1878 1872
In 1872, the Swiss Army adopted an Ordnance revolver that was similar in design to the French MAS 1873 Chamelot-Delvigne revolver. It's design allowed both single action and double action operation, and it used a 10.4mm rim fire cartridge. A limited number (less than 1000) were issued before being replaced by the Model 1878 revolver which used a 10.4mm center fire cartridge (photo shown above). The existing Model 1872 revolvers were modified to use this center fire cartridge and were designated the Model 1872/78 revolver.
The mechanism of the Model 1878 revolver utilizes a rebounding hammer for improved safety over the earlier rim fire revolver. Like the Model 1872 revolver, it allows for both a single action and double action operation, lacks a loading gate, and employs an ejector rod to remove the spent cartridge cases. The Model 1872 and 1878 revolvers were replaced by the Model 1882 Schmidt-Rubin Ordnance revolver, which was chambered for the Swiss 7.5mm cartridge.
The following 10.4mm Swiss cartridges are from my collection;
I have included one loaded with a paper-patched lead bullet, one with a full metal-patched bullet, a shot load and two blank variations.
All lack headstamps
.421" .422" n/a n/a n/a Bullet
.423" .427" .417" .429" .382" Neck
n/a n/a n/a n/a .425" Shoulder
.435" .437" .439" .440" .439" Head
.524" .520" .527" .526" .526" Rim
.780" .780" 1.073" .757" .802" Case length
1.262" 1.242" 1.073" .757" .802" Overall length
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fGc7q9zgLCM&ab_channel=C%26Rsenal
