A competitor to the more traditional 1879 "Reichsrevolver" for Germany's first military cartridge handgun, the "Zig-Zag" uses a reciprocating spring-loaded arm riding in a track around the side of the cylinder instead of more traditional arrangement of a pawl engaging the rear cylinder face. While a sturdy handgun, it was displaced by Mauser's own 1896 Broomhandle, though some privately purchased Zig-Zags were carried in World War One. Blade front and notch rear sights, with the top of the barrel rib marked "GEBR. MAUSER & Cie OBERNDORF a/N. WURTTEMBERG.1878.PATENT" and a vented cutout above the cylinder. A control switch is installed on the left side of the barrel lug, which secures the cylinder and frees the release latch when engaged, ensuring that the mechanism doesn't go off-track when opened. Fitted with a checkered casehardened single action hammer, niter blue cylinder and small parts, and a pair of checkered grips.

Very fine, with 80% of the bright original high polish blue finish, showing some dents on the front sight, tool marks concentrated around the controls, some mild spotting and scattered handling marks. The hammer retains 75% bright original case colors and 50% of the bright original niter blue is present on the small parts. The grips are excellent, with some mild dings. Mechanically excellent.