1879 Reichsrevolver: History and Accuracy Test

AmmoLand ^ | October 5, 2026 | Dean Weingarten

[marktwain]

1879 Reichsrevolver with a homemade ejector rod and optical sight.

The 1879 Reichsrevolver was adopted by the German military a few years after German unification. Author attached a red dot optical sight without modifying the revolver. It is clamped on, with no metal removed. Ejector rods were separate. The one above is homemade.

Consider the pistol the revolvers were to replace, the Kavalleriepistol M 1850. It is about .59 caliber, firing a 267 grain round ball from a smooth bore, contained in a paper cartridge with about 67 grains of black powder.

Interpolating from data measured at the YouTube channel capandball, the 267-grain ball from the smoothbore was probably traveling about 650-700 fps. Accuracy was sufficient to hit man-sized targets at 23 yards.

When the German Empire was consolidated under Bismarck, the new government realized they needed a standardized cartridge revolver. Germany officially began working on the problem in 1871. They considered the Swiss double-action design, a 10.4 rimfire adopted in 1872. The French 1873 is a very similar double-action, with a weaker cartridge. They considered an Adams double-action design from England, the Colt 1873, and others.

In 1873, the Germans ordered 40 Colt Single Action model 1873 revolvers in 10.6 x 25, the German knock-off of the .44 Russian. The .44 Russian was being produced in Germany at the time, for the Russians and their Smith & Wesson single-action, top-break revolvers.

There was a miscommunication, and Colt sent 40 revolvers in .45 Colt. The Germans rejected them and sent them back. Colt, through their brokers in London, immediately sent another 40 in 10.6 German. Those revolvers were tested and sent to German regiments for a year of testing, according to Heinrich E. Harder in “Der Reichsrevolver und seine Varianten“. The early Colt 1873 revolvers

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TOPICS: Culture/Society; Germany
KEYWORDS: accuracy; banglist; history; reichsrevolver

[marktwain]

The 1879 Reichsrevolver proved to be reliable and accurate. It is made of steel. The early Colt revolvers had malleable iron frames.

The iron sights of the revolver appear to be regulated to shoot rather high, about 3 inches at 10 yards.

[Deaf Smith]

Minute Of Man accuracy is generally not something to brag about.

[ansel12]

I got through the first sentence and then a pop-up covered the page and blocked your article.

[MtnClimber]

Thanks, interesting article.

[Red Badger]

59 caliber? That will leave a mark..............

[null and void]

Was the original red dot sight also set 3” high?

[T.B. Yoits]

From the article: Author attached a red dot optical sight without modifying the revolver...

Noooooooooo

Even without modifying the revolver, such a displaced conflict will cause a tear in the time-space continuum.

[marktwain]

The red dot sight was adjustable. The iron sights were not. They are very rugged and fixed.

I have fired an Italian revolver of the same period, an 1886 Reichsrevolver, and an 1873 French revolver. All have fixed sights. All of them shoot about 2.5 - 3.5 inches high at 10 yards. One document says the Germans were trained to aim 14 inches low at 25 meters.

Perhaps someone knows if this was doctrine on the European continent from about 1870-1890. I believe the American service revolvers of the period were regulated to shoot to point of aim. Sighted for 35 yards, they would be dead on at 10 yards and within 1/2 inch off of point of aim to 40 yards.

[marktwain]

Even without modifying the revolver, such a displaced conflict will cause a tear in the time-space continuum.

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Just think of it as a Star Wars revolver. Would it cause a disturbance in The Force?

[marktwain]

an 1886 Reichsrevolver... Should be an 1883 Reichsrevolver. Those are the improved version of the 1879 Reichsrevolver.

The Italian revolver was a modification of the 1874 Italian service revolver, which was a copy of the 1872 Swiss revolver.

[null and void]

All have fixed sights. All of them shoot about 2.5 - 3.5 inches high at 10 yards.

Interesting.

I wonder why?

[vetvetdoug]

This was a miscommunication and Colt sent 40 revolvers in 45 colt,

And this was before DEI hiring...SMH..

[marktwain]

I wonder if it is a carryover of some cavalry doctrine with muzzleloading horse pistols.

So far, I have only found the one reference to the Germans being taught to aim 14 inches low (350mm low). The source merely claimed this was so the revolver shooters would hit man sized targets at normal battle distances.

[T.B. Yoits]

Just think of it as a Star Wars revolver. Would it cause a disturbance in The Force?

Yes. Star Wars occurred long ago and in a galaxy far, far away.

[Magnum44]

[T.B. Yoits]

[T.B. Yoits]

Future historians will be all screwed up if they find that gun with the optic site on it.

"The Germans were a century ahead of the rest of the world but for reasons unknown, they failed to capitalize on such technological advantages."

[caver]

Interesting article, but why did someone put an optical site on a 1879 German revolver? I don’t get it.

[Bonemaker]

Junque. Germany can make superb auto pistols but not revolvers. Meanwhile, we had this:

[marktwain]

Interesting article, but why did someone put an optical site on a 1879 German revolver? I don’t get it.

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To test the mechanical accuracy of the revolver. Also, because the fixed sights shot way too high, and the owner did not want to modify a valuable antique.