WWI Austro-Hungarian 8mm Model 1898 Rast & Gasser Service Revolver 1915

Serial #49171, 8mm revolver cartridge, 4.5 inch barrel with an excellent, bright bore.  This is the Austrian-Hungarian Model 1898 Rast & Gasser revolver with a 1915 acceptance mark on the topstrap with matching numbers on the frame, barrel and cylinder and unit markings on the frame.  In very fine to near excellent condition the barrel and frame retain about 80-85% of the original blue that is toning to gray with use marks, surface impact marks and scratches along with some scattered mild freckling and silvering along the muzzle and high edges.  The trigger and hammer show generous amounts of the original straw color.  The checkered wood grips are solid with wear and flattening of the high edges.   The robust mechanism functions flawlessly and the revolver locks up tightly with very little play in the cylinder.  Adopted at a time when most countries were choosing large bore pistols of 10mm and up, these revolvers were rather underpowered compared to others of the time but nevertheless these tough handguns remained in service almost to World War II.  FFL or C&R