Hey all,
Thought I'd put together a brief overview of the most exciting and revolutionary period in firearms technology. I'm lacking a few of the noteworthy actions like a martini and rolling block (til tomorrow as there's one in 50-70 in the mail) and lebel, I think the ones pictured should be close enough for discussion sake.
Thought this could be a good opportunity to show never collectors just how fast things progressed during that period.
Photobucket is chopping the picture off slightly sorry��
Left to right:
-Snider Enfield Mk.2** (british commonwealth) chambered in 577 snider. This was one if the first breech loading military rifles. They were first issued around 1866 and we're made by converting existing P53 muzzle loaders. This was a huge step in technology as now a single man could fire many many rounds per minute. Any army still using muzzle loaders wow soon figure out that they were simply out matched by these new fancy "Breach loaders" that fired mettalic cartridges.
-Next is another Snider type conversion commonly called a Zulu (france). It was done to french muzzle loaders from the 1840's and 50's by once again modifying the reciever to accept a breech loading system.
-1874 Gras (France) single shot bolt action. These were chambered for the 11x59r round. The advent of bolt action rifles now made actions like the snider obselete, the arms race once again was ramping up. This one was converted to a 12 bore shotgun at some point.
-model 1871/1884 mauser (Germany). These were a conversion of the German Model 1871 single shot rifles. This is where things got really interesting, as now the arms race was headed into a new path with magazine fed repeating arms. This one was made at Steyr in 1887. Chambered in 43 mauser. It has like many been sportered. It's bore is as new and it's pretty accurate managing about 3 moa on most days.
-1886 Kropatscheck (Portugal). Basically the same gun as the 71/84 mauser but chambered in a small bore 8mm black powder 8x60 Kropatscheck round. This rifle is noteworthy as it is thought of as the last military rifle that was built for black powder cartridges. It also has a magazine interrupter which helps with issues common to tube fed guns. By the time it entered service the new smokeless powder cartridges were coming into service rendering it obselete. It was eventually rechambered for the 8x56 kropatschek round which is essentially a smokeless version of the earlier black powder round.
-1889 Schmitt Ruben (Switzerland). This was and is in my opinion one of the finest rifles of its time. Straight pull, 12 round magazine and chambered in a good cartridge, the 7.5x53.5. These are normally very good shooters and are about 2 MOA guns or better with good handloads.
-1891 Mosin Nagant (Russia).This one has a reciver date of 1895 and was made at the Izhevsk factory. It has also been to Finland and god knows where else. It's chambered in the 7.62x54r round and shoots as well today as I'm sure it did in 1895. One of my most accurate surplus rifles.
-Steyr Mannlicher 1895 (Austro-Hungarian), chambered in the hard hitting 8x56r round. This gun is a straight pull action and utilizes a mannlicher magazine system which consists of a clip that is inserted directly into the magazine. It is also the basis of the 1905 Ross action.
- Magazine Lee Enfield Mk.1*(Britian). Originally issued around 1896. This one is dated 1900 and was made at Enfield. The Lee Enfield like the one pictured was an updated version of the Lee Metford rifle. Metford rifling was prone to wear and didn't hold up to the new smokeless cordite rounds. The introduction of the Enfield rifled barrels started a long line of what we all know as one of the best combat rifles of history. The rifling also lasts for damn near forever if taken care of. This one is stamped for naval service as well as South African service. Chambered in 303 british of course. Sadly it has been sportered but retains its original front and rear volley sights.
-1896 mauser (Sweden)This was one of many #### on close systems from mauser and was adopted by the Swedish army. This one is a FSR prize rifle dated 1921 made at the Carl Gustaf factory. Caliber is 6.5x55 Swedish. It's light recoil and flat shooting demeanor still makes it a deadly accurate target or hunting round 100 plus years after it was introduced.
-Lastly a good ol mauser model 1898 (Germany) chambered in 8x57 mauser. This was a #### on opening system which is now pretty standard for bolt action rifles. This one has been to turkey and is modified to their 1935 pattern, but still is a tried and true 98 mauser. Go to any gun shop and look at their hunting rifke selection. Many will be 98 actions of derived from a 98 action. Paul Mauser was a genius and that is cemented by the fact that new 98 mauser actioned hunting rifles are still being made today.
Here's some close ups of the actions starting with the Snider, Zulu and Gras
Next 71/84 mauser, Kropatscheck, 89 Schmitt Ruben
Next 1891 Mosin Nagant, 1895 Steyr Mannlicher and Magazine Lee Enfield
Last 1896 and 1898 mauser
Anyhow every time I think about the transitional period and late 19th century smokeless firearms I'm taken back by just how far they went in such a short period of time. And as the guns got better so did the ammo, firing lighter better shaped projectiles at higher and higher speeds.
Thanks for looking.
