The French Spanish Model 92

[Kleanbore]

In 1892, the French Army started receiving the 1892 Modele d'Ordonnance revolver, chambered for an anemic 8MM cartridge, and sometimes erroneously referred to as a Lebel. It remained standard issue until 1935.

It wasn't very accurate--they had decided to save money by using the same drilling and boring equipment used for their 8MM rifles. The twist rate didn't work well at all.

Not only that, their production capacity was insufficient. To make up for the shortfall, they purchased, as a substitute standard, a revolver from Eibar in Spain.

It was a copy of the S&W Military and Police Revolver--chambered for the French 8mm cartridge.

This was news to me.

https://www.forgottenweapons.com/eibar-spanish-model-92-revolver/

I learned about it in Pistols: an illustrated history of their impact, by Jeff Kinard. That's an excellent book.

The revolver is not mentioned in The Book of Pistols and Revolvers, by W.H.G. Smith.

 

[indy1919a4]

I wonder if these 1892s 8mm "police revolvers" are not the origins of the spanish 38 largo round which I think (or have only seen) was only chambered sw police clone revolvers.



Thanks for the link

 

[Monac]

I wonder if these 1892s 8mm "police revolvers" are not the origins of the spanish 38 largo round which I think (or have only seen) was only chambered sw police clone revolvers.

View attachment 896281

Thanks for the link

The French Model 1892 was a beautifully made revolver. It had a a hinged sideplate for easy access to the internal mechanism. The grip was poorly shaped and the cylinder swung out to the right instead of the left, but the materials and workmanship were first rate. But with pistols so readily available from Spain and machine tools and machinists in short supply, the French stopped making them in 1916. They started making them again after the war ended.

The most common Spanish 8mm revolvers made for France seem to be the ones made by Orbea, many of which are marked "La Industrial". They seem to be of pretty decent workmanship. Orbea was one of the older Spanish pistol makers, and they seem to have stuck mainly to revolvers, although there are some automatics with their name. Orbea also made 455 caliber top break revolvers for the British, based on a Smith & Wesson design, but those were not as successful.

I don't know what indy1919a4 means. The French 8mm revolver cartridge is not related to any other cartridge. The Spanish Army and Guardia Civil used 9mm Largo, which is the Spanish version of the 9mm Bergman Mars / Bergman Bayard automatic pistol cartridge. They never made revolvers for it, AFAIK.

Various Spanish companies made a lot of revolvers for export that were nominally chambered for 38 Long Colt, which they may have marked as 38 Largo, although I cannot say I remember any.

38 Long Colt is the cartridge that 38 Special is descended from and many of the Spanish revolvers marked for 38 Long Colt will chamber anything up to and including 357 Magnum. Firing them with 357 Magnum would be a VERY BAD IDEA.

 

[Kleanbore]

Various Spanish companies made a lot of revolvers for export that were nominally chambered for 38 Long Colt, which they may have marked as 38 Largo, although I cannot say I remember any.

People have encountered South American police revolvers marked ".38 Largo".

 

[Jim Watson]

Took me a while to learn that 9mm Largo revolver was the Spanish version of .38 Long Colt. I don't know how close they are down in the decimal places but certainly an operational equivalent. Probably interchangeable at the black powder level,

It is sometimes said that the prevalence of Spanish .32-20s is from just grinding a new chamber reamer to use with the 8mm barrels and tooling.

 

[Kleanbore]

Took me a while to learn that 9mm Largo revolver was the Spanish version of .38 Long Colt.

No. .38 Largo. The 9MM Largo was another name for the Bergmann-Bayard round.

 

[Jim Watson]

.38 Largo? OK.

Yes, I know about the 9mm Largo = Bergman Bayard. CCI made Blazer aluminum Largo for a while. A friend bought a large supply when it was discontinued and they were blowing it out cheap. Shot fine in his .38 Super except the muzzle flash was dazzling on an indoor range. Got to be careful, some real Spanish made Largo is too long for the 1911 action.

 

[indy1919a4]

If you look hard you can find 38 largo, some proof, .. I have never found any at even a gun show, it is a very weak round

 

[Jim Watson]

Semiblindado = softpoint?

 

[indy1919a4]

Semiblindado = softpoint?

I think that is referencing the finish of the ammunition/brass as semi finished. Considering that for the most part these guns were
mostly for police use. I imaging there was no need to brighten up the brass for civilian sales.

 

[Kleanbore]

Semiblindado = softpoint?

Si!

 

[Kleanbore]

I just saw a video in which a Spanish copy of the Colt Army Special in 8MM was shown. The French used the same model designation as they did for the Smith copy.