I don’t remember when or where I first learned of the Manurhin MR73, but it has maintained a sort of legendary status for me and other revolver enthusiasts for many years. In addition to being less common and more expensive than the typical rack grade revolver, they also hold a reputation for incredible durability when fed steady diets of full power magnum ammunition.
It wasn’t until a few years ago during SHOT Show that I finally got to put hands on one at the Beretta booth, albeit it was entirely dry fire. Immediately the craftsmanship was apparent, and I was eager to see how the Manurhin handled on the range. After a few months of waiting for a particular variant to arrive in the states, my patience paid off and an MR73 arrived at my FFL. Here is my review of the Manurhin MR73.
Design of the Manurhin MR73
The Manurhin MR73 is a medium frame, six-shot, 357 Magnum, double-action revolver. This particular version is the Gendarmerie variant, sporting a 3-inch barrel and a ramped front sight. Distributed through Beretta in the US, shooters also have the choice of 4, 5.25, 6, and 8-inch barrels, with some models sporting Patridge style sights.
All models sport a full underlug, along with a deep blue finish. Size wise, the MR73 is similar to a K-Frame. Both kydex and leather holsters, along with speed loaders for K-Frames accept the gun without modification or difficlty.
Grips on the Manurhin MR73
Arguably the most iconic aspect of the MR73 is the set of Trausch grips adorning the frame. These are black rubber, featuring a substantial beavertail, large grip screw, and a bell shape at the bottom. My first impression was that these should help tame magnum recoil, while also keeping the gun firmly in place rather than rocking back in my hand like some guns do when shooting quickly. While they look a bit bulky from a profile view, these grips are surprisingly slender in hand.
Thanks to their somewhat unusual design from most revolver stocks, the Trausch grips feel a little odd at first, requiring some time to get familiar. Initially I often found myself grasping over top of the beavertail, trying for my typical high grip on the backstrap. Despite this, my normal two-handed grip was not impeded, and the covered backstrap gave my support hand a little more room to make contact with the gun, which is my preference.
For the southpaws here, the beavertail did not interfere with my ability to manipulate the gun left-handed. I used two different reloading techniques, and fired about 150 rounds from my wrong side, with no issues of any sort. I don’t know if Manurhin took this into consideration with the MR73, but it works out just fine.
Get a Grip (in the Holster)
Where things did stand out with the MR73 was establishing my grip in the holster. From AIWB in a JM Custom Kydex AIWB holster, there was effectively no difference, stabbing straight down onto the gun. Even when seated for long periods of time, no discomfort crept in, likely due to the softness of the rubber. However, this was not the case when carrying strong-side IWB in my Milt Sparks VM-2.
Here the web of my hand continually landed atop the beavertail, interfering with both my grip and the hammer’s travel. The difference is a straight up/down attack at AIWB, versus the angled approach of a traditional IWB holster. Rather than stabbing directly onto the gun from strong side, I needed to drag my hand up from the base of the stocks, stopping at the beavertail. I wouldn’t call this a shortcoming necessarily, but something different which a shooter needs to acclimate.
Accessories and Ejection
There is a fairly substantial groove in the Trausch grips, which improve access to the trigger, along with a decent relief cut on the left side of the MR73 for speed loaders. This relief works decently, though it’s more friendly to some loaders than others. HKS and Jetloader seem to be the most Manurhin-friendly, while Safariland and Speed Beez would often get stuck between the grips and cylinder.
Similarly, ejection was largely unproblematic with the Manurhin. I don’t believe I ever had spent 38 Special cases get stuck on ejection, even when being relatively gentle on the ejector rod. Occasionally the longer brass of 357 Magnum would have the case nearest the frame get caught if I wasn’t firm enough. However, an authoritative slap would clear magnum cases without hesitation.
Concealment with the MR73
Concealment is my one real complaint with the Trausch grips that come standard on the MR73. The issue isn’t with the with the beavertail either. Rather it is the bell shape at the base of the grips that cause trouble. These swell outward somewhat significantly, giving your hand a solid base to rest upon to steady your aim. This swell pokes out noticeably from the rest of the gun, and prints in a serious way. Being made of rubber, the bell is also more likely to grab at your cover garment. Were I to own this gun, I’d likely take a razor to the grips and trim away this material to improve concealment.
Unfortunately replacement stocks are few and far between for Manurhin, and expensive when you find them. I doubt many are carrying an MR73 for personal protection, but I’d love to see a concealable option hit the market. Hogue, Pachmayr, VZ, LOK, somebody throw us a bone and make a carry-focused set of stocks for this gun.
Again, the Trausch grips are great for shooting, and good to look at. As maybe the only guy in America with an MR73 in his waistband right now, more options are more better.
Trigger on the Manurhin
The trigger on the MR73 is very good. Being a duty focused gun, it isn’t the lightest or smoothest trigger I’ve ever felt, but it’s miles better than what comes out of most factories nowadays. The press is smooth with no sense of stacking, and incredibly consistent.
Regarding shaping of the shoe, this is a fairly flat faced trigger, but somewhat narrow. Small grooves run down the face, which are nicely deburred; these sit middle of the road, not horrendously painful like on a modern Python, but not non-interference like an old Model 15. A few range sessions consisted of 150-200 rounds of Specials over the course of an hour or two, followed by a handful of Magnums, without any blistering. I could tell that extended Magnum use would cause trouble, as some skin on the trigger finger was torn up, but I never reached that point.
