Make: French Mre d’Armes St. Etienne

Model: 1892

Serial Number: F5249

Year of Manufacture: 1893

Caliber: 8mmx27R

Action Type: Single or Double Action SA/DA Revolver with Swing Out Cylinder

Barrel Length: 4 1/2”

Sights/Optics: The front sight is a beaded blade pinned to a base that is integral to the barrel. The rear sight is a u-notch that is integral to the top strap.

Stock Configuration and Condition: The grips are two-piece checkered wood panels. The grips have light handling wear with some scattered light nicks. There are a few spots of stubborn verdigris in the left panel. The checkering is well defined. There are no chips or cracks. Overall, the grips are in about Fine condition as Antique.

Type of Finish: Blue & Strawed

Finish Originality: The finish has been intentionally removed.

Bore Condition: The bore is mostly bright with sharp rifling. There are some scattered spots of light in the bore, mostly toward the muzzle-end. In this writer's opinion, the bore rates about 8 out of 10.

Overall Condition: This revolver retains about 87% of its metal finish. The finish is thinning at all edges. The balance is mostly in muting and wear on the strawed parts. There are some scattered minor nicks, small scratches, and spots of minor surface oxdiation. The action shows operational wear. There are tool marks around some screw heads. The screw heads are tool marked with strong slots. The markings are clear. Overall, this revolver rates in Fine-plus condition as Antique.

Mechanics: The action functions correctly. We did not fire this handgun. As with all used firearms, a thorough cleaning may be necessary to meet your maintenance standards.

Box, Paperwork, and Accessories: None.

Our Assessment: Made as a replacement for the Model 1873, the Model 1892 is considered to be from the Golden Age of Firearms—factory methodology and practices were highly refined, but true craftsmanship and finishing were still a part of the process in each gun. It benefited from a long development started in 1887 that was briefly interrupted by work on the 1886 Lebel rifle, and finally saw full production in 1892. This example was manufactured in 1893 and shows surprisingly light wear given its age and service. A majority of the original metal finish remains, the bore is mostly bright and mechanically this revolver is quite sound. It should make a nice addition to a collection of military revolvers or French small arms. Please see our photos and good luck!