"Le Formidable" Pre-WW1 Pocket Revolver at the BUG Match (ad-free)
Added 2023-05-13 12:00:02 +0000 UTC"The Formidable" was the name given to one of many different civilian pocket-carry revolvers made by the French Manufrance firm in St Etienne. This particular model was introduced in 1895, although it went through a significant redesign in 1902. The example I have here is the later pattern, which was sold until 1916 (when arms production completely shifted to military weapons). It is a 5-shot, swing-out cylinder double action revolver chambered for the 8mm French Ordnance (aka 8mm Lebel Revolver) cartridge. The double action trigger pull is very heavy at about 17 pounds, and the hammer is bobbed to prevent snagging in a pocket.
Comments
Would the right hand loading be due to a military habit of using the right hand for the sword and the left hand for the pistol? Then with just a pistol, loading with the right hand seems natural.
Martin Morehouse
2023-05-13 22:40:46 +0000 UTCThere is the right way, there is the wrong way and there is the French way.
Luís Moreira
2023-05-13 21:54:38 +0000 UTCLe Formidable, the French version of the Noisy Cricket.
Paul Bryner
2023-05-13 18:11:18 +0000 UTC“The French had their reasons for doing something no one else did”. They always do.
Terry
2023-05-13 14:50:25 +0000 UTCmaybe a Jframe speedloader or speedstrip at least? no wonder with those "sights". like a fn 1906... tried those once and that revolver looks to have better sights than the fn.
Guido Schriewer
2023-05-13 13:19:40 +0000 UTC
