8mm Lebel Revolver

[Battis]

Any thoughts or opinions on an 1892 8mm Lebel revolver? I'm looking at one, but I'm wondering if they're a novelty gun like the Nagant revolvers, or are they decent shooters?

[Der Gebirgsjager]

I have seen one, handled one, but never fired one. But everything I've read about them in several sources say that they were well made, reliable, accurate, but under-powered by today's standards. There are certainly those, past and present, who would challenge the power level opinion, as when the French found that they didn't have enough Lebel Revolvers to go around in WW I, they issued the .32 ACP Ruby semi-autos as a substitute, when they obviously could have purchased something in a larger caliber. If you acquire it you'll have fun feeding it, as reloading for it will require special order dies. But, they don't come along every day, so if you are a collector and it's in decent condition, I'd grab it.