Mummy Gun/Legion Etrangere

[GBOOTHROYD]

Just purchased the gun that Rick O'Connell's character uses in the first mummy movie. It's called the French Model 1873 Service Revolver and it was indeed used by the French Foreign Legion. It's sometimes called the Chamelot Delvinge 1873 or the Mle 1873 Revolver d'Ordnance. A recent article in Gun's & Ammo Surplus Firearms (on newstands now) details where to purchase cases, bullet moulds and powder to make rounds for this gun. Yes I fully intend to fire this puppy. The article also details how to field strip the 1873. Well worth the price. Pictures follow:

http://i228.photobucket.com/albums/ee124/DonaldGrantPhotos/Mummygun1.jpg

http://i228.photobucket.com/albums/ee124/DonaldGrantPhotos/Mummygun3.jpg

http://i228.photobucket.com/albums/ee124/DonaldGrantPhotos/Mummygun4.jpg

http://i228.photobucket.com/albums/ee124/DonaldGrantPhotos/Mummygun5.jpg

GB

 

[Ramiel]

Lovely gun!

 

[PHArchivist]

Very nice... I have a pair of resin replicas though would very much like to have an original. I'm officially jealous.

If you have a chance, I'd be interested in know how much the revolver weighs, as I've weighted my resin copies with lead, and am curious how close I got.

 

[GBOOTHROYD]

Well it's a fairly heavy gun and substantially built. According to the article the 1873 was a well built gun that suffered only from an anemic round which they later corrected somewhat. It saw service into the 1950's. My bathroom digital scale, however, is not registering the weight. I suppose I can weigh myself with and without the gun and do the subtraction, so stay tuned.

GB

 

[GBOOTHROYD]

By the bathroom scale subtraction method, the 1873 is 2.5lbs sans rounds. Hope that helps.

GB

 

[Jimbo890]

Very cool! If I dare ask, how much does one of these real ones go for these days? What round did it fire?

 

[GBOOTHROYD]

Very cool! If I dare ask, how much does one of these real ones go for these days? What round did it fire?

Rather not say the price, but way less than a colt 1911 or 1911MA1 or even some of the clones from US Firearms and others. As for the round, it's called an 11mm black powder round (11x17R). But the round has to be made by hand with cases, black powder, round balls or bullets made from a mould, and special loading dies. No one is, as yet making full cartridges. Old cartridges or rounds do exist, but I understand they are like hens teeth and very costly.

GB

 

[PHArchivist]

By the bathroom scale subtraction method, the 1873 is 2.5lbs sans rounds. Hope that helps.

GB

Thanks, GB...

 

[GBOOTHROYD]

Thanks, GB...

No problem.

GB

 

[tain669]

What do you pay for it?

 

[GBOOTHROYD]

What do you pay for it?

As I said above, I'd rather not say, but less than a 1911 or 1911MA1 new or vintage, colt or clone.

GB

 

[Noeland]

Sounds like you got a good deal on it!

I've seen 'em go for upwards of a grand in much poorer condition than yours.

Cool gun, always loved that style of revolver.

 

[GBOOTHROYD]

Sounds like you got a good deal on it!

I've seen 'em go for upwards of a grand in much poorer condition than yours.

Cool gun, always loved that style of revolver.

Yeah, I think I did all right, particularly in light of the fact that the bore and cylinders are in good shape. Interestingly enough, the 1873 was made of steel and not iron like the 1873 colt and is therefore far more robust than the more famous colt. The French 1873 was also not normaly blued and was left "in the white" which accounts for the silver color. Also, according to the article, the gun weighs 2.9 lbs. My bathroom scale weight test was off by four tenths of a pound.

GB