Mateba Autorevolver
Encyclopedia
The Mateba Model 6 Unica (often known simply as the Mateba or the Mateba Autorevolver) is a semi-automatic
revolver
, one of only a few such models ever produced. It was developed in Italy and sold by the Mateba company. Emilio Ghisoni is listed as the owner of US Patent #4,712,466 which details the operation of the weapon.
The Mateba Autorevolver's barrel alignment is different from most other revolvers. The barrel is aligned with the bottom of the cylinder instead of the top. This lowers the bore sight (line of the barrel) which directs the recoil in line with the shooter's hand thereby reducing the twisting motion or muzzle flip of normal revolvers. The gun's entire upper assembly (barrel, cylinder and frame) are mounted on rails on the lower frame, which houses the trigger, hammer, and grip, and recoils 1/2 of an inch, or 12.7mm, on firing. The rearward motion of the upper assembly cocks the hammer, and the cylinder is rotated on the forward stroke.
Defense - 4" Barrel, .357 Magnum
Home Protection - 5" Barrel, .44 Remington Magnum
Dynamic Sportiva - Either 5" or 6" barrel, .357 Magnum
Hunter - 8 3/8" Barrel, either in .44 S&W Special or .44 Remington Magnum
In addition, their barrels can be changed with interchangeable 3", 4", 5", 6", 7" and 8" inch barrels.
and .44 Magnum
. A version in .454 Casull was available which also allowed .45 Colt
ammunition to be fired.
can be loaded with .38 Special
ammunition but typical .38 Special loads do not have enough power to fully cycle the recoil mechanism although the weapon will still function with a double action trigger pull. There are two optional recoil springs designed specifically for .38 Special cartridges that can be installed by the operator to overcome this problem (.38 Special and .38 Wadcutter
). Replacing the spring requires the removal of the slide assembly, which is blocked by a retaining pin held in place by a small set screw in the triggerguard. The barrel shroud acts as the spring keeper and guide rod bushing.
Semi-automatic firearm
A semi-automatic, or self-loading firearm is a weapon which performs all steps necessary to prepare the weapon to fire again after firing—assuming cartridges remain in the weapon's feed device or magazine...
revolver
Revolver
A revolver is a repeating firearm that has a cylinder containing multiple chambers and at least one barrel for firing. The first revolver ever made was built by Elisha Collier in 1818. The percussion cap revolver was invented by Samuel Colt in 1836. This weapon became known as the Colt Paterson...
, one of only a few such models ever produced. It was developed in Italy and sold by the Mateba company. Emilio Ghisoni is listed as the owner of US Patent #4,712,466 which details the operation of the weapon.
Design
The Mateba Mo. 6 uses the recoil from firing to rotate the cylinder and cock the hammer, unlike conventional revolvers, which depend on the user physically pulling the trigger and/or cocking the hammer to actuate the weapon's mechanism of operation.The Mateba Autorevolver's barrel alignment is different from most other revolvers. The barrel is aligned with the bottom of the cylinder instead of the top. This lowers the bore sight (line of the barrel) which directs the recoil in line with the shooter's hand thereby reducing the twisting motion or muzzle flip of normal revolvers. The gun's entire upper assembly (barrel, cylinder and frame) are mounted on rails on the lower frame, which houses the trigger, hammer, and grip, and recoils 1/2 of an inch, or 12.7mm, on firing. The rearward motion of the upper assembly cocks the hammer, and the cylinder is rotated on the forward stroke.
Variants
The following are variants of the Mateba revolver:Defense - 4" Barrel, .357 Magnum
Home Protection - 5" Barrel, .44 Remington Magnum
Dynamic Sportiva - Either 5" or 6" barrel, .357 Magnum
Hunter - 8 3/8" Barrel, either in .44 S&W Special or .44 Remington Magnum
In addition, their barrels can be changed with interchangeable 3", 4", 5", 6", 7" and 8" inch barrels.
Mateba Grifone
Also available was the Mateba Grifone, which mated an 18-inch barrel, hand guard and butt stock to the Autorevolver's frame and action. It was available in .357 Magnum.357 Magnum
The .357 S&W Magnum , or simply .357 Magnum, is a revolver cartridge created by Elmer Keith, Phillip B. Sharpe, Colonel D. B. Wesson of firearms manufacturer Smith & Wesson, and Winchester. It is based upon Smith & Wesson's earlier .38 Special cartridge. The .357 Magnum cartridge was introduced in...
and .44 Magnum
.44 Magnum
The .44 Remington Magnum, or simply .44 Magnum, is a large-bore cartridge originally designed for revolvers. After introduction, it was quickly adopted for carbines and rifles...
. A version in .454 Casull was available which also allowed .45 Colt
.45 Colt
The .45 Colt cartridge is a handgun cartridge dating to 1872. It began as a black powder revolver round developed for the Colt Single Action Army revolver, but is offered as a magnum level handgun hunting round in modern usage. This cartridge was adopted by the U.S. Army in 1873 and served as the...
ammunition to be fired.
Multiple cartridge capabilities
Mateba Autorevolvers chambered in .357 Magnum.357 Magnum
The .357 S&W Magnum , or simply .357 Magnum, is a revolver cartridge created by Elmer Keith, Phillip B. Sharpe, Colonel D. B. Wesson of firearms manufacturer Smith & Wesson, and Winchester. It is based upon Smith & Wesson's earlier .38 Special cartridge. The .357 Magnum cartridge was introduced in...
can be loaded with .38 Special
.38 Special
The .38 Smith & Wesson Special is a rimmed, centerfire cartridge designed by Smith & Wesson. It is most commonly used in revolvers, although some semi-automatic pistols and carbines also use this round...
ammunition but typical .38 Special loads do not have enough power to fully cycle the recoil mechanism although the weapon will still function with a double action trigger pull. There are two optional recoil springs designed specifically for .38 Special cartridges that can be installed by the operator to overcome this problem (.38 Special and .38 Wadcutter
Wadcutter
A wadcutter is a special-purpose bullet specially designed for shooting paper targets, usually at close range and at subsonic velocities typically under 800 ft/s . They are often used in handgun and airgun competitions...
). Replacing the spring requires the removal of the slide assembly, which is blocked by a retaining pin held in place by a small set screw in the triggerguard. The barrel shroud acts as the spring keeper and guide rod bushing.
See also
- Webley-FosberyWebley-Fosbery Automatic RevolverThe Webley-Fosbery Self-Cocking Automatic Revolver was an unusual, recoil-operated, automatic revolver designed by Lieutenant Colonel George Vincent Fosbery, VC and produced by the Webley and Scott company from 1901 to 1915...
, another autorevolver design - Revolver cannonRevolver cannonA revolver cannon is a type of autocannon commonly used as an aircraft gun. It uses a cylinder with multiple chambers, like those of a revolver handgun, to speed up the loading-firing-ejection cycle. Some examples are also power-driven, to further speed the loading process, but this is by no means...
- Chiappa RhinoChiappa RhinoThe Chiappa Rhino is a revolver produced by Chiappa Firearms of Italy chambered for the .357 Magnum cartridge. Its most distinctive feature is that the barrel is on a low axis compared to most other revolvers, since it fires from the lowermost chamber of the cylinder, rather than firing from the...
, also designed by Emilio Ghisoni, using many similar characteristics
