The left side of the revolver shows the manufacturer’s mark just above the trigger. The mark is S.&S.V.C.C.H. for the Suhl Consortium of Spangenberg & Sauer, V.C Schilling & Co, and C.G. Haenel. The side plate, frame and barrel all have the full serial number with most of the smaller parts bearing the last two digits of the number. These parts were hand fit to each weapon and for that reason it was important to have each part numbered so it would stay with the correct weapon. There is no Prussian eagle proof mark on this revolver, indicating it was a private purchase weapon that would have been provided by an officer for his personal use. The large safety lever is visible just below the hammer. This is an interesting feature. Very few revolvers are equipped with a manual safety, and the fact that this one is fairly useless makes it even more unusual. The safety cannot be engaged when the hammer is in the full cock position, it is really just a hammer block that stops the hammer from being cocked. The safety can be engaged with the hammer at the half cock position, but it can also be engaged when the firing pin is resting on the primer of an unfired cartridge, making it a very unsafe weapon to carry. The lack of an ejector required a separate tool be carried, or the cylinder be removed, and the cylinder pin used to eject the spent cartridges. This was not an unusual approach to finding a way to conserve expensive ammunition. Even the United States Army stuck with single shot trapdoor rifles when nearly every other army in the world had modern bolt action repeater. The idea was that if a soldier had a single shot, he would make sure that his shot was aimed and not wasted.
The right side of the revolver shows very little detail, other than the outward pivoting loading gate. This is copied from Colt revolvers, the action of the weapon is copied from the Smith & Wesson revolver as was the cartridge. This weapon was reblued later in its service life, this was done before they were reissued for use in the Great War.
The revolver can be disassembled for cleaning and maintenance by removing three screws from the side plate and lifting it off. The grips can be removed with one screw. It is interesting that each screw is serial numbered to this weapon.