The Mauser C78 Zig-Zag was a single-action revolver manufactured by Mauser during the late 19th century. It was chambered in calibers from 6mm to 11 mm and is fed from a 6-round grooved cylinder, hence the name of the revolver.
The original Zig-zag revolver had a solid frame and loading gate. It was developed in 1878, and was the first German military handgun to fire modern brass cartridges. It replaced the earlier needle-fire and pinfire revolvers. The C78 was designed for the 1879 German trials to provide the first metallic cartridge handgun. The design evolved into a top break, and a swinging cylinder design and also include a rifle version. It performed well in the trials but was rejected for being too complex to manufacture. This was Paul Mauser's first handgun design.
In 1886, an improved 9mm version with a hinged frame was introduced.
In 1896, the Zig-Zag was replaced by the semi-automatic Broomhandle Mauser, but many of the older revolvers remained in use until after World War I.