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Italian Bodeo M1889 Revolvers |
The design of this revolver was partially based on the Chamelot Delvigne M1874 French Service Revolver.
The Chamelot Delvigne Revolver was the official side arm of the Italian troops since 1874. The infantry found this revolver too large and heavy.
The smaller lighter Chamelot Delvigne Police Revolver was more liked in Italy.
Carlo Bodeo, an Italian gunsmith, designed a new revolver based on the Chamelot Delvigne M1874 and obtained a patent for this revolver in 1886.
Italian gunmaker Glisenti also redesigned the Chamelot Delvigne M1874 to be a smaller lighter revolver.
Glisenti called his revolver as the 'Modelo Glisenti M1889'.
The legend on the frame was: 'Mo. Glisenti Brescia'
A small number of Glisenti Revolvers were manufactured. It is a rare find.
Right side of the Glisenti M1889,
The Italian Firearm Commission of 1889 combined the improvements of the Bodeo and Glisenti patented revolvers.
Reportedly Carlo Bodeo was the head of the Commission, which accepted this new revolver as the M1889, so the revolver is commonly called as the 'Bodeo'.
There are 3 major variants of these revolvers, which are discussed below. According to Italian collectors there are around 70 minor variants.
Approx 150,000 manufactured by various Italian manufacturers, 1889-1918
Mfg'd by: Reggia Fabbrica d'Armi Brescia ('FB') 1889-91, Glisenti Brescia 1889-1906, Toschi Castelli Brescia 1911-18
Spanish contractors A. Errasti Eibar, E. Arrostegui Eibar and Arizmendi y Goenaga Eibar also produced these revolvers during 1916-17, showing a somewhat lesser quality
Double Action Revolver
Chambering: 10.35x22mm rimmed Ordinanza Italiana, Black Powder
Overall Length: 232mm [9.13"]
Weight Unloaded: 890g [1.96 lb]
Barrel, hexagon shaped: 115mm [4.53"] rifled
Muzzle Velocity: 255 m/s [836 ft/sec]
Cylinder: 6 round
Longer barrels were available up to 160mm [6.3"], with overall length up to 275mm [10.8"]
Please send photo of longer barreled Bodeos.
While the revolver was sturdy, reliable, simple to maintain and easy to produce, it was already outdated when it was accepted.
Still, this revolver stayed in service until 1945. The Glisenti M1910 Pistol never completely replaced these revolvers.
The Italian nickname for the revolver Coscia d’Agnello [leg of lamb]. The Austro-Hungarian Army captured these revolvers in large numbers during WW1. The German Wehrmacht used the Bodeo Revolver in WW2 1943-45 and designated it Revolver 680(i).
The Enlisted Men Variant came with a folding trigger, without a trigger guard and a 115mm hexagon shaped barrel. It has a takedown knob, which
allows the removal of the revolver’s sideplate without any tools. With the loading gate open, pulling the trigger does not engage the hammer as it
would if the gate were closed, it just bumps the cylinder over to the next chamber, making loading the gun easy.
The safety on the left side was left out of the production circa 1895.
All major moving parts are exposed by the removal of the left side plate and grip.
'Glisenti' [Lion] 'Brescia 1896' Italian Manufacturer and the year of mfg.
'Glisenti' [Lion] 'Brescia 1898' Manufacturer and the year of mfg.
'Glisenti' [Lion] 'Brescia 1905' Manufacturer and the year of mfg.
'Toschi' [Lion] 'Castelli Brescia 1911' Manufacturer and the year of mfg.
'Toschi' [Lion] 'Castelli Brescia 1914' Manufacturer and the year of mfg.
'Toschi' [Lion] 'Castelli Brescia 1916' Manufacturer and the year of mfg.
'Toschi' [Lion] 'Castelli Brescia 1916' and 'HEGE' (Georg Hebsacker, Hege-Waffen of West Germany), importer's mark, 1969.
1969 dated West German import marks on the above 'HEGE' marked Bodeo M1889.