Thought I'd put together a brief overview of the most exciting and revolutionary period in firearms technology. I'm lacking a few of the noteworthy actions like a martini and rolling block (til tomorrow as there's one in 50-70 in the mail) and lebel, I think the ones pictured should be close enough for discussion sake.
Thought this could be a good opportunity to show never collectors just how fast things progressed during that period.
Photobucket is chopping the picture off slightly sorry��
Left to right:
-Snider Enfield Mk.2** (british commonwealth) chambered in 577 snider. This was one if the first breech loading military rifles. They were first issued around 1866 and we're made by converting existing P53 muzzle loaders. This was a huge step in technology as now a single man could fire many many rounds per minute. Any army still using muzzle loaders wow soon figure out that they were simply out matched by these new fancy "Breach loaders" that fired mettalic cartridges.
-Next is another Snider type conversion commonly called a Zulu (france). It was done to french muzzle loaders from the 1840's and 50's by once again modifying the reciever to accept a breech loading system.
-1874 Gras (France) single shot bolt action. These were chambered for the 11x59r round. The advent of bolt action rifles now made actions like the snider obselete, the arms race once again was ramping up. This one was converted to a 12 bore shotgun at some point.
-model 1871/1884 mauser (Germany). These were a conversion of the German Model 1871 single shot rifles. This is where things got really interesting, as now the arms race was headed into a new path with magazine fed repeating arms. This one was made at Steyr in 1887. Chambered in 43 mauser. It has like many been sportered. It's bore is as new and it's pretty accurate managing about 3 moa on most days.
-1886 Kropatscheck (Portugal). Basically the same gun as the 71/84 mauser but chambered in a small bore 8mm black powder 8x60 Kropatscheck round. This rifle is noteworthy as it is thought of as the last military rifle that was built for black powder cartridges. It also has a magazine interrupter which helps with issues common to tube fed guns. By the time it entered service the new smokeless powder cartridges were coming into service rendering it obselete. It was eventually rechambered for the 8x56 kropatschek round which is essentially a smokeless version of the earlier black powder round.
-1889 Schmitt Ruben (Switzerland). This was and is in my opinion one of the finest rifles of its time. Straight pull, 12 round magazine and chambered in a good cartridge, the 7.5x53.5. These are normally very good shooters and are about 2 MOA guns or better with good handloads.
-1891 Mosin Nagant (Russia).This one has a reciver date of 1895 and was made at the Izhevsk factory. It has also been to Finland and god knows where else. It's chambered in the 7.62x54r round and shoots as well today as I'm sure it did in 1895. One of my most accurate surplus rifles.
-Steyr Mannlicher 1895 (Austro-Hungarian), chambered in the hard hitting 8x56r round. This gun is a straight pull action and utilizes a mannlicher magazine system which consists of a clip that is inserted directly into the magazine. It is also the basis of the 1905 Ross action.
- Magazine Lee Enfield Mk.1*(Britian). Originally issued around 1896. This one is dated 1900 and was made at Enfield. The Lee Enfield like the one pictured was an updated version of the Lee Metford rifle. Metford rifling was prone to wear and didn't hold up to the new smokeless cordite rounds. The introduction of the Enfield rifled barrels started a long line of what we all know as one of the best combat rifles of history. The rifling also lasts for damn near forever if taken care of. This one is stamped for naval service as well as South African service. Chambered in 303 british of course. Sadly it has been sportered but retains its original front and rear volley sights.
-1896 mauser (Sweden)This was one of many #### on close systems from mauser and was adopted by the Swedish army. This one is a FSR prize rifle dated 1921 made at the Carl Gustaf factory. Caliber is 6.5x55 Swedish. It's light recoil and flat shooting demeanor still makes it a deadly accurate target or hunting round 100 plus years after it was introduced.
-Lastly a good ol mauser model 1898 (Germany) chambered in 8x57 mauser. This was a #### on opening system which is now pretty standard for bolt action rifles. This one has been to turkey and is modified to their 1935 pattern, but still is a tried and true 98 mauser. Go to any gun shop and look at their hunting rifke selection. Many will be 98 actions of derived from a 98 action. Paul Mauser was a genius and that is cemented by the fact that new 98 mauser actioned hunting rifles are still being made today.
Here's some close ups of the actions starting with the Snider, Zulu and Gras
Next 71/84 mauser, Kropatscheck, 89 Schmitt Ruben
Next 1891 Mosin Nagant, 1895 Steyr Mannlicher and Magazine Lee Enfield
Last 1896 and 1898 mauser
Anyhow every time I think about the transitional period and late 19th century smokeless firearms I'm taken back by just how far they went in such a short period of time. And as the guns got better so did the ammo, firing lighter better shaped projectiles at higher and higher speeds.
Thanks for looking.
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