.6mm     ammunition     that     is     still associated   with   this   revolver;   in   fact,   the   drawings   in German   patent   2564   dated   2nd   of   March   1878   and German   patent   3903   on   date   9th   April   1878   referred to   a   specific   necked   bullet   that   was   not   retained   in production   versions   of   this   handgun   (see   Figure   4   for the patent). Mauser's    patent    model    can    be    considered    as    a laboratory   of   technical   experiments   and   solutions, some   of   them   retained   and   others   discarded   form the final Zig-Zag design. In   the   Paul   Mauser   Archive,   several   letters   written from     Wilhelm     to     Paul     exchanged     in     1878     are available.   These   letters   tell   us   that   Paul   personally produced   all   the   early   prototypes   and   patent   models of     this     handgun,     and     of     course     the     one     here presented,   while   Wilhelm   was   busy   marketing   the revolver    to    the    German    Army.    Wilhelm    wrote    an average    of    two    letters    a    day    to    Paul,    one    in    the morning   and   one   in   the   afternoon,   reporting   to   him his   progress,   feedback   on   the   revolver   design   and the   improvements   to   be   implemented.   Paul   changed these    things    in    the    patent    model    and    shipped prototypes    to    Wilhelm    to    show    not    only    to    the German       committee       but       also       to       Russian representatives that were very interested). In    this    short    presentation,    with    the    help    of    some photos,   we   will   discuss   the   most   evident   features   of the   experimental   revolver,   leaving   to   a   more   detailed article   the   complete   analysis   of   this   historic   revolver and relevant documentation. A   very   detailed   article   with   all   the   historical   details from     the     letters     exchanged     between     Paul     and Wilhelm    is    ready    and    will    be    published    on    the magazine    Man    at    Arms    for    the    Gun    and    Sword Collector . Figure    number    1:    The    Paul    Mauser    Experimental Revolver     is     displayed     with     the     unique     necked 10.6mm   ammunition   that   is   still   associated   with   the patent   revolver;   his   dismounting   tool   and   two   rare documents    from    the    Paul    Mauser    Archive.    The document   named   Protokoll   is   the   most   important management       document       for       both       C78       and Reichrevolver   made   by   Mauser   and   signed   by   Paul, Wilhelm   and   the   Baron   Heh   von   Luck.   The   other   is one   of   the   letters   exchanged   with   Russian   importer C.   Wachter   &   Co.   in   St.   Petersburg.   In   fact,   Russia (Caucasian   Army)   was   particularly   interested   in   the revolver    and    Wilhelm    travel    to    St.    Petersburg    to demonstrate it. The   Paul   Mauser   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 . Figures   number   2   and   3:   Comparison   between   the Paul    Mauser    experimental    patent    model    revolver and   early   standard   production   C78   10.6mm   number #80.    A    detailed    analysis    shows    major    differences. The most evident are that: • the   experimental   revolver   is   in   general   bigger and the barrel is longer • 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 4). • The   experimental   revolver   is   chambered   for   a necked   case   10.6mm   ammunition   and   not   for the standard straight wall 10.6mm one. • 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. Figure    4:    The    comparison    between    Paul    Mauser's patent   model   experimental   C78   revolver   and   patent 3903    “Innovations    in    Revolvers”    granted    to    Paul Mauser on the 9th of April 1878. Figure   5,   6   and   7:   The   unique   necked   ammunition was   produced   by   H.   Ehrmann   &   C   *   CARLSRUHE   *. Ehrmann    was    the    forerunner    of    DWM's    Karlsruhe ammunition   facility.   The   factory   went   from   Ehrmann to    Lorentz    (Deutsches    Munitionsfabriken    –    D.M.), then    DWM.    It    shows    the    long-time    cooperation between    Karlsruhe    and    Mauser,    even    before    the factory    in    Karlsruhe    became    Loewe    property.    The rare   ammunition   is   a   concept   cartridge   that   never went   into   production,   in   the   end   Mauser   chose   to chamber   the   C78   for   the   standard   10.6   mm   straight wall   cased   ammunition.   Below   the   necked   concept ammunition    is    compared    with    the    straight    walled standard 10.6 mm ammunition. The     experimental     necked     ammunition     is     1mm longer   than   the   standard   straight   one   (below   in   the comparative   picture).   Both   cartridges   headspace   on the   base   rim.   The   chamber   of   the   experimental   Paul Mauser   revolver   has   two   steps   to   accommodate   the necked     ammunition.     Of     course,     the     standard ammunition   does   not   fit   into   the   chamber   of   t he Experimental C78 revolver (see photo below). S t a n d a r d   p r o d u c t i o n   C 7 8   1 0 . 6   m m   a m m u n i t i o n   d o e s   n o t   f i t   i n   t h e   c h a m b e r   o f   t h e   P a u l   M a u s e r   e x p e r i m e n t a l   r e v o l v e r .   Figure    8:    Together    with    the    revolver,    Paul    Mauser also    designed    a    dismounting    tool.    Paul    describes this   tool   to   Wilhelm   in   a   letter   in   1878.   In   this   letter, Paul    also    provide    a    sketch    of    the    tool,    to    better explain   to   Wilhelm   his   idea.   The   figure   below   on   the left    is    Paul    Mauser's    sketch;    the    patent    design drawing   is   in   the   middle   and   a   photograph   the   tool on    the    right.    The    tool    acquired    with    the    patent model   C78   revolver   is   in   new   condition.   Below   is   the explanation   Paul   wrote   to   Wilhelm   concerning   the use of the tool: “A    tool    for    the    disassembly    of    the    revolver,    is    also proposed,   I   suggest   to   make   this   device   similar   to   the drawing.   Also   used   for   pushing   in   the   small   hooked   case as   is   done   with   the   current   screwdriver   but   in   a   cross shape.   A   wooden   grip   is   not   allowed   for   the   troops,   or   it could   be   constr ucted   like   the   screwdriver   for      the   M/71 with   the   shaft   of   the   screwdriver   embedded.   Take   note of this, please.”

Archive Digitalization

The    Archive    digitalization    is    the    first    step    for    a serious   analysis   of   the   Paul   Mauser   documents. All   the   documents   are   sorted   by   year   and   then   by type   (diary,   letters,   notes,   telegrams...).   For      each     year      a      folder      is      defined.      Inside      it,      several     folders        are        associated        for        each        type        of      document.            Each      folder            contains            the        scan/picture      of      the      document      with      the      related     translation.      After      this      classification,      the   analysis and   interpretation   of   the   documents   start.   All      the     undated      document      are      stored      in      the      same     folder.      For      some         of         them         a         tentative         of        dating         could         be      done         based         on         the        content.         If         the         content         interpretation         is        accepted         then         the         document         is         moved         in        the  related year folder.