Italian Glisenti Brescia Bodeo Model 1889 10.35mm/.44 Antique Revolver

Howdy Townpost! I've got an Italian jewel for you to take a look at here. This is an Italian Bodeo model 1889. These guns are among my favorite antique revolvers. They are a very simple rugged and easy to maintain and repair Military revolvers with one of the coolest safety/loading systems as part of its design. These revolvers are very well designed, and feature the safety, loading/unloading system called the "Abadie System". This system was designed in Portugal, but many European late 19th century designs incorporated it. This particular example is an 1897 production by Glisenti at Brescia. Glisenti made Bodeos from 1891 to 1906. This is considered a tipo (type) A or an enlisted model. The type A had a folding trigger which was considered safer and was issued to enlisted men and the type B was the officer's model and had a trigger guard. This particular gun is considered a late model because it has an internal hammer block safety, which is dovetailed into the hand (pictured). The early model had a external hammer block safety that was prone to breakage. I've personally seen multiple antique examples with broken external hammer block safeties. So it was a good move from a design standpoint to change. The early models also were finished in the white in a similar manner to the French model 1873 Chamelot-Delvignes were. This example is of course blued like the overwhelming majority of the late models. This revolver is in excellent condition mechanically and has minimal wear overall. The grips are in excellent condition and we're refinished professionally. The chambres and bore are in excellent & minty condition as well. And the bore itself is one of the best I've ever seen on a Bodeo, with clean, sharp and shiny lands and grooves. This revolver chambres the 10.35mm Italian ordinance cartridge. This cartridge is very similar to .44 Russian but has a smaller diameter bullet (.422) and a slightly tapered chambre. I have seen these shot with .44-40 bullets that are .427 in diameter. These revolvers were loaded with smokeless from the get-go in 1890 using ballastite, a smokeless propellant. For an additional fee on top of the price I can have the chambres slightly reamed so that they will accept .44 Russian cartridges. That way you can buy an off-the-shelf ammunition without the need to hand load. However these are quite easy to hand load and source components for. The revolver is located in Calgary AB for local delivery or pickup. Or I can ship it nationwide too.