Have any of you ever owned/shot/handled a Mateba "auto revolver"? I just discovered this interesting gun while talking with a guy down at my local gun shop.

For those of you who don't know what it is, it is an Italian made semi-automatic revolver that was manufactured several decades ago, but never became popular. I believe only approximately 1600 were manufactured. It is similar in appearance to the newer Chiappa Rhino revolver....firing from the bottom of the cylinder.

Here is a website with some more detailed information about the gun....VERY unique and interesting design: http://matebafan.com/unica.html

handled one years back - clumsy gun, but quite innovative. i believe there was a small article about them in a 60's era gun digest

From memory, before the UK Handgun Ban...these were Mateba MTR-8 Model so I can't speak of the other Mateba.

Those ones were NOT automatic revolvers, like a Webley-Fosbery but conventional double action system like a standard Smith & Wesson or Colt.

Except for the underslung cylinder. The concept didn't eveolve from true defensive handgun designs so it is clumsly to reload quickly and offers no merit.

Put the cylinder forward and you get? Only the facility to fit a SHORT barrel! And all that results is a clumsy "snubby" with none of the "grace" of Colt's Detective Special or Smith's (better) 2" Model 10 or Model 12.

Me? Like most others in the UK we looked at them, handled them, and bought Smith & Wesson instead.

But where still legal they make a more interesting alternative paperweight for the executive's desk.

This link may interest you:

http://matebafan.com/ghisoni.html

The Webley-Fosbery when it debuted in 1902 was an answer to an, at the time, unsolved problem. How to have a LARGE CALIBRE semi-automatic handgun? Yet of reasonable size suitable as a belt pistol that could be worn in a holster.

As remember at that time there was nothing larger in a sem-automatic handgun than the 7.63mm Mauser.

By 1905 with the Colt .45 Automatic and certainly by 1911 with the Colt .45 1911 the raison d'etre behind the Fosbery was no longer.

Colt had solved the problem, and better than any competitor, of making a large calibre semi-automatic handgun.

Thus the Mateba solves a problem that hasn't already been solved, better, cheaper, with greater capacity, less parts and more easily reloadable by Browning's P-35 High Power or, arguably, Luger's P.08 Parabellum!

Firing from the lowest point on the cylinder has its merits with relation to getting back on target, as the recoil is going to be more straight back than up.
Apart from that, I can't see what other advantage(s) the design offers.

quote:

Originally posted by Oddbod:
Firing from the lowest point on the cylinder has its merits with relation to getting back on target, as the recoil is going to be more straight back than up.
Apart from that, I can't see what other advantage(s) the design offers.

You don't see the value in being able to rattle off 6 rounds of .357 magnum out of a revolver in the same amount of time you can fire 6 rounds of 9mm out of a Glock?

From a practical stand point if I wanted 357 Mag ballistics, rapid fire then I would go with a Glock 17 with 9mm +P+, maybe even with a 33 round magazine, or something in 38 Super, or 357 SIG...

However at that level of "horsepower" I much prefer a 1911 in 45 ACP.

quote:

Originally posted by N E 450 No2:
From a practical stand point if I wanted 357 Mag ballistics, rapid fire then I would go with a Glock 17 with 9mm +P+, maybe even with a 33 round magazine, or something in 38 Super, or 357 SIG...

However at that level of "horsepower" I much prefer a 1911 in 45 ACP.

Haha....well yes, I agree with you....except Glock 17's with 9mm +P+ were not available in the 1960's.