Some of the most beautiful work of this craftsman, and many others, are in this book “Liège Gunmakers through their Work. 1800 - 1950”.
For more detail see: LIEGE GUNMAKERS
Pieper Henri
This is an excellent original example of the really
neat and attractive, but very seldom seen,
Pieper model
1893 revolving carbine, nine shot, cal. 8mm
Nagant,
with swing out cylinder and double or single action firing capability.
Nagant
design revolvers utilized a cam action cylinder forced forward to cover the
barrel at the time of discharge thus effecting a gas seal at the joint of
cylinder and barrel. A special
Nagant cartridge
was also required. The most famous arms of this type were the Russian Model
1895, 7.62mm military revolvers
In 1893 Mexican President Porfirio Diaz decreed that
the Mexican Army would adopt the Model 1893 8mm Nagant gas seal revolver and
about five thousand were produced by the
Pieper
factory in Liege, Belgium. At the same time executives at
Pieper
advised President Diaz they could build a handsome light carbine of the same gas
seal design and caliber as the revolvers. The result was this beautifully
designed and very handy nine shot single or double action carbine. Evidently
Diaz was impressed - the double action carbine had a very high rate of fire for
its period and its swing out cylinder made for quick and easy reloading - and
couldn't resist it. Other military leaders of the period were not as charmed.
They were adopting high power bolt action infantry and cavalry arms like
Mausers, etc.
It appears the only
Pieper 1893
revolving carbines built were destined for Mexico. Collectors believe that total
Pieper
production was around three hundred carbines. The first fifty or so of which
were sent to Mexico as samples/prototypes with only
Pieper
markings and serial number - this carbine is serial# 42. Evidently President
Diaz was satisfied with them and the balance of the revolving carbines - there
seems to be no serial known higher than the low 300s - had Mexican
Government markings. It is believed this small number of weapons were
issued to President Diaz's personal police/bodyguard who were drawn from the
Mexican Rurales, a special body of national police formed in 1861 and
considerably expanded during the reign of President Diaz, 1876-1911.
For more information on the
1893 Pieper
Revolving carbine see: "MEXICAN MILITARY ARMS, THE CARTRIDGE PERIOD, 1866-1`967"
by James B. Hughes, Deep River Armory, Inc., Houston Texas, 1968, Pages 16 - 18.
Government firearms in 19th century Mexico saw very
hard use and abuse in a climate hard on steel objects. The
Pieper
revolving carbine was not an especially rugged weapon. Though very well made the
swing out cylinder mechanism could be broken in hard service, and the wooden
forearm completely covering the barrel could be easily damaged.
Very few of the small total production of
Pieper
revolving carbines have survived. Those few found are nearly always in heavily
used/abused condition generally described as NRA fair / poor.
This
handsome carbine is in original excellent condition. Receiver, cylinder, barrel,
and furniture retain almost the original strong factory rust blue finish with
very light aging.
The only other
Pieper
revolving carbine I know of in this condition is in the NRA Museum, Fairfax, VA.
This is
an exceptional example of a rare antique arm associated with the history of
Mexico and the American Southwest. This is a fine piece, representing the best
of its type, worthy of inclusion in any private or public collection. This piece
has been in a private collection for the last twenty-five years.
Dimensions: overall length 36 1/2", barrel length 19 3/4", caliber 8mm
Nagant.
Grateful thanks to
Oleg for these nice
pictures and all explanations
