Aviation Naval Warfare Land Systems Small Arms Space By Flag By Year By Tag

Manurhin MR73

1973 COLD WAR MODERN

History of the Manurhin MR73

The Manurhin MR73 was a six-shot revolver released during the Cold War (1947-1991) by French arms manufacturer Manurhin in 1973. It was largely a legacy product with an emphasis on quality and reliability - which ultimately limited its adoption by various services (mainly police) around the world.

However, this quality made the weapon too expensive for military personnel, and the MR73 was not widely recognized in these circles.

Internally, the Revolver uses a proven Double Action (DA) operating system. The hammer is exposed on the back of the frame in the usual way. The six-shot drum rotates in the barrel and swings out for loading/reloading (and cleaning). Iron sights feature a mesh section to encourage better pulling out of the holster. Barrel lengths vary from 2.5" to 5.25", so the gun is used in every form of shooting - concealed carry, security, law enforcement, target shooting, and more.

Chamberings proves to be diverse, covering the usual product range: . 22LR, . 32 S&W Long, 9 x 19mm Parabellum, . 38 Special and . 357 Magnum. 9mm rimless cartridges can be fired by replacing the cylinder itself.

The "Gendarmerie" became a special version of the MR73 with an adjustable rear sight and an improved front sight. Other versions include MR32 (0.32 S&W Long), SWAT F1 (MR88), MR93 and MR96.

A well-known MR73 operator remains Austria's special counter-terrorist unit EKO Cobra.