Weapon Used In World War One!!
The Allies of World War I, sometimes referred to as the Entente Powers (from Triple Entente), were the countries at war with the Central Powers during World War I. The main allies were France, the Russian Empire, the British Empire, Italy and the United States. France, Russia, the United Kingdom (and, by default, its empire), entered World War I in 1914, as a result of their Triple Entente alliance. Many other countries later joined the Allied side in the war
Here is a complete list:
Allied states: Belgium (including Belgian colonial forces) British Empire Australia British crown colonies Canada India New Zealand Newfoundland South Africa United Kingdom of Great Britain & Ireland France (including French colonial forces) Kingdom of Greece (May 1917 and after) Kingdom of Italy (April 1915 and after) Empire of Japan Kingdom of Montenegro Portugal (March 1916 and after) (including Portuguese colonial forces) Kingdom of Romania (August 1916-May 1918) Russian Empire (until November 1917) Kingdom of Serbia United States of America (April 1917 and after) Albania Andorra Armenia (May 1918 and after) Bolivia (April 1917 and after) Brazil (October 1917 and after) China (August 1917 and after) Costa Rica (May 1918 and after) Cuba (April 1917 and after) Czechoslovakia Ecuador (December 1917 and after) Guatemala (April 1918 and after) Liberia (August 1917 and after) Haiti (July 1918 and after) Honduras (July 1918 and after) Nicaragua (May 1918 and after) Panama (December 1917 and after) Peru (October 1917 and after) San Marino (June 1915 and after) Siam (July 1917 and after) Uruguay (October 1917 and after)
Central Powers: Austro-Hungarian Empire (Austria, Hungary, and parts of the Balkan states, Bosnia, Hertzegovnia, Serbia, part of Montenegro ,and others) Bulgaria German Empire Germany and its states, as well as member states and colonies of its empire in Africa, Asia and the Pacific.) Ottoman Empire (Turkey and its empire).
M1870_Gasser
M1870 Gasser was a revolver chambered for 11.2x29.5mm and was adopted by the Austro-Hungarian Cavalry in 1870. It was an open-frame model, with the barrel unit attached to the frame by a screw beneath the cylinder arbor. The arbor pin was screwed into the barrel unit and fitted into a recess in the standing breech. The cylinder was gate-loaded from the right side, and a rod ejector was carried beneath the barrel. A unique safety bar will usually be found on the right of the frame, below the cylinder. This carries pins which pass through holes in the frame to engage the lock mechanism. Slightly retracting the hammer allows one of these pins to move inward, preventing the hammer moving forward again when released. The pistol can thereafter be carried safely when loaded. Pressure on the trigger withdraws the pin from the path of the hammer before firing. The M1870 Gasser became the Austro-Hungarian cavalry revolver. It chambered an 11.2mm centerfire cartridge usually called the '11mm Montenegrin', a long cartridge which had earlier been used in Fruwirth carbines.
Roth-Steyr_M1907
The Roth-Steyr M1907, or, more accurately Roth-Krnka M.7 was a semi-automatic pistol issued to the Austro-Hungarian Kaiserliche und Koenigliche Armee cavalry during World War I. It was the first adoption of semi-automatic service pistol by the land army of a major power. Roth-Steyr pistol fires from an unusual style of locked breech. The bolt is very long. Its rear end is solid, except for a sleeve for the striker, but its front part is hollow and fits tightly over the barrel. The interior of the bolt has cam grooves cut into it, and the barrel has studs which fit into the grooves. When the pistol is fired, the barrel and bolt recoil together within the hollow receiver for about 0.5 inch. During this operation, the grooves in the bolt cause the barrel to turn 90 degrees, after which it is held while the bolt continued to the rear, cocking the action as it does so. For safety with intended use by mounted cavalry, the pistol has a heavy trigger pull against the firing striker spring similar to a hammerless revolver.[3 The Roth-Steyr is a locked-breech pistol, which allows the barrel and bolt to recoil together within a hollow receiver. It is chambered for a cartridge specific to this model. The Roth-Steyr does not have a detachable magazine, but features a fixed magazine loaded from the top with stripper clips. The sights are fixed, the grips are wooden and terminate in a lanyard ring. Rifling is 4 grooves with right-hand twist.
