Mateba Model 6 Unica Autorevolver
Mateba S.r.l. (Macchine Termo Balistiche) · Revolver · Out Of Production · 1997
Also known as: Mateba 6 Unica, Mateba 2006M, Mateba Autorevolver, Unica 6
Overview
The Mateba Model 6 Unica is an Italian-made recoil-operated semi-automatic revolver designed by Emilio Ghisoni and produced by Mateba S.r.l. of Pavia between approximately 1997 and 2005. It is one of only a handful of true 'autorevolvers' ever brought to market - a revolver that uses recoil energy to rotate its own cylinder and re-cock its hammer between shots. Two design choices distinguish it from every conventional revolver: the barrel sits coaxially with the bottom chamber of the cylinder rather than the top, dramatically lowering the bore axis and converting muzzle flip into rearward push; and the upper assembly slides on rails over the lower grip frame, so each shot's recoil drives a stud through zig-zag grooves in the cylinder to index the next round. The result is exceptional control even with full-power magnum loads. Available in .357 Magnum, .44 Magnum, and .454 Casull (the latter making it one of the most powerful semi-automatic handguns ever produced), with quickly interchangeable barrels in lengths from 76mm to 205mm. The cylinder swings out to the upper-left for loading. Mateba S.r.l. went out of business in 2005, after which Italian firearms maker Chiappa eventually acquired the assets and Ghisoni went on to design the conceptually related Chiappa Rhino.
Specifications
| Weight (empty) | 1250 g (44.1 oz) |
| Overall Length | 275 mm (10.83") |
| Barrel Length | 152 mm (5.98") |
| Height | 138 mm (5.43") |
| Width | 45 mm (1.77") |
| Action Type | Recoil Operated |
| Firing Mechanism | Double Action Single Action |
| Trigger Type | Double Action |
| Magazine Capacity | 6 rounds |
| Magazine Type | Rotary |
| Muzzle Velocity | 440 m/s (1444 fps) |
| Muzzle Energy | 988 J (729 ft·lbf) |
| Effective Range | 50 m (55 yd) |
| Barrel Rifling | Right Hand |
| Number of Grooves | 6 |
| Frame Material | Aluminum |
| Slide Material | Steel |
| Barrel Material | Steel |
| Stock Material | Wood |
| Finish | Blued |
Calibers
- .357 Magnum · primary — also known as .357 Mag, 9x33mmR
- .44 Magnum — also known as .44 Rem Mag, 10.9x33mmR
- .454 Casull — also known as 11.5x35mmR Casull
Features
- Firing modes: Semi Automatic
- Feed systems: Rotary Cylinder
- Safety mechanisms: Transfer Bar Safety, Manual Safety Lever
- Features: Recoil Operated Cylinder Rotation, Fires From Bottom Chamber, Low Bore Axis, Interchangeable Barrels, Scope Rail Mount, Automatic Hammer Cocking, Double Action Single Action Trigger
Variants
- Mateba 6 Unica 3-inch — Compact
- Mateba 6 Unica 6-inch — Standard
- Mateba 6 Unica 8-inch Hunter — Long Barrel
- Mateba 6 Unica .454 Casull — Magnum Caliber
Service history
Operators
- Civilian sport shooters · adopted 1997
- Civilian collectors and hunters · adopted 1997
Production
Estimated total produced: 3,000 · Production years: 1997-2005
Total production estimated in the low thousands across all caliber/barrel combinations. Mateba S.r.l. ceased operations in 2005; small follow-on runs were attempted by other parties using leftover parts but no full-scale production resumed.
Origin
Country of origin: Italy
Designer: Emilio Ghisoni
Discontinued: 2005
Notes
The Mateba is sometimes incorrectly conflated with the Chiappa Rhino - both are Ghisoni designs that fire from the bottom chamber, but the Rhino is a conventional double-action revolver while the Mateba 6 Unica is genuinely semi-automatic, with the cylinder rotating itself under recoil. Production was limited and irregular; total numbers were never officially published but are generally estimated in the low thousands across all calibers and configurations. Aluminum frame keeps weight modest despite firing magnum cartridges.
Background
The Mateba 6 Unica became a cult icon largely thanks to anime: it is the trademark sidearm of Vash the Stampede in the manga and anime Trigun (drawn as a long-barrel, customised .45 Long Colt variant), and a snub-nosed Mateba is the favoured weapon of bounty hunter Spike Spiegel's adversary Vicious in Cowboy Bebop. The gun's distinctive low-slung profile and oversized cylinder shroud made it visually unmistakable, and demand from collectors who first saw it in animation has driven secondhand prices well above original retail.