Manhurin Revolvers for sale

Pistolero

Well-Known Member
Centerfire Systems is selling used Manhurin MR73 revolvers. They could fool you into thinking
they were a Ruger Security Six, IMO. But look closely and they have a side plate like a S&W.

At $1299, I'll pass. But somebody may have a burning need. They say that these had to shoot a
5 shot group of 3/4" at 25 meters to pass factory QA checks. Hammer forged barrels, "hand built".

.38 Spl, replacing the .32 ACP predecessor with this SUPER POWERFUL round. :rolleyes:

I have heard that they are really well made.

8819

8820
 
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Bret4207

At the casting bench in the sky. RIP Bret.
They are supposed to be really fine. For the $$$ you'd think they'd be a lot better finished, have adjustable sights, etc.
 

Pistolero

Well-Known Member
Europeans are dead set against giving military and police guns with adjustable sights. Apparently
from experience, they are convinced that the average cop/soldier is so clueless that they will screw
up the sights. Find me a European rifle or handgun for military or police in the last 100 years that
came with sights that are fully adjustable like the Trapdoor, the Krag, the 1903 or the Garand? They
are range adjustable but take special tools, only owned by the armorers, to adjust them for zero, in almost all
cases.

A history of elitism and peasant troops.....still ringing down the ages.

Bill
 
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harrympope

Active Member
"Find me a European rifle or handgun for military or police in the last 100 years that
came with sights that are fully adjustable like the Trapdoor, the Krag, the 1903 or the Garand"


Look at the sights on a model 39 Finn. They're pretty nice.

Or the no4 mk 1 SMLE. That rear sight is wonderful easily as nice as anything we've done in America.
 
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Pistolero

Well-Known Member
Good points!

The Finns are a clear exception to the norm in Europe, no doubt about it. The Finns and the Swiss are the
biggest exceptions as to teaching real riflery. Those countries have historically been countries of riflemen much
like the USA has been, although the standard K31 has no easy windage adjustment, needs a special tool on the front
sight, but is a quite accurate rifle. I have a M39, and it is a really accurate rifle. I have shot several 1' groups at
100 yds with some Soviet match ammo that I got. The Swedish seem to be very interested in accurate rifles, but
I know only of competition sights which are adjustable on their military rifles.

The only British rifle with an adjustable sight that I know of was the latest version of the #4 which had an apparently
optional target type adjustable sight. I never knew the exact military application of these sights, which were available
surplus, may still be, just drive out the pin on the simple flip type battle sight and put in the windage and elevation
adjustable replacement. I have no idea what the doctrine was, a pure target sight for peacetime competition,
or maybe for particularly skilled 'designated markesmen'? If anyone knows the history of that, it would be
interesting to learn more. I don't think that was the standard sight, but maybe it was some model. I put one on
an Enfield of my own that came with the typical flip sight.

In general, many European countries have had non-adjustable sights, other than basic range settings, with
the tools needed for windage or zeroing available only to the armorers.

Bill
 
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Pistolero

Well-Known Member
Yeah, but not quite as high, though. Current MSRP on Colt's site for the King Cobra is $899. Of course, until they
are actually out there in numbers, many will sell for above MSRP.

Lots of S&W models with MSRPs in that range, but they are fancier models, many more custom
features, adj sights, etc than that French revolver, which, however nicely made, is still just a plain
jane.

By comparison...... pretty much the identical model, functionally, a used LEO S&W 64



For less than one third the price.

Bill
 
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david s

Well-Known Member
Definitely looks like a hybrid S&W/Ruger. I cant remember where I read it but I believe the French Special Police/Air Marshalls (?) were required to use these as well as the standard police force but with a much more stringent shooting standard. No semi autos need apply.
 

Pistolero

Well-Known Member
The advantage of the revolver for an air marshal is the ability to use various oddball rounds seamlessly.

I have heard that some air marshal loads were something highly frangible and very lightweight at very
high velocities, less overpenetration. I have heard rumors of nylon WCs. Certainly, as a passenger, I
want zero overpenetration, but the ignorant are very foolish about the dangers of penetrating the skin
of a jet. I was 99% certain that a .38 cal hole (or 5) in the skin, assuming it didn't manage to find a hydraulic
line or control cable, a low probability event, would be pretty much a non-event. OTOH, passing through a
bad guy, or a seat or an interior bulkhead is way bad. Pretty high probability of ending up in a passenger.
I asked a close family member who was an active airline pilot at the time. The response was a laugh and
saying, "The pressurization control valve on the aft bulkhead will move about 0.001" to compensate, and
nothing else will happen", again - unless it hits a hydraulic line (triple systems) or control cable, usually double
systems.