As I say in most revolver reviews, I’d prefer a smooth, rounded, and narrow trigger face, similar to a Model 10. However, the MR73 trigger is solid as-is, and I could live with it without modification. That may not sound like much, but it’s certainly a compliment.
Sights on the MR73
The Manurhin’s serrated black front sight looks almost like a Patridge sight through the rear notch, but is in fact ramped, which helps reduce gunk when drawing from my VM-2. The front post is very good, getting a reasonable depth into the rear notch, unlike many modern guns which favor the shallow end. This front sight finds a happy medium, not too narrow for quick work nor too wide for precision.
The rear sight may be my favorite fully adjustable rear sight I’ve used on a revolver. We have a flat black notch, with serrations to help reduce glare in bright light. The notch sits in a happy medium, giving enough room to be quick without sacrificing precision; it pairs perfectly with the front blade. Clicks are tactile, but not particularly audible, with different size flathead screws for windage and elevation.
I’ve worn this gun a fair bit at AIWB in a holster with no sweat guard. During this time I’ve experienced zero discomfort from the rear sight rubbing on my stomach. Other guns with narrower blades often irritate or even cut my tummy on long days, but that has not been a concern with the MR73.
Range Time with the Manurhin MR73
I worked a fair bit with the Manurhin MR73 over the course of a few months. In addition to regular range sessions it also saw an IDPA match, and an ICORE match. I also used the gun in a single day revolver course with Costa Ludus. Below is the breakdown of rounds fired throughout the review process. In total, I fired 1,215 rounds through the Manurhin MR73.
- 798x Speer Lawman 125gr TMJ 38 Special
- 100x Federal American Eagle 130gr FMJ 38 Special
- 12x Armscor 158gr FMJ 38 Special
- 225x Magtech 158gr FMJ 38 Special
- 80x Magtech 158gr SJHP 357 Magnum
The MR73 arrived zeroed fairly well, able to hit small tombstone at 60 yards for 3/6 rounds. At seven yards I held bottom of 10 ring for X-ring hits with Magtech, requiring only a few clicks to finish dialing in.
Performance on drills was solid in class and in practice. During the Costa course I shot my best ever HiTS Super Revolver Test, bringing in a 178/180, only dropping points at the 15-yard line. I felt good about my IDPA performance as well, with no gun-focused issues to report.
I didn’t try to break records with the MR73. My fastest splits were 0.18 on the range, making a few tight par times. The gun handled these just fine, with no hitches or hesitations popping up in slow fire or when picking up the pace.
Rust to Rust
Memory may be falling me, but I believe the Manurhin MR73 is the first loaner review gun I carried enough to develop rust. A small bit of surface corrosion appeared on the cylinder release latch and rear sight after a long and hot range day.
As a blued gun, worn concealed for hours at a time in the Southwest, with mediocre cleaning practices, I’m not upset by this happening. I’m actually pretty surprised that this is all that appeared, some of my modern autos would have much more rust than this. Instead it’s a good reminder to clean your guns, especially those that don’t belong to you.
Tolerances and Maintenance with the MR73
You can tell that tolerances are tight on the MR73, which is a good thing. In the early portions of my review, this caused a few hiccups. I’d go to press the trigger and encounter a substantial amount of resistance. On one occasion, I couldn’t get the cylinder to close. Scrubbing the gun’s fouled surfaces with a toothbrush immediately rectified things, which is a common practice for revolver enthusiasts.
How often the MR73 needs cleaning will depend on how dirty your ammunition is. Unjacketed lead means more cleaning, rounds with jacketing or coating will keep you running longer. If you’re a wheelgunner, then you’ve come to expect this. The gun requires more frequent cleaning due to the lack of slop, giving a quick brush every 100 rounds or so. Take care of it, and it will take care of you.
Screws
As is standard, keep an eye on the screws on your revolver. I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention tightening my screws a handful of times throughout this process. Again, this is normal revolver maintenance, even the Manurhin isn’t exempt from regular service.
The Price of the MR73
As of this writing, MSRP on this Manurhin MR73 sits at $4,399. That’s quite the chunk of change. Is it worth the price? I can’t decide that for you.
The MR73 is a great revolver. It shoots well and is reliable. This gun is a modern work of art, with craftsmanship rarely found nowadays. That’s worth something in and of itself.
Much like a luxury car, it’ll get you from A to B like a budget blaster, but with the Manurhin, you’ll arrive in style. This is a gun you buy not because you need a gun, but because you need this gun. If you can afford it, then pull the trigger.
Closing Thoughts on the Manurhin MR73
It’s been very interesting to have the opportunity to experiment with the Manurhin MR73 over the past few months. The gun holds an interesting position in the current marketplace, being initially built for serious duty use, but being held on a pedestal like a luxury item. This seems to sometimes create difficulty for some people in evaluating their thoughts on the MR73.
Through practice, classes, and competition, I’ve come to really love this gun. It is the modern example of the craftsmanship of yesteryear that so many of us praise, and so many custom shops and performance centers fail to achieve.
Is this a gun that I’m going to purchase once my time with it is through? I’m not sure, that’s a question I keep asking myself, but I damn sure want to. If you are looking for something high quality that is a blast to take to the range, consider the Manurhin MR73.
Check out the whole lineup of Manurhin revolvers >>HERE<<
Author’s Note: Beretta provided this MR73 on loan for purposes of this review. No expectations of positive coverage were provided by either party.
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