Mauser Model L22. Single Shot...

[vlim]

One of the most remarkable 'revolvers' that appeared under the Mauser brand name in the 1990s was this contraption.

Labeled the 'Mauser Mod. L22' it was chambered for one (!) .22lr round, making it a single shot pistol, but with the appearance of a revolver. This was most likely made by Umarex, under license from Mauser and most probably for a market where single shot .22lr pistols were easily obtainable by the general public.

The Frame and trommel are made of castings, the barrel and chamber are steel and pressed into the frame and trommel. Fit and finish of the entire product is along the lines of the Umarex / Mauser blank firing revolvers.

The gap between the chamber and the barrel of the specimen shown is so large that I haven't had the need to test fire it yet

Parts and packaging of these L22's surfaced in France, so I expect that French legislation once provided room for this weird, wackey 'revolver'.

This particular example has been proofed in Germany, at the Cologne (Köln) proof house in 1993. 

[vlim]

Some more shots:

[vlim]

Only one real chamber, pressed into the drum. The other 'chambers' are fake and have been drilled partially from the front, nothing is visible at the rear.

[vlim]

And a huge ejector, working like one would expect on a normal revolver, but slightly oversized in this case.

[vlim]

Some additional research suggests that these single shot pistols were made for the French market between 1985 and 1990, in a time where single shot .22 pistols were allowed to be kept without license. After a change in French gun laws these anomalies had outlived there usefullness and disappeared from the market again.
The marking 'Made in West Germany' also backs this up, with 'West Germany' coming to an end in 1991 after the unification of East and West Germany.

[jcorl]

That is a strange duck.  Wished I had one.  Thanks for the information. 

Jim