Today I took a Model 1883 Reichsrevolver out to the monthly BackUp Gun Match. This is an 1894-manufactured gun (made at the Erfurt Arsenal). It is a single action only, six-shot revolver chambered for the 10.6mm German Ordnance cartridge. The first type of Reichsrevolver was adopted by the young German Empire in 1879, with the significantly shortened model here adopted in 1883. Both models do also have manual safety levers – unusual for revolvers – but that wasn’t relevant to the match today. These revolvers were front-line German service handguns until replaced by the Luger starting in 1908.
For more details on the revolver, check out my full videos here:
Model 1879: https://youtu.be/jOI4557ioaA
Model 1883: https://youtu.be/4C72LZtJTIg
Not quite as much smoke as I expected from black powder.
From watching video there seems to be perpendicular wind, which helped with clearing field of view. Cartridge for Reichsrevolver https://naboje.org/node/3872 has rather moderate ballistic compared to other service revolver cartridge, muzzle velocity was 200 m/s, for comparison .44 Russian muzzle velocity was 235 m/s. I presume manufacturers of ammunition for antique weapons would be more likely to lessen powder charge, then user powder charge exactly at upper limit.
C&Rsenal did a wonderful video on the 1883 Reichsrevolver. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u-ntPLSBwXw
I keep hoping Pietta will do a run of these in .45LC using modern steel. I guess we’ll just have to wait until they see this video
So there are 13 people with modern guns you beat. Sheesh.
Back when I was working, I used to go and qualify with the city and county during their in service. Often I took old timey guns, but never something this quirky. Pointy hats off to you!