Modèle 1892 Revolver
Manufacture d'armes de Saint-Etienne · Revolver · Out Of Production · 1892
Also known as: Lebel Revolver, Revolver d'ordonnance Mle 1892, St. Etienne 1892
Overview
The Modèle 1892 (commonly miscalled the 'Lebel revolver') was the standard French Army officer's sidearm from 1892 through World War I. It chambered the 8x27mmR French Ordnance cartridge and used a swing-out cylinder that opened to the right side - opposite the convention of every other modern revolver. Approximately 350,000 were produced at Saint-Étienne between 1892 and 1924, and the type remained in French police service into the 1960s.
Specifications
| Weight (empty) | 850 g (30.0 oz) |
| Overall Length | 240 mm (9.45") |
| Barrel Length | 117 mm (4.61") |
| Action Type | Double Action Revolver |
| Firing Mechanism | Double Action Single Action |
| Trigger Type | Double Action |
| Magazine Capacity | 6 rounds |
| Muzzle Velocity | 223 m/s (732 fps) |
| Muzzle Energy | 198 J (146 ft·lbf) |
| Effective Range | 25 m (27 yd) |
| Maximum Range | 50 m (55 yd) |
| Rate of Fire | 12 rpm |
| Barrel Rifling | Right Hand |
| Number of Grooves | 4 |
| Frame Material | Steel |
| Barrel Material | Steel |
| Stock Material | Wood |
| Finish | Blued |
Calibers
- 8mm French Ordnance · primary — also known as 8x27mmR, 8mm Lebel Revolver, 8mm 1892
Features
- Firing modes: Repeating
- Feed systems: Cylinder
- Safety mechanisms: Rebounding Hammer
- Features: Swing Out Cylinder Right Side, Simultaneous Ejection, Hinged Sideplate
Service history
Operators
- French Armed Forces · adopted 1892 · as Revolver d'ordonnance Mle 1892
- French National Police
- Belgian Armed Forces
- Spanish Armed Forces
Conflicts
- Boxer Rebellion (1899-1901)
- World War I (1914-1918)
- World War II (1939-1945)
- First Indochina War (1946-1954)
Production
Estimated total produced: 350,000 · Production years: 1892-1924
All production at MAS Saint-Étienne; police use continued into the 1960s
Origin
Country of origin: France
Discontinued: 1924
Notes
The right-side cylinder swing was unusual; most contemporaries (S&W, Colt) swung left. The 8mm cartridge is roughly equivalent to .32 ACP in power, considered underpowered even at adoption.
Background
Despite being universally referred to as the 'Lebel revolver,' Nicolas Lebel had nothing to do with its design - the name was attached by association with the contemporary 1886 Lebel rifle.