Developed in 1878, the Zig-Zag revolver was the first handgun designed and developed by Paul Mauser and his firm, while still operating in partnership with Wilhelm Mauser as the Mauser Brothers (prior to 1884). A competitor to be the first centerfire cartridge-fed handgun adopted by the German military, the 1878 scored high marks in overall performance, though concerns about the complexity of the design led them to choose the 1879 Reichsrevolver instead. A number are believed to have seen service as privately purchased military sidearms, though. At the heart of the mechanism is the combination of an angular track (the titular 'Zig-Zag') machined into the side of the cylinder and a toothed reciprocating bar linked to the hammer, which serves to both advance and lock the cylinder, in contrast to the more commonly seen pawl/sprocket and stop arrangement. Additionally, the spring responsible for resetting the cocking bar also powers the hammer, replacing the grip frame mounted leaf spring commonly seen in that era. For loading, the barrel assembly is hinged at the rear of the top strap, automatically pushing the hammer back to the safety notch when opened, with the closure latch doubling as the lever for a star-pattern extractor assembly. Sights are fixed, with "GEBR. MAUSER & Cie OBERNDORF a/N. WURTTEMBERG.1878.PATENT." on top of the barrel rib, no externally visible proofmarks, and matching numbers on the frame and cylinder. With a pair of checkered hardwood grips, with "CH" hand marked inside the panels and "WM" on the frontstrap.

Very fine, with 80% of the original blue finish, showing a number of light scratches and dings, edge wear, and minor spotting. Bright case color is present on the frame, with the barrel latch turning silver, and 50% of the original niter blue finish is present on the small parts and cylinder, the latter showing a mixed plum and copper tone patina. The frame is dented on the left side underneath the grip panel, but the dent does not interfere with grip fit or mechanical function. The grips are very good, with some dings on the sharp checkering. Mechanically excellent.