Manurhin MR-93?

[Lone Star]

I'm reading, "The Da Vinci Code" by Dan Brown, and one French detective in it has a MR-93. (NOT MR-73, which most revolver enthusiasts know.)

Does anyone have a photo to post of the MR-93? What's it like? It isn't the half-Ruger Security-Six Manurhin, is it? I think that was the MR-1...

The only other pistol mentioned so far is a H-K USP in .40 S&W. The writer seems to know guns, or researched them for the book.

Lone Star

 

[The_Antibubba]

Found this

Looks very cool.

Manurhin Photos

 

[MrMurphy]

He might have just got the number wrong.

 

[Lone Star]

Thanks, Antibubba!

Further on, he mentions a j-frame (his terminology) Medusa .38. I think he may have made that one up, but it should suit someone who'd like the MR-93!

The most sensible gun in the book is the H-K USP .40.

Lone Star

 

[armoredman]

Medusa was never made in a j-frame that I know of...

 

[sbow]

The rec.guns FAQ has an entry about the MR-93.

As I understand it, all three generations of Manurhin revolvers use the same forged barrel and cylinder.

The MR-73 was built on a frame forged by Manurhin.
The MR-88 was built on a frame cast by Ruger (the frame of the Security Six).
The MR-93 was built on a frame cast by Manurhin.

I am not certain which models are in current production by the current Chapuis-owned, reorganized Manurhin, but I found an Australian dealer last year listing both the 73 and the 93.

You may not recall, but we conversed about Manurhins and K-frame Smiths one night in the parking lot outside of the Bullet Trap in Plano. I mentioned having seen the 88 and 93 in French police service.

 

[Lone Star]

sbow-

I do recall you from The Bullet Trap. But I remember mainly your talking about .45 autos, although Manurhins did come up.

I think the MR-88 should have been imported. It seems a very practical piece, judging from photos. Sort of a full-lug Security-Six with a sideplate...
The MR-93 is a little too far "out there" to please most US shooters, I suspect.

Lone Star

 

[sbow]

Lone Star,

Yes, I was on a 1911 kick at the time.

I'm very curious about the internal arrangement of the MR-88, since the casting of the Security Six was set up for a coil spring, whereas the MR-73 had used a leaf spring arrangement. The barrel and cylinder of the MR-73 were allegedy recycled, but the lockwork must have changed quite a bit.

 

[Lone Star]

The lockwork of the MR-88 was essentially Ruger. The gun wasn't a lineal descendant of the MR-73. Different project altogether.

Lone Star

 

[Jaeger]

Are there any curent importers of Manurhin MR-93 revolvers? I think I might have to scrounge up the $ for one of them if they are available and not too outrageously priced.

 

[MrMurphy]

The Medusa revolver fires pretty much all .355 bullet rounds (9mm, .357, .380, .38 Spl, 9mm Mak, etc) but it was based on a K frame.

Colt was going to come out with a Detective Special using the same system called the Survivor I think, but it was canceled.