I suspect nowdays, frangible sintered metal low weight/high velocity stuff is available that would be pretty
good in stopping inside a bad guy. Maybe even the 5.7x28 with frangible "blowup" bullets would work.

Bill
 
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david s

Well-Known Member
Air is continually being pumped into the passenger cabin and a 9mm/357 hole or even a series of them isn't going to make that much difference. I dont think you would want to take out one of the windows though. The revolver with its reliability with virtually any ammo that's appropriate makes a lot of sense though. The article I read (and it was quite a while ago) seemed to take the anti semi auto slant and French pride in there revolver angle. This is if I'm remembering it correctly.
 

Pistolero

Well-Known Member
I agree on not losing a whole window, that would be a depressurization event. The windows are thick
plexiglass, around 1/2" and I imagine (but not really sure, I'll bet it has been tested) that a bullet hole
is unlikely to cause a total blowout, but maybe it would. French pride in a quality firearms is fine with
me. The prices are a bit too high for me to want one.

Bill
 

fiver

Well-Known Member
I watch a lot of stuff from Europe particularly food shows.
did you know cheese made from cow/goat/sheep milk using the same recipe your grandpa used is now considered a crafted cheese and commands top dollar?
oddly the same thing applies to apples/grapes/onions/beef/chickens/clams/cherry's/kelp, and I'm sure a few things I'm forgetting.
 

david s

Well-Known Member
In the early to mid 1980's a bunch of Manchurian Walther PP pistols in 32 ACP came on to the used market. French trade ins. I wonder if these revolvers were the replacements? Maybe not, at the time stainless was still a bit of a novelty in fire arms, then again?
 

Bret4207

At the casting bench in the sky. RIP Bret.
French pride. You mean egotism! Study WW2 just a little as regards the French outlook, it's incredible. That is the side of my family that makes me shake my head and roll my eyes.
 

fiver

Well-Known Member
mid 80's would have put them on the front edge of stainless being popular.
it was available before then but nobody was really working with it, then it started popping up here and there.
I think the first rifle I bought with a stainless barrel was in 91 maybe 92, but I remember some defense type shotguns being available in synthetic stainless marketed to boat owners right about then too.
 

Pistolero

Well-Known Member
Yes, you are right, fiver. IIRC, only the S&W Chief's Special was SS in those days. I won a
AMT Hardballer, a SS copy of a Gold Cup at a bowling pin match in about 82 or 83 when it
was THE cool gun, mostly because it was one of the very few SS guns out there, and one of
the VERY few 1911s that didn't have a rampant pony on the side. SS was way new stuff
then.

Bret, reading Churchill's "History of WW2" a 6 double volume series. Very interesting but
geez, Adm Darlan and then Gen Degaulle were real, REAL pains in the posterior. FINALLY, by
the time we were half way up the Italian peninsula, the French military really got in gear, and
became pretty effective as fighting allies. But Darlan was a horse's hind end, and De Gaulle
was the kind of jerk who gave arrogant dilletantes a bad name. Only the assassination of Darlan
by a Frenchman helped sort out things in North Africa in a sane manner. He could have brought
the entire, intact French fleet over to the allies, but refused. Britain was forced to sink a number of
them, as much as they really wanted to avoid fighting the French fearing that Hitler would wind up
with the not inconsiderable French fleet, and aircraft carrier, some very modern battleships and cruisers
and more.
But never forget that there were a hell of a lot brave Frenchmen fighting in the Maquis against the
German occupation, and helping our downed pilots to get to Spain over the Pyrenees. Chuck
Yeager was saved this way. And many Frenchmen assisted our paratroops in Normandy.

Bill
 
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462

California's Central Coast Amid The Insanity
Randall was the first to use stainless steel on a full production basis. All their 1911s, whether .45 ACP or 9 mm, were made of it.

Also, Randall made a small run of mirror image left-hand 1911s.

Bought my very slightly used .45 ACP Service Model in February '96 for $395.
 

RicinYakima

High Steppes of Eastern Washington
S&W model 60 in about 1966? and S&W model 65 in about 1972. The early ones had regular casehardened guts, but were OK for working in the SE sweat baths for undercover. IMHO it took about 25 years to get the metallurgy and technology up and running to make really good stainless guns.