×
Aircraft / Aviation Vehicles & Artillery Small Arms Warships & Submarines Military Ranks Military Pay Scale (2024) Special Forces

MAS Modele 1873 / Modele 1874


Six-Round Service Revolver


France | 1873



"The Modele 1873 became the first centerfire and Double-Action revolver to reach service with the French Army."

Performance
Performance specifications presented assume optimal operating conditions for the MAS Modele 1873 / Modele 1874. Information presented is strictly for general reference and should not be misconstrued as useful for hardware restoration or operation.
165 ft
50.3 m | 55.0 yds
Max.Eff.Range
30
Rounds-Per-Minute
Rate-of-Fire
550 ft/sec
168 m/sec
Muzzle Velocity
Physical
The physical qualities of the MAS Modele 1873 / Modele 1874. Information presented is strictly for general reference and should not be misconstrued as useful for hardware restoration or operation.
240 mm
9.45 in
O/A Length
115 mm
4.53 in
Barrel Length
2.29 lb
1.04 kg
Weight
Revolving Cylinder; Single-Action / Double-Action
Action
11mm Mle 1873
Caliber(s)
6-Shot Revolving Cylinder
Feed
Iron Front and Rear.
Sights
Variants
Notable series variants as part of the MAS Modele 1873 / Modele 1874 Six-Round Service Revolver family line.
Modele 1873 ("Army Model 73") - Base Service Revolver; smooth cylinder; Double-Action (DA)/Single-Action (SA) function.
Modele 1874 ("Army Model 74") - "Officer's Pattern" revolver; produced to a higher standard than the Modele 1873; improved finish; fluted cylinder; Double-Action Only (DAO).
Modele 1873/1874 (Navy Model) - Revised variant for French Navy use; improved cartridge.
Authored By: Staff Writer | Last Edited: 03/12/2019 | Content ©www.MilitaryFactory.com | The following text is exclusive to this site; No A.I. was used in the generation of this content.

The pistol as a military sidearm generally existed as an afterthought in the "Gentlemen Wars" of the 1800s where the sabre and bayonet still reigned supreme. Following the disastrous Franco-Prussian War with Germany, France moved to modernize its fighting forces across all categories including sidearms and this led to the adoption of the MAS Modele 1873 revolver. The weapon was designed by Henri-Gustave Delvigne and J. Camelot and manufactured by the Manufacture d'Armes de Saint-Etienne (MAS) arsenal from the period of 1873 to 1887 to which 337,000 examples were ultimately produced in both France and Belgium. Amazingly, the weapon joined a few other 1800s-vintage forms surviving long enough in service to be used in World War 2 (1939-1945).

When adopted, the Modele 1873 became the French Army's first Double-Action (DA) revolver taken into service. This system allowed the trigger pull to also affect the hammer's rearward progress in one fell swoop. This provided a distinct advantage over Single-Action (SA) revolvers of the day in which the operator was required to manage the hammer separately (usually with the thumb) to cock the weapon. The Modele 1873 could still function as a Single-Action revolver.

The revolver's overall configuration was consistent with the period, utilizing a solid metal frame with inlaid revolving cylinder. The handle was covered over in a two-piece checker-patterned grip. The trigger and ring was underslung and set just ahead of the grip handle. The hammer was exposed at the upper rear of the frame in the usual way. An iron sight was provided at the muzzle and over the cylinder area (fixed front blade with rear notch). The revolving cylinder was seen in both fluted and unfluted designs while the barrel could be rounded or octagonal or a combination of both.

The cylinder could contain up to six ready-to-fire cartridges of 11mm Mle 1873 caliber. Effective ranges were out to 50 meters with maximum ranges set to 300 meters - though with degraded accuracy. The listed rate-of-fire for the weapon was up to 30 rounds per minute. The cartridge was never a true success, criticized for its low power leading to reduced velocity - about 550 feet per second being reported.

The Modele 1873 line also encompassed an improved form in the Modele 1874. The barrel was slightly shortened in these models and the guns made slightly heavier. All other functions remained the same save for the fact that the Modele 1874 was of Double-Action Only (DAO) function.

The pistol series was adopted by the French Army in the two stated "Army" models and a specialized "Navy" version also followed. A new, more powerful cartridge was also introduced about this time but never took hold, Navy stocks forced to continue use of the lower-graded ammunition before the end. The revolver made its way throughout the French colonies as a standardized firearm and was in widespread circulation when France went to war in World War 1 (1914-1918). A smokeless cartridge was brought online which modernized the design some. In practice, the pistols proved robust and resilient even under the stresses of wartime use. Following the war, the pistol endured in the French inventory and was still in play come World War 2 where it was used by some police units. The Modele 1873/1874 pistols were phased out of circulation from 1945 onwards.

Operators beyond the French including Belgium, Greece, Italy, Monaco, the Netherlands, and Switzerland.

Content ©MilitaryFactory.com; No Reproduction Permitted.
Operators
Global customers who have evaluated and/or operated the MAS Modele 1873 / Modele 1874. Nations are displayed by flag, each linked to their respective national small arms listing.

Contractor(s): Manufacture Nationale d'Armes de St. Etienne - France
National flag of Belgium National flag of France National flag of Greece National flag of Italy National flag of the Netherlands National flag of Switzerland

[ Belgium; France; Greece; Italy; Monaco; Netherlands; Switzerland ]
1 / 1
Image of the MAS Modele 1873 / Modele 1874
Image copyright www.MilitaryFactory.com; No Reproduction Permitted.

Going Further...
The MAS Modele 1873 / Modele 1874 Six-Round Service Revolver appears in the following collections:
HOME
SMALL ARMS INDEX
SPECIAL FORCES
ARMS BY COUNTRY
ARMS MANUFACTURERS
COMPARE ARMS
ARMS BY CONFLICT
ARMS BY TYPE
ARMS BY DECADE
Disclaimer | Privacy Policy | Cookies

2024 Military Pay Scale Military Ranks of the World U.S. Department of Defense Dictionary Conversion Calculators Military Alphabet Code Military Map Symbols Breakdown U.S. 5-Star Generals List WWII Weapons by Country

The "Military Factory" name and MilitaryFactory.com logo are registered ® U.S. trademarks protected by all applicable domestic and international intellectual property laws. All written content, illustrations, and photography are unique to this website (unless where indicated) and not for reuse/reproduction in any form. Material presented throughout this website is for historical and entertainment value only and should not to be construed as usable for hardware restoration, maintenance, or general operation. We do not sell any of the items showcased on this site. Please direct all other inquiries to militaryfactory AT gmail.com. No A.I. was used in the generation of this content.

Part of a network of sites that includes GlobalFirepower, a data-driven property used in ranking the top military powers of the world, WDMMA.org (World Directory of Modern Military Aircraft), WDMMW.org (World Directory of Modern Military Warships), SR71blackbird.org, detailing the history of the world's most iconic spyplane, and MilitaryRibbons.info, cataloguing military medals and ribbons. Special Interest: RailRoad Junction, the locomotive encyclopedia.


©2024 www.MilitaryFactory.com • All Rights Reserved • Content ©2003-2024 (21yrs)