Emiliano Zapata is a Mexican national hero. He was a general in the Mexican revolution until being ambushed and killed by an opposing general who had claimed that he wished to surrender.
Paul, a reader of the blog, emailed me photos of a revolver in his collection that was once owned by Zapata.
Many more photos after the jump.
[ Many thanks to Paul for emailing me the photos. ]
I saw a friend (bernard planche) today he showed me one of zapata’s guns made with golden drawings that he got from an old friend’s grandfather who fought alongside to zapata. I’d like to send you some pictures but you should maybe ask bernard planche instead. (sorry i’m french!)
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0Anonimous, I would love photos If you can get them!
0 0Museums in Mexico would likely be interested, or maybe some in the south west. Be sure to post the auction link if and when you sell it.
0 0yes , it is a great piece of history , i wish i new someone that could appreciate it or use it as a museum piece , or something like that.
0 0I would like to see them Too. Thanks
0 0Sorry but i can’t email you photos. It’s a private collection! Sorry again!
0 0Anonimous, no worries.
0 0Wait so what model and company revolver is that? is it Spanish copy S&W model 3,or a S&W no. 4 ? Also is this single or double action
0 0¡Viva Zapata! ¡Vivas Las Zapatistas!
Cool peace of history. Thanks for sharing Paul.
0 0Cymond, Its not easy to imitate engraving that’s nearly 100 years old.The grips from 1914 is when Zapata and Villa were in Mexico city at the palace. if you know more about this gun than I do, Please let everyone know. It was made in Spain, a replica of the S & W. that’s what was used in Mexico at the time. On the Underside of the barrel ( Not pictured ) it also has engraving that says LIBERTAD. There is a picture of Zapata wearing this Revolver. This gun was purchased at an Estate Sale in Texas. It will be available at a Firearm Auction Soon.
0 0Apparently the russians, in their constant quest for somewhat practical but completely awesome design created the MP412. A polymer framed .357magnum top break revolver with a 4″ barrel.
http://world.guns.ru/handguns/hg49-e.htm
Sadly, none were ever imported, so the closest you will ever get from shooting one is in video games.
0 0jim, i’ve been told it was because the hinge tended to be fragile and that, after awhile it would break.
0 0The actions are not strong enough for modern smokeless powder revolver cartridges. 38 S&W and the british .455 webley were about the max.
0 0I know a guy who’s crazy about the Zapatista rebels, I e-mailed him a link to this. That’s quite a find someone has out there.
0 0The revolver look like a Belgian or Spanish (Eibar town) clone of the S&W n°3
0 0Don’t know if it’s true or not, but I’ve always been told that it’s because they are inherently weaker than a solid frame gun, guess it makes some sense but don’t ‘know’ if it’s true or just good sounding BS.
0 0Greetings from Texas,
This is a wonderful post and great pictures. I can’t thank all involved enough.
I have a Webley Mk. VI in .455, one of my favorite handguns. Weak isn’t a word I would use to describe that frame. Once it’s locked up I think it would be as stout as a solid frame. Perhaps not, but it just doesn’t seem like a weakness.
0 0Re the decline of top break revolvers: I find it interesting that all of the Schofield(Beretta, Uberti) replicas are in .45LC and .38 Spcl, even though those companies make their Colt clones in .45LC and .357 Mag. It seems to me that the Schofield must be incapable of withstanding the pressure and recoil of .357 Magnum, even with modern materials and craftsmanship. Yes, a top break .357 could be made, but it would need to be seriously overbuilt.
Re the Zapata revolver: I wonder how someone would verify something like that beyond the easily imitated engraving.
0 0Actually, the russians have done it with their MP412 REX revolver. The Schofields clones are also designed for CAS. While I’m sure they can safely shoot full power .357 magnums, I don’t think its their regular diet. I sure as hell wouldn’t put some white hot blackhawk loads in one though.