'Francisco Arizmendi - Eibar' (Spanish contractor)
'Scolari - Roma - 1916' Italian importer and the year of acceptance.
Approx 50,000 manufactured by various Italian manufacturers, 1891-1940?
Mfg'd by: Regia Fabbrica d'Armi Brescia ('FB') 1891-93, Glisenti Brescia 1891-1906, Toschi Castelli Brescia 1911-21, Vincenzo Bernardelli Gardone 1928-35, Mida Gia Castelli Brescia 1916-19
Spanish contractors A. Errasti Eibar, E. Arrostegui Eibar and Arizmendi y Goenaga Eibar also produced these revolvers during 1916-17, showing a somewhat lesser quality
Double Action Revolver
Chambering: 10.35x22mm rimmed Ordinanza Italiana, Black Powder
Overall Length: 232mm [9.13"]
Weight Unloaded: 910g [2.09 lb]
Barrel, hexagon shaped: 115mm [4.53"] rifled
Muzzle Velocity: 255 m/s [836 ft/sec]
Cylinder: 6 round
Longer barrels were available up to 160mm [6.3"], with overall length up to 275mm [10.8"]
Please send photo of longer barreled Bodeos.
The difference between the Tipo A (on top) and the Tipo B (on the bottom) is a folding trigger vs. the solid trigger with trigger guard.
The loading gate flips to the back on all Bodeo variants.
The royal coat of arms & the word "BRESCIA" in a semicircle. This was used on the 1st Tipo B Officers' Revolvers by the Royal Arms Factory of Brescia, Italy.
'Mida Gia Castelli Brescia 1916 1957' Italian manufacturer with an interesting 1957 2nd date.
'Mida GA Castelli Brescia 1917' Manufacturer.
'Mida GA Castelli Brescia 1918' Manufacturer.
'Mida Brescia 1919' Manufacturer.
'????? Reggia 1919' Manufacturer.
'NVCB RIP 1930' Italian repair facility, RIP. = Riparazione. A factory rebuild.
'NVCB 1940 P.S.F.' Manufacturer. Probably a new production?.
'R. Guardia Di Finanza' Italian crest with Bank Guards' legend.
Unknown number manufactured by various Italian manufacturers, 1921-1930
According to some Italian collectors, new new revolvers were manufactured beyond 1922. Newer dates are supposedly rebuilt older revolvers. Not all sources agree.
Manufactured by: Metallurgica Bresciana Gia Tempini Brescia 1921-23, N&V Castelli Brescia 1921-27, SFARE GVT 1925-26, V. Bernardelli Gardone 1928-35
Double Action Revolver
Chambering: 10.35x22mm rimmed Ordinanza Italiana, Black Powder
Overall Length: 205mm [8.07"]
Weight Unloaded: 860g [1.9 lb]
Barrel, round shaped: 88mm [3.46"] rifled
Muzzle Velocity: 250 m/s [822 ft/sec]
Cylinder: 6 round
The differences between the Tipo B (bottom) and Tipo Allegerito (top) are shown on the left.
Tipo Allegerito disassembled.
'Castelli 1922 Brescia' Italian manufacturer and the year of mfg.
'N&V Castelli 1926 Brescia' Manufacturer and the year of mfg.
'SFARE GVT' Crowned, in an oval, Manufacturer.
'Metallurgica Bresciana Gia Tempini Brescia' Manufacturer.
'MBT' in a circle and '1922', on the other side of the Tempini marked revolver just above.
'MBT' in a circle and '1923', on another Tempini marked revolver.
'Bernardelli Gardone - 1930' Manufacturer and the year of mfg.
'V. Bernardelli Gardone - RIP. 1932' Italian repair facility, RIP. = Riparazione. A factory rebuild?
'V. Bernardelli Gardone - RIP. 1935' Repair facility, RIP. = Riparazione. A factory rebuild?
10.35x22mm rimmed Ordinanza Italiana
