It looks like a near copy of the 1883 Reischrevolver used by the Germans when the various German states banded together. The 1883 was a modified version of the 1879 that was initially designed be a commission.
Wikipedia info:TheM1879 Reichsrevolver, or Reichs-Commissions-Revolver Modell 1879 and 1883, were service revolvers used by theGerman Army from 1879 to 1908, when it was superseded by the Luger. The two versions of the
revolver differ in barrel length (The M1883 had a 5-inch barrel) and grip shape. Although the design was dated, the weapon was extremely robust, and they were still used through World War I. The M1879 is referred to as the "cavalry model" and the M1883 as the "officer's model," by collectors, which were not official designations. Both models were
single-action, solid frame, non-ejecting six-shot revolvers. The caliber was an indigenous 10.6×25mmR with a medium-length cartridge case, comparable to the contemporary .44 Russian round in size and power. Loading was via a gate on the revolver's right side, and the cylinder was released by pulling the hammer to half-cock. Removing empty cartridges could be done by removing the cylinder by withdrawing the axis pin, and then removing the casings by hand, but in actual practice a separate small rod (stored in the ammunition pouch) was used to push the casings out without having to remove the cylinder. A unique feature among these revolvers was the safety lever, which was often applied with the hammer resting in the half-cock position. Most revolvers came with a
lanyard ring for attachment to the uniform. Military Small Arms of the Twentieth Century, 7th Edition, Weeks, John, Hogg, Ian V.
I have the 1879 model that my dad brought back after WW2 in his duffel bag. It had a broken firing pin. In 1969 I had the firing pin repaired and got info from P O Ackley about reloading it. Using 44 Spec. cases cut down to just under and inch and .429 Lee 214 grain bullets, it is a blast to shoot. The first time I fired it I was shooting at cans at about 30 yards and the bullets were ricocheting from the ground. When they hit the trees about 100 yards away, it sounded like an axe hitting the tree sideways. A few years later we were in Colorado. The wife and I had climbed up to a basin that a stump about 2 feet high that was about 150 yards away and had a high hill behind it. After the third or fourth shot we had found a aiming spot that let us get 4 or 5 out of six shots on the stump.Info I just found says the proper bullet is .451 diameter and heeled.
