Welcome to at the moment’s Photo of the Day! Right here now we have Mauser’s Mannequin 1878 Zig-Zag carbine. A mechanically fascinating lifeless finish that proved revolving lengthy weapons had been an answer no one wished by the late 1870s. The zig-zag system makes use of a reciprocating bar linked to the hammer that engages grooves lower into the cylinder exterior, rotating and indexing chambers as you cock. Mauser tailored this from their zig-zag revolver, including a strong body, niter blue locking lever, and a hinged loading gate that disconnects the cylinder for loading. The ejector rod slots into the cylinder pin.
By 1878, this design was already out of date. Metallic cartridge rifles just like the Winchester 1873 and varied Sharps fashions supplied higher capability, quicker reloading, and easier mechanisms. Mauser was fixing issues that single-shot and lever-action rifles had already dealt with extra elegantly. The scarce manufacturing numbers inform the market’s verdict. Consumers wished confirmed Winchester and Sharps designs, not experimental Mauser revolving carbines with advanced indexing methods. The checkered inventory with right-handed cheekpiece exhibits Mauser constructed these as high quality sporting arms, however high quality couldn’t overcome elementary design limitations.
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“Mauser Mannequin 1878 Zig-Zag Single Motion Revolving Carbine.” Rock Island Public sale, www.rockislandauction.com/element/4095/3436/mauser-model-1878-zigzag-single-action-revolving-carbine. Accessed 6 Oct. 2025.
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