Older style Bodeo question

5thDragoons said:

I've wanted this type and finally found one at auction under $200. Seen here in the seller's pic, it's missing the trigger guard. Some time back, I bought another revolver quite inexpensively that had been made into a lamp. It took less than a minute to swap the part.
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I wondered how the external hammer block worked... when the trigger is back, it engages a cam that moves the block aside and allows the hammer to strike the primer. Works great, but in a combat situation I'd be keeping it clean and watching closely for wear!

As purchased it had considerable light surface rust which I addressed with light oil and fine steel wool. The trick in cleaning something like this is knowing when to leave well enough alone. It's an historical artifact and I didn't want to monkey it up! I thoroughly cleaned the bore and cylinder. Good to go, and I have ammo loaded!

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Quick question... was this type double action only? The hammer appears to be intact, but it won't go to full cock. SW

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You may be missing the leaf return spring that activates the single action pawl: I have one like that. One of these days I'm going to try to get around to fixing it. If you open the sideplate and move that pawl away from the the hammer it will perhaps function single action couple times until friction, etc. moves it back in towards the hammer. Without the return spring it won't stay in its proper place. (Note I'm not sure my terminology is correct on this part and hope you can understand what I'm saying. Plus I'm hipshooting from memory which gets even worse as I get older and older: and I have dirt beat now!)

These are fascinating revolvers just from the standpoint of mechanical variations.

I think the external hammer block safety tends to be found only on pre-WWI revolvers as I suspect they were difficult to keep clean, etc and they were vulnerable to breakage: I have a folding trigger variant with external hammer block with a broken upper arm that provides the block between the frame and hammer. But I'd have to wonder if there can be any definites on the Bodeo revolver and have to seriously sympathize with any Italian ordnance people who had to work with them. I believe these are the LEAST standardized general issue military handgun I'm aware of.
Older references like Hogg and Weeks "Pistols of the World" reference 60 variations plus. I haven't seen that many and am sure I never will but I have well over 5 in my own collection, including one with the older 1872/1874 type Chamelot Delvigne lockwork, and one with boss on the frame through which the ejector swings out from, rather than the more conventional ones that are attached around the barrel as it joint the frame. You're already well aware of the 2 major differences in the hammer block safety as well as the trigger guard vs. trigger guardless varieties, and there are the shortened barrel variants made in the 1920s. One of which has a frame mounted firing pin (love to see one of those though I have seen them for sale on net sites.)
Prices on Bodeos are all over the map. You did well if you got one for under $200 though they're out there, but I've seen them sell on internet auction sites for well over $400. These are another revolver where the pre-1899 dates seem to be a real "plus" in what they'll bring.

The external safety was introduced on 1894 and was discontinued on the first years of '900, so yours made on 1905 is one of the last produced.
You can pick up the cover plate and inspect if the action is like the one of this diagram:

Possible to date my Bodeo revolver ?

My father was given this Bodeo from a US veteran who brought it back from Italy during WW2. Can anyone date the time period of this revolver ?

Since we're talking Bodeos, here are a few variations from my meager assortment.

First is a 1923 MBT

Next is a parkerized Bodeo by NeVCB. In the 1950s, some of these were taken from storage along with other weapon types and parkerized to provide work in difficult economic times. The seller advertised it as sand blasted. I took a chance & got lucky for around $200.

Here's one with Arabic markings that allegedly show use by Cairo City Police. British took weapons captured in N Africa and issued them to their protectorates. We see this also in Webley revolvers with Star of David marks and Carcanos with same that were issued to "Supernumerary Police" and other Jewish settlers in Palestine. It was made by GVT = Gardone val Trompia.

Another maker in Spain selling Bodeos to Italy was A Errasti of Eibar. Scolari in Rome was the importer. I have fired it & it seems as well made as any other Bodeo I have.

Other than that, I have a badly abused Castelli that had been made into a lamp. It donated the trigger guard for the Glisenti I just acquired.

Anybody else have something out of the ordinary? SW

ArianoKid said:

I'm starting to think maybe a small book on Bodeos would be possible.... Ralph

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Good idea, but now you have another thing to think of.....

Do you know this:

kanister, no, I was unaware of that title. Is it still in print, or is it available? I could not find it on the Internet. I know that 5th Dragoons is interested in this as well. I was halfway joking about a book on the Bodeo, and you're right, now I have another thing to think of. Right now I have the Italian Small Arms book completed (but not yet delivered on the market); one book on Irish coastal landings in 1922 with a publisher in England: a book on WW II Italian artillery almost ready to go to a publisher in England; working on the Balilla book; working on a major translation that should be complete by September; two magazine articles pending, should be out in July; three other possible books,one of which is another Italian gun subject, but too early to tell anyone anything about it yet; the other two possibles have nothing to do with guns - one is about refinishing high-quality antique furniture, and the other is about restored trucks. These last three mentioned books are in the exploratory stages with a publisher. So, something on the Bodeo? who knows....

That's a very good possibility! There's much to be learned here.

Found one I'd sure like to have - a Toschi Castelli. Unfortunately, it's in Germany as seen by the proof marks. SW