Rast-Gasser_M1898
The Rast & Gasser Model 1898 was a service revolver used by the Austro-Hungarian Army during World War I and various armies in World War II. The Rast-Gasser's featured some new elements of revolver design, as well as older elements already obsolete at the time of its manufacture. A solid-frame double-action revolver, it had a loading-gate through which individual cartridges are loaded, and extracted individually by an extractor rod. The firing pin was located on a transfer piece on the frame of the revolver rather than the hammer, an advancement at the time. Its ammunition is similar to but not interchangeable with that of the 8 mm French Ord. The cylinder could be removed by pulling down on the trigger guard and withdrawing the axis pin/ejector rod.
Steyr_Mannlicher_M1894
The M1894 Steyr Mannlicher blow-forward, semi-automatic pistol was an early semi-automatic pistol. The earliest Steyr Mannlicher pistol, manufactured by FAB.D'ARMES Neuhausen, Switzerland, was designed to be self loading and to use a special rimmed cartridge in 6.5 mm caliber. The design represented an entirely new utilization of mechanical principles in automatic action called "blow-forward action". In the standard type of automatic action for low powered cartridges, the recoil (or blow-back) is utilized to drive back a movable breech face or block, but Mannlicher utilized the principle of a rigid standing breech with the barrel blowing forward to extract, eject, and prepare for reloading. A special barrel housing which carries the sight covers the entire length of the barrel (6.49 in/165 mm) when the arm is closed. A heavy recoil spring is mounted concentrically around the barrel within this housing and is compressed between a shoulder at the forward end of the casing and a shoulder at the rear of the barrel. An unusual element in this design is a three-armed "barrel-holding lever". It is pivoted above the trigger as shown in the drawing from page 188, Mannlicher Rifles and Pistols, Smith, 1947. Its bottom arm engages with the trigger. The forward arm holds the barrel forward for loading. The rear arm serves as a hammer catch.
Steyr_Mannlicher_M1901
The M1901 Mannlicher Self-Loading, Semi-Automatic Pistol was an early semi-automatic pistol design. This pistol is one of the most simple of blow-back semi-automatic pistols ever designed. The lockwork is essentially that of an elementary single action revolver. While technically listed as a 'hesitation' lock because of a delaying cam which has some theoretical tendency to slow down the opening of the breech, in actual practice it functions as an unlocked pistol. According to the Steyr factory records this arm, patented in 1898, was originally introduced as the "Model 1900" and used a special 8 mm cartridge. When introduced commercially in 1901 it was chambered for a special straight-case cartridge listed in Austria as "7.63 mm Mannlicher", designated in Germany as "7.65 mm Mannlicher", and described in the U.S. as "7.65 x 21 mm". The Mannlicher "straight sided" cartridge actually has a straight taper to help in extraction. The cartridge for this pistol was manufactured in Europe until the beginning of WWII. The cartridge has a bullet weighing approx. 85 grains (5.5 g) which may be steel or cupro-nickel jacketed. The powder charge varies with the type of powder used, the European standard being about 3.5 grains (227 mg) of DWM standard powder, producing a muzzle velocity in the neighborhood of 1070 ft/s (326 m/s).
Steyr_M1912
The Steyr M1912 was developed in 1911 by the Austrian firm Steyr Mannlicher by Karl Krnka, based on the mechanism of the Roth-Steyr M1907. It was developed for the Austro-Hungarian Army and adopted in 1912 as the M1912. It was in service in a limited capacity for the Wehrmacht until the end of World War II. The Steyr M1912 is usually known as the Steyr-Hahn (Steyr-Hammer). Ostensibly this is because of its external hammer but contemporary designs and indeed earlier Steyr designs also used an external hammer, so this is open to debate. The M1912 was originally chambered for the 9mm Steyr round, but after the annexation of Austria by Germany in 1938 the M1912 was taken into Wehrmacht service and about 60,000 were rechambered in 9mm Parabellum and remained in service until the end of the war.
Mannlicher-Schnauer
The Mannlicher-Schönauer (sometimes Anglicized as "Mannlicher Schoenauer," Hellenized as Τυφέκιον Μάνλιχερ or Όπλον Μάνλιχερ-Σενάουερ) is a type of rotary magazine bolt action rifle produced by Steyr-Mannlicher for the Greek Army in 1903 and later was also used in small numbers by the Austro-Hungarian Armies. The Mannlicher-Schönauer rifle was one of these novel designs. The rifle action was designed by Ferdinand Mannlicher and the rotary magazine by his protegee Otto Schönauer of the Österreichische Waffenfabriksgesellschaft (Austrian Arms-Manufacturing Company; now Steyr Mannlicher). Interestingly, while the more famous Mannlicher M1895 had a straight pull bolt, the bolt of the Mannlicher-Schönauer has a rotating action, more reminiscent of the competing Mauser design. At first sight many confuse it with a Mauser rifle, due to the similar bolt and handguards. The Mannlicher-Schönauer may be identified by the split in the rear of the receiver which allows the bolt handle to pass through. The characteristic that sets this design apart from others of the era though was the innovative Schönauer rotating spool magazine. This rifle should not be confused with its more widely manufactured cousin, the Steyr-Mannlicher M1895, or with the so-called Mannlicher-Carcano, made infamous in the assassination of President John F. Kennedy, by Lee Harvey Oswald. However, the ballistics and penetration of the 6.5×52mm Carcano cartridge loaded with the 160 grain full metal jacketed 6.5mm bullet in the rifle used by Oswald are essentially identical to that of the big game hunters using the same bullet with the 6.5×54mm Mannlicher-Schönauer.
Steyr-Mannlicher_M1895
The Steyr-Mannlicher M1895 rifle is a bolt-action rifle, designed by Ferdinand Ritter von Mannlicher that used a refined version of his revolutionary straight-pull action. It was nicknamed the "Ruck-Zuck" ("right now" or "very quick") by Landsers (German slang for "troops"). It was initially adopted and employed by the Austro-Hungarian army throughout World War I, and retained post-war by both the Austrian and Hungarian armies. The main foreign user was Bulgaria, which, starting in 1903, acquired large numbers and continued using them throughout both world wars. Numbers of these rifles also saw use in World War II, particularly by second line, reservist, and partisan units in Romania, Yugoslavia, Italy and to lesser degree, Germany. Post war many were sold as cheap surplus, with some finding their way to the hands of African guerrillas in the 1970s, and many more being exported to the US as sporting and collectible arms. The M1895 is unusual in employing a straight-pull bolt action, as opposed to the more common rotating bolt-handle of other rifles. It consequently renowned for combining a high rate of fire (around 35 rounds per minute) with reliability and sturdiness, although this requires decent care and maintenance with an extractor that is vulnerable to breakage due to a lack of primary extraction. The weapon was issued with a ten-inch blade knife bayonet that was unusual in that the edge faced upwards when mounted on the rifle. The M1895 was originally chambered in the 8×50mmR Mannlicher cartridge. Between the World Wars, both Austria and Hungary converted the majority of their rifles to fire the more powerful 8×56mmR round. Greece and Yugoslavia converted at least some of their captured M1895s to 7.92×57mm Mauser, fed by stripper clips instead of the original model's en bloc clip system. This conversion was designated M95/24 in Greece and M95M in Yugoslavia. The M95/24 is often mistakenly attributed to Bulgaria, but 8x57mm IS was never a standard caliber of the Bulgarian military. These conversions are prized by collectors for their relative scarcity and chambering in a commonly available round, but suffer from a fragile extractor and a lack of replacement parts.
Mannlicher-Schonauer
In the late 19th century, the classic Mannlicher designs for the Austro-Hungarian army were based on the en-bloc magazine, a straight-pull bolt mechanism and were designed for obsolete large caliber cartridges. Following the introduction of smokeless powder in the Lebel rifle at the end of the Century, the Steyr factory worked on new Mannlicher designs, using more effective modern cartridges. These were offered for the consideration of the Austro-Hungarian Army, for export to other Armies and for the civilian market.The Mannlicher-Schönauer rifle was one of these novel designs. The rifle action was designed by Ferdinand Mannlicher and the rotary magazine by his protegee Otto Schönauer of the Österreichische Waffenfabriksgesellschaft (Austrian Arms-Manufacturing Company; now Steyr Mannlicher). Interestingly, while the more famous Mannlicher M1895 had a straight pull bolt, the bolt of the Mannlicher-Schönauer has a rotating action, more reminiscent of the competing Mauser design. At first sight many confuse it with a Mauser rifle, due to the similar bolt and handguards. The Mannlicher-Schönauer may be identified by the split in the rear of the receiver which allows the bolt handle to pass through. The characteristic that sets this design apart from others of the era though was the innovative Schönauer rotating spool magazine.The original design, introduced at the World Fair as the Model 1900, allowed the development of either service or sport versions depending on market response. While small sporting concerns, such as William Evans of London purchased actions for their rifles, only the Greek Army expressed interest in the design for military use. Their specifications may have dictated some of the rifle's characteristics. The Greek Army requested two main versions, one long rifle of 1230mm length and a carbine of 950mm length for use by cavalry and non-infantry troops. Both types were termed Model 1903. The weight was around 3.75 kg, the magazine capacity was 5 rounds and was fed by a strip system. The 6.5×54mm MS cartridge had traits of a hunting round; even though it had a projectile with a rounded point, it was ballistically efficient, improving accuracy at moderate ranges. The rotary magazine contributed to the smooth feeding and high rate of fire without jamming. The rifle was manufactured to high a standard and was made with tight tolerances, raising costs but improving reliability and durability. The 1903 Mannlicher-Schönauer carbine's light recoil, familiar iron sights - similar to those of the Mannlicher M1895 graduated up to 2000m - and its quick-handling properties brought it wide-spread praise.
Mondragon_rifle
The Mondragón was a Mexican battle rifle and the world's first automatic rifle. It was designed by Mexican general Manuel Mondragón and was the first fully automatic firearm able to be operated by a single rifleman. Mondragón began his work in 1882 and patented the weapon in 1887. It was gas-operated with a cylinder and piston arrangement, now very familiar but unusual at the time, and rotating bolt, locked by lugs in helical grooves in the receiver; it was also possible to operate it as a simple straight-pull bolt action. The caliber was 7mm (.284 in) Mauser and the rifle was available with either an 8-round or 20-round box magazine, or a 100-round drum magazine (for variants produced after 1910).The Mondragón rifle was known for its stopping power and for being very accurate when used as a semiautomatic firearm but suffered from high recoil and poor accuracy when fired on full automatic. In 1910, a light machine gun variant with a heavier barrel and a redesigned mechanism to improve full automatic accuracy[citation needed] coupled to a 100-round drum was manufactured for the Mexican military. The Mexican Army improved the light machine gun variant of the Mondragón up until 1943, when it was replaced with the Mendoza M-1943 general purpose infantry machine gun.The first versions of the rifle had trouble working in muddy and moist environments, German troops using the Mondragón rifle in Western Europe had difficulties with the rifle jamming while used in trench warfare. Although they did not function well in the thick moist mud and dirt of Central Europe, they proved to work well in hot and arid climates such as the North of Mexico. This meant the Mondragón did not have a problem with dirt trapped inside, instead having more of a problem with moisture, as it would still work well with dry sand and dust in its mechanism, although the Mexican manufactured models fixed this problem with slight improvements to the firing mechanism and the barrel.
Gewehr_88
The Gewehr 88 (commonly called the Model 1888 Commission Rifle) was a late 19th century German bolt-action rifle, adopted in 1888. The invention of smokeless powder in the late 19th century immediately rendered all of the large-bore black powder rifles then in use obsolete. To keep pace with the French (who had adopted smokeless powder "small bore" ammunition for their Lebel Model 1886 rifle) the Germans adopted the Gewehr 88 using its own new M/88 cartridge, which was also designed by the German Rifle Commission. The rifle was one of many weapons in the arms race between the Germanic states and France, and with Europe in general. There was also a carbine version, the Karabiner 88. Later models were updated (Gewehr 88/05 and Gewehr 88/14) and would go on to serve in World War I to a limited degree. Unlike many of the rifles before and after, it was not developed by Mauser but the Arms Commission, and Mauser was one of the few major arms manufacturers in Germany that did not produce Gewehr 88s. In 1886, fifteen years after their defeat by German forces in the Franco-Prussian War, the French Army introduced the new Lebel magazine rifle firing an (8 mm) high-velocity projectile. This made Germany’s rifle, the Mauser Model 1871, obsolete due to its large and slow 11 mm round. The practical result was that the French rifle had greater accuracy and range, giving French troops a tactical advantage over the German Army. In response the German Army’s Rifle Testing Commission developed the Gewehr 88 which was adopted for service in 1888. For this reason the Gewehr 88 is also known as the "Commission rifle," or "Reichsgewehr". The Commission Rifle's bolt action design was a modified Mannlicher action with a few Mauser features, but it is incorrect to call it a "Mauser." The barrel design and rifling were virtually copied from the French Lebel. The rifle has an odd appearance as the entire barrel is encased in a sheet metal tube for protection, but with the tube removed the rifle looks rather modern. This tube was intended to increase accuracy by preventing the barrel from directly contacting the stock, but in practice it increased the risk of rust by providing a space for water to be trapped if the rifle was exposed to harsh conditions. The Karabiner 88 utilized a different bolt handle, which resembled those found on commercial sporting rifles.
M1867_Werndl-Holub
The M1867 Werndl-Holub was a single-shot breechloading rifle adopted by the Austro-Hungarian army in 1867. It replaced the breechloader-conversion Wanzl rifle. The rifle was designed and patented by Josef Werndl (1831-1889) and Karel Holub (1830-1903); Werndl later bought out all the rights. It was produced by Steyrwerks, and chambered for the 11mm scharfe Patrone M.67 (11.15x42R) cartridge. In 1877 they were rechambered for the bottleneck 11mm scharfe Patrone M.77 (11.15x58mmR) cartridge. In spite of being long obsolete at the time, Werndl rifles were issued to rear-echelon units of the Austro-Hungarian forces during World War I to free up more modern rifles for use by front-line troops.
Girandoni Air Rifle
The Girandoni Air Rifle was an airgun designed by Tyrolian inventor Bartholomäus Girandoni circa 1779. The weapon was also known as the Windbüchse ("wind rifle" in German).The Girandoni air rifle was in service with the Austrian army from 1780 to around 1815. The advantages of a high rate of fire, no smoke from propellants, and low muzzle report granted it initial acceptance, but it was eventually removed from service for several reasons. While the detachable air reservoir was capable of around 30 shots it took nearly 1500 strokes of a hand pump to fill those reservoirs. Later, a wagon-mounted pump was provided. The reservoirs themselves, made from hammered sheet iron held together with rivets and sealed by brazing, proved very difficult to manufacture using the techniques of the period and were always in short supply. In addition, the weapon was very delicate and a small break could make it inoperable. Finally, it was very different from any other weapon of the time and any soldier using it needed to be highly trained. The Lewis and Clark Expedition used the rifle in the demonstrations that they performed for nearly every Native American tribe they encountered on the expedition.The rifle was 4 ft (1.2 m) long and weighed 10 lbs (4.5 kg), about the same basic size and weight as other muskets of the time. It fired a .46 caliber ball at a velocity similar to that of a modern .45 ACP and it had a tubular, gravity-fed magazine with a capacity of 20 balls. This gravity operated design was such that the rifle had to be pointed upwards in order to drop each ball into the breech block. Unlike its contemporary, muzzle-loading muskets, which required the rifleman to stand up to reload with powder and ball, the shooter could reload a ball from the magazine by holding the rifle vertically while laying on his back and operating the ball delivery mechanism. The rifleman then could roll back into position to fire, allowing the rifleman to keep a "low profile". Contemporary regulations of 1788 required that each rifleman, in addition to the rifle itself, be equipped with three compressed air reservoirs (two spare and one attached to the rifle), cleaning stick, hand pump, lead ladle, and 100 lead balls, 1 in the chamber, 21 in the magazine built into the rifle and the remaining 80 in four tin tubes. Equipment not carried attached to the rifle was held in a special leather knapsack. It was also necessary to keep the leather gaskets of the reservoir moist in order to maintain a good seal and prevent leakage. The air reservoir was in the club-shaped butt. With a full air reservoir, the Girandoni air rifle had the capacity to shoot 30 shots at useful pressure. These balls were effective to approximately 150 yards on a full load. The power declined as the air reservoir was emptied.
Salvator-Dormus_M1893
The Salvator-Dormus M1893 also known as Skoda M1893 was a heavy machine gun of Austro-Hungarian origin. It was patented by Archduke Karl Salvator of Austria and Count George von Dormus and was manufactured by Skoda Works Plzeň. The Salvator-Dormus was chambered in the 8x50mmR round fed from an overhead magazine and was water-cooled with an oil lubrication device. There was also a pendulum adjustment in the trigger mechanism that allowed the operator to select the cyclic rate of fire, anywhere from 180 to 250 rounds per minute. The M1893 was cheaper than the Maxim gun but was gradually replaced by the Schwarzlose MG M.07/12. The M1893 machine guns were mounted aboard the SMS Zenta during the successful defence of the Austro-Hungarian Embassy in Peiking.
Schwarzlose_MG_M.07/12
The Maschinengewehr Patent Schwarzlose M.07/12 (Known as the O' seven twelve) was a medium machine-gun, and was used as a standard issue firearm in the Austro-Hungarian Army throughout World War I. It was also used by the Dutch, Greek and Hungarian armies during World War II. It was also routinely issued to Italian colonial troops, alongside the Steyr-Mannlicher M1895 rifle. The Schwarzlose M.07 was a water-cooled, belt-fed weapon designed by a German named Andreas Wilhelm Schwarzlose. It was usually mounted on a tripod and looked broadly similar to the family of Maxim-derived machine-guns such as the British Vickers and the German Maschinengewehr 08. The Schwarzlose, however, was of simpler design and featured an unusual, delayed blowback mechanism which contained only a single spring. The initial variants of the M.07/12 had a cyclic rate of about 400 rounds/m, but this was later increased to 580 rounds/m during World War I by fitting the mechanism with a stronger spring. The Schwarzlose was a robust and reliable weapon in its intended role as an infantry weapon, but unlike the highly adaptable Maxim-derived machine guns, met with less success when it was used in roles it had not been designed for. The Schwarzlose enjoyed moderate export success in the years leading up to World War I. Apart from the armies of the Austro-Hungarian empire (8 mm caliber) it was adopted by the armies of Greece (6.5 mm caliber), the Netherlands (6.5 mm caliber) and Sweden (using the 6.5x55mm cartridge and designated kulspruta m/1914). After the First World War the Schwarzlose continued in use with the new nations that emerged from the fragments of the Austro-Hungarian empire. Captured examples of the Schwarzlose saw some sporadic use by Russian and Italian units during the First World War. During World War II captured Schwarzlose machine guns of various types saw service with second line units of the Nazi German army, especially during the desperate fighting that took place in the final phases of that conflict.
Skoda_