Welcome to TFB’s Wheelgun Wednesday where we explore the wide world of revolvers, past, present, and future. Today we’ll be hopping in the Wayback Machine to the mid-1990s when Manurhin introduced a new, budget-minded revolver, the Manurhin MR93. Thanks to our friend Cédric Armurier, a gunsmith in France, we’re able to bring you a look into this rare specimen. The blokes at the Bloke On The Range YouTube channel also allowed us to share their experiences with the Manurhin MR93. Let’s take a look under the hood.

Wheelgun Wednesday @ TFB

• Silencing the Gap – Part 1, Part 2, Part 3
• Booligan’s Taurus Ultra Snubby Handgun – TUSH
• Throwing It Back With The Ruger Service Six
• Smith & Wesson Texas Rangers Bicentennial Revolver
• Colt Python Combat Elite .357 Magnum 3″ S/S

Manurhin had a brief relationship with Ruger in the late 1980’s, which really shows in the the MR88’s frame, hammer, and cylinder release. However, once that relationship had severed, the new Manurhin MR93 design would differ significantly, but would still utilize Ruger’s concept of easily accessible internal components. The most radical change for the MR93 is the placement of the cylinder release, which was placed on the right side of the frame just forward of the cylinder. If you’re familiar with Ruger’s internals from the SP101 and GP100 series, then you’ll likely see the similarities of parts from Cédric’s photos. Even though the lock work is much the same, Manurhin opted to make it fully accessible by mounting it all to the side plate, rather than Ruger’s method of attaching it to a removable trigger guard. The recoil plate also adds to the aesthetics of the MR93 but interestingly, they are also removable.

Field Stripped Ruger GP100 for comparing internal parts to that of the Manurhin MR93.

The Manurhin MR93 was only built per order, rather than having stocks of ready-made revolvers sent out to shops or distributors. It was available in 3, 4, 5.25, and 6-inch barrel lengths, and had an option for adjustable target sights or a driftable sight insert for harsher use. Two Morini grips were also available, a target style, and an “anatomical” version with an inward taper and finger grooves. In Cédric’s photos, it appears that someone altered the target grips with finger grooves. Although they look well done and nicely finished.

Note the cylinder release button on the front of the frame on the right side.

Despite being the “budget-friendly” model from Manurhin, I wasn’t able to find its original asking price, other than one mention of it being a third the price of the elder MR73 model, and half the price of the MR88. Tracking down the original prices of any of the Manurhin revolvers has been a bit of a struggle. For reference, one French magazine article mentions that the cost of the MR88 was around 3,300-3,900 French Francs (FRF). This roughly translates to $540-645 USD, however, several factors are scant, such as the year that price was published, and the exchange rate for the discontinued FRF currency are in question based on the missing year.

The following video is from the Bloke On The Range YouTube channel. They’re always checking out a wide variety of firearms from a historical and practical standpoint, so do check out their vast content if you’re not already subscribed. The Bloke(s) on the Range were kind enough to give us a glimpse into the Manurhin MR93’s features, operation, and how it shoots.

As for the MR93’s current value, it appears to vary wildly. Some have gone for as little as $500, while others in the last couple of years have been listed as high as €1,400 ($1590). This price disparity likely comes from the fact that there were only 640 Manurhin MR93s made, but of those assembled, the MR93 didn’t receive the best reputation. Even though parts are still available, the MR93 and its successor, the MR96 only had a short run, whereas the MR88 had a much longer run, and the famed MR73 is still in production to this day. Make sure you check out TFB’s Rusty S’ review of the MR73.

Thanks again to Cédric Armurier for sharing his photos with us here at TFB! He’s always working on something rare or outright beautiful in his shop, so make sure you check out his Instagram @cedric_armurier. I’d also like to thank Bloke On The Range again for the use of their video on the Manurhin MR93. Make sure to check out their YouTube channel for more content.

What do you think about the Manurhin MR93? Have you ever seen one in the wild, shot one, or perhaps even own one of the 640 of them in the world? What do you think about the cylinder release? I’m personally not a fan of that placement, but it’s not always a bad thing to try and break the mold every once in a while. Are there any other features of the MR93 that you like or dislike?