Swiss Revolvers...

[Pete Ebbink]

Got three (3) of these Swiss beauties...top two are M1882's and the bottom one with the red grips is the updated M1882/29 model...done the same time the Swiss luger was modified into the M1929 W+F Bern.

[drbuster]

Beauties they are, Pete. I remember vividly your first one, with its great holster. When and how did you acquire the other two? Do you have holsters for them? It's amazing that such old guns can be kept in such good condition...compare to the usual Reichsrevolver. But then the Swiss were very anal about those things!

[Pete Ebbink]

Hi Doc,

The top two (M1882's) I got directly from Switzerland...they are considered antiques and so were shipped to me direct without going through customs or any paperwork. These two also have a "P" prefix...which makes them commercial pieces. The red M1929 revolver is an Ordnance piece.

The red M1929 revolver I just got in from Ken at FGS...

I only have the one holster you saw at Reno a while back...figured that was enough.

There is one more M1882 revolver rare as heck...with wooden grips but with a large, fixed (i.e. non-swiveling) lanyard ring at the bottom...used to bicycle troops. Then there is a brown plasric M1929 revolver and a black plastic M1929 revolver...following the same plastic color transition as the M1929 Bern lugers...

So I guess I need four (4) more revolvers...will it never end...?

p.s. The following little message from a previous owner was rolled up tightly and hidden underneath one of the red plastic grips. All this handwriting was done on a little piece of paper only 3/4" tall and 4" long.

Any help with the translation would be most appreciated...

[Vlim]

Swiss army revolver, model 82/29.
Acquired on the 10th of june 1974 when these were sold off by the KMV. As there were more people who had interest as there were revolvers there was a draw. Cost per revolver was 100,- Swiss francs, which was about 30 percent of my monthly income at that time. The future owners of this revolver should not sell it, but give it to an enthusiast.

Bern, 18th of may, 1975.
Urs Weber - Neufeldstr. 9, 3012 Bern

[Guisan]

That is also the reason that this 82/29 has no P-stamp for being privatized Pete, the gun came straight from the Kriegsmaterialverwaltung and had no private owner.

Thanks,
Guisan.

[drbuster]

Pete, I guess I could thank Gerben and Guisan for their translation and contribution to this thread, but I'm sure you will do so better than I. Was wondering if Bob Lewis owned all the Swiss revolver variations. I don't think I remember so many in his display case.

[Pete Ebbink]

Thanks, Guisan and Gerben for the additional info.

Kriegsmaterialverwaltung = War material administration

Doc,

I think Bob Lewis only presents a small portion of this Swiss luger and revolver display at the Reno gun shows at any one time. He did have the bicycle-corps variant at a show a couple of years ago.

[Edward Tinker]

Originally posted by Pete Ebbink
I only have the one holster you saw at Reno a while back...figured that was enough.

Pete, how can you say such a thing!

[Pete Ebbink]

Hi Ed,

Matter of economics...If I get too distracted chasing all the M1882 revolver variations and matching holsters, I would then need to do the same for the Swiss M1878 revolver, etc. etc....and I would never complete my Swiss luger collecting pursuit...

[Guisan]

Time to change the title of this section into "Swiss handguns" ???

Thanks,
Guisan.

[Pete Ebbink]

Guisan,

I made a mistake...I should have posted this in the section titled "Off Topic & Other Firearms"...

[Guisan]

I wouldn't have noticed it then anyway, to me the posting is at the right place now so don't bother.

I'm glad that many collector's only specialize in lugers that leaves a lot of other very nice swiss stuff for the happy few that know what they are....

Thanks,
Guisan.

[the gunman]

Pete it never stops amazing me the wonderful goodies you turn up. Wonderful pieces
congratulations

[Pete Ebbink]

Thanks Richie...

Just sent you an email and photos about a piece & holster in my safe that need a new home...not a luger, though...

[panda]

Originally posted by Guisan
That is also the reason that this 82/29 has no P-stamp for being privatized Pete, the gun came straight from the Kriegsmaterialverwaltung and had no private owner.

This means that the soldier to whom the gun was given for accomplishing his military duty forfeited his right to keep it thereafter but returned it to the army (or left the army before term having thus no right to keep the gun).

[Dean762]

Very Very sweet Pete ! I have considered getting into these guns in the past but the ammunition situation was so poor that I decided not to. Although I wouldnt shoot guns like these very much if at all I would at least like to have the option. As you said also its a bit of a distraction from the lugers. Still if they are considered antiques and can be imported easily!!! Oh Oh !

[Pete Ebbink]

Dean...

With the M1882 revovler, you need to be careful. Although the model run started in 1882, it ran well into the 1920's.

Based on the serial number and year a M1882 revolver was made, it may be "younger' than 1898 and is then not an "antique" and must be brought into the USA as an imported "C&R" pistol.

[Guisan]

Well it's about the same in Switzerland.
Pre-1890 is considered antique but it is hard to find out if your early compressed rubber gripped 1882 revolver is ...

Thanks,
Guisan.

[Pete Ebbink]

Just made arrangements to buy this M1878 Swiss revolver and black holster from Switzerland. I will add more photos when she is home.

These are quite scarce in the USA and only ~ 4,600 or so were ever made. Even more so for the leather. It is the "big brother" of the smaller M1882/1929 Swiss revolvers...

Caliber was 10,4 mm...

[Edward Tinker]

Nice looking gun Pete,


ed