Mauser C78 "zig-zag"

The Mauser C78 zig-zag was a single-action revolver manufactured by Mauser during the late 19th century. It was chambered in calibers from 6 to 11 mm and is fed from a six-round grooved cylinder, hence the name of the revolver.

The original zig-zag revolver had a solid frame and loading gate. It was developed in 1878, and was the first German military handgun to fire modern brass cartridges. It replaced the earlier needle-fire and pinfire revolvers. The C78 was designed for the 1879 German trials to provide the first metallic cartridge handgun. The design evolved into a top break, and a swinging cylinder design and also include a rifle version. It performed well in the trials but was rejected for being too complex to manufacture. This was Paul Mauser's first handgun design.

In 1886, an improved 9 mm version with a hinged frame was introduced.

In 1896, the C78 was replaced by the semi-automatic broomhandle Mauser, but many of the older revolvers remained in use until after World War I.