Abadie M1886
L. Soleil et Fils · Revolver · Out Of Production · 1886
Also known as: Revolver Abadie m/1886, 9.1mm Abadie Trooper's Model
Overview
The Abadie M1886 is a six-shot, solid-frame double-action service revolver adopted by the Portuguese Army for cavalry and mounted troops. Chambered in the 9.1mm Abadie black-powder cartridge, it is a longer-barrelled development of the 1878 officers' model, the extra barrel length giving roughly ten percent more muzzle velocity. Its defining feature is the Abadie loading gate: opening the gate disconnects the hammer from the trigger so the cylinder can be freely rotated and loaded or unloaded one chamber at a time through a rod ejector, acting as a loading safety.
Specifications
| Weight (empty) | 830 g (29.3 oz) |
| Overall Length | 245 mm (9.65") |
| Barrel Length | 142 mm (5.59") |
| Action Type | Double Action Revolver |
| Firing Mechanism | Double Action |
| Trigger Type | Double Action |
| Magazine Capacity | 6 rounds |
| Muzzle Velocity | 162 m/s (531 fps) |
| Muzzle Energy | 110 J (81 ft·lbf) |
| Effective Range | 25 m (27 yd) |
| Barrel Rifling | Right Hand |
| Frame Material | Steel |
| Barrel Material | Steel |
| Stock Material | Wood |
| Finish | Blued |
Calibers
- 9.1mm Abadie · primary — also known as 9.1mm Portuguese, 9.1x22R Abadie
Features
- Firing modes: Repeating
- Feed systems: Loading Gate
- Safety mechanisms: Abadie Loading Gate, Half Cock Notch
- Features: Solid Frame, Fixed Cylinder, Abadie Loading Gate, Rod Ejector, Lanyard Ring
Variants
- Abadie M1878 — Officers Model
Service history
Operators
- Portuguese Army · adopted 1886 · as Revolver Abadie m/1886
Production
Production years: 1886-1900s
Portuguese military contract; produced by Belgian gunmakers in Liège
Origin
Country of origin: Belgium
Designer: Isaac Abadie
Notes
Manufactured in Liège, Belgium (commonly by L. Soleil et Fils) for Portuguese service. The 1878 pattern was the shorter officers' model; the 1886 lengthened the barrel to about 142mm. The Abadie gate system, designed by Isaac Abadie, was widely licensed across European revolvers of the period.
Background
Portugal was one of the first nations to adopt Isaac Abadie's gate-loading system, in which simply opening the loading gate freed the cylinder to spin and safely disconnected the trigger from the hammer - a clever 1870s solution to safe loading that spread across European service revolvers.