0 0The hinges are pretty robust – it’s the lockup at the rear that’s the weak point. You could no doubt make a serviceable modern day topbreak, but it would need extra engineering and so would be needlessly heavy. The only real advantage of the system is speed of reload.
0 0Why did top break revolvers die off?
0 0
Wait so what model and company revolver is that? is it Spanish copy S&W model 3,or a S&W no. 4 ? Also is this single or double action
Sorry but i can’t email you photos. It’s a private collection! Sorry again!
Anonimous, no worries.
I would like to see them Too. Thanks
I saw a friend (bernard planche) today he showed me one of zapata’s guns made with golden drawings that he got from an old friend’s grandfather who fought alongside to zapata. I’d like to send you some pictures but you should maybe ask bernard planche instead. (sorry i’m french!)
Anonimous, I would love photos If you can get them!
Museums in Mexico would likely be interested, or maybe some in the south west. Be sure to post the auction link if and when you sell it.
yes , it is a great piece of history , i wish i new someone that could appreciate it or use it as a museum piece , or something like that.
¡Viva Zapata! ¡Vivas Las Zapatistas!
Cool peace of history. Thanks for sharing Paul.
Cymond, Its not easy to imitate engraving that’s nearly 100 years old.The grips from 1914 is when Zapata and Villa were in Mexico city at the palace. if you know more about this gun than I do, Please let everyone know. It was made in Spain, a replica of the S & W. that’s what was used in Mexico at the time. On the Underside of the barrel ( Not pictured ) it also has engraving that says LIBERTAD. There is a picture of Zapata wearing this Revolver. This gun was purchased at an Estate Sale in Texas. It will be available at a Firearm Auction Soon.
Greetings from Texas,
This is a wonderful post and great pictures. I can’t thank all involved enough.
I have a Webley Mk. VI in .455, one of my favorite handguns. Weak isn’t a word I would use to describe that frame. Once it’s locked up I think it would be as stout as a solid frame. Perhaps not, but it just doesn’t seem like a weakness.
Re the decline of top break revolvers: I find it interesting that all of the Schofield(Beretta, Uberti) replicas are in .45LC and .38 Spcl, even though those companies make their Colt clones in .45LC and .357 Mag. It seems to me that the Schofield must be incapable of withstanding the pressure and recoil of .357 Magnum, even with modern materials and craftsmanship. Yes, a top break .357 could be made, but it would need to be seriously overbuilt.
Re the Zapata revolver: I wonder how someone would verify something like that beyond the easily imitated engraving.
Actually, the russians have done it with their MP412 REX revolver. The Schofields clones are also designed for CAS. While I’m sure they can safely shoot full power .357 magnums, I don’t think its their regular diet. I sure as hell wouldn’t put some white hot blackhawk loads in one though.
The hinges are pretty robust – it’s the lockup at the rear that’s the weak point. You could no doubt make a serviceable modern day topbreak, but it would need extra engineering and so would be needlessly heavy. The only real advantage of the system is speed of reload.
Don’t know if it’s true or not, but I’ve always been told that it’s because they are inherently weaker than a solid frame gun, guess it makes some sense but don’t ‘know’ if it’s true or just good sounding BS.
The revolver look like a Belgian or Spanish (Eibar town) clone of the S&W n°3
Apparently the russians, in their constant quest for somewhat practical but completely awesome design created the MP412. A polymer framed .357magnum top break revolver with a 4″ barrel.
http://world.guns.ru/handguns/hg49-e.htm
Sadly, none were ever imported, so the closest you will ever get from shooting one is in video games.
jim, i’ve been told it was because the hinge tended to be fragile and that, after awhile it would break.
The actions are not strong enough for modern smokeless powder revolver cartridges. 38 S&W and the british .455 webley were about the max.
I know a guy who’s crazy about the Zapatista rebels, I e-mailed him a link to this. That’s quite a find someone has out there.
Why did top break revolvers die off?