Mauser Zig Zag carbine

I have always been fascinated by the 'Zig Zag' concept for revolvers. Likely more famous on the Webley-Fosberry one of these days when I get set up for machining at home I really want to try my hand at making a 'Zig Zag' style revolver for myself.
 
Eaglelord17 said:
I have always been fascinated by the 'Zig Zag' concept for revolvers. Likely more famous on the Webley-Fosberry one of these days when I get set up for machining at home I really want to try my hand at making a 'Zig Zag' style revolver for myself.
Click to expand...

It sounds like it would be a fun project. If you notice the pics of the breech end of the cylinder, it is quite thick. I think this is because the action necessitated a fairly deep and sharp cornered groove around the circumference of the cylinder. Something to keep in mind if you want to chamber it in a spicey calibre.

There is a lot of math in that silly groove!
 
Last edited:
I can't see any indication of the frame or cylinder sliding back and forth; makes me think that instead of using a hand pushing a ratchet on the back of the cylinder (like almost all other revolvers) on this gun, the hammer must be tied into a lug that slides fore and aft to turn the cylinder and that the long horizontal slot between the angled ones, is to allow the hammer to fall without turning the cylinder

cheers mooncoon
 
mooncoon said:
I can't see any indication of the frame or cylinder sliding back and forth; makes me think that instead of using a hand pushing a ratchet on the back of the cylinder (like almost all other revolvers) on this gun, the hammer must be tied into a lug that slides fore and aft to turn the cylinder and that the long horizontal slot between the angled ones, is to allow the hammer to fall without turning the cylinder

cheers mooncoon
Click to expand...

That is it.

Mauser-Model-78-revolver.png
 
thanks for the illustrations; it is definitely an unusual mechanism although if the tolerances in the slots are close and the chambers accurately orientated to the slots, it does make for a good locking system

cheers mooncoon
 
jethunter said:
Same basic principle as a Webley Fosbery automatic
Click to expand...

that is not true; the Webley Fosbery is a semi automatic revolver and the top half of the gun slides back and forth as it cycles. The zig-zag is single action and the cylinder is revolved manually be cocking the hammer. If you look at the schematics that were posted, you can see that the cylinder is rotated when the hammer pushes a linking rod forward as the gun is being cocked

cheers mooncoon
 
mooncoon said:
that is not true; the Webley Fosbery is a semi automatic revolver and the top half of the gun slides back and forth as it cycles. The zig-zag is single action and the cylinder is revolved manually be cocking the hammer. If you look at the schematics that were posted, you can see that the cylinder is rotated when the hammer pushes a linking rod forward as the gun is being cocked

cheers mooncoon
Click to expand...

same BASIC principle in that grooves on the cylinder drive the action... BASIC being the operative word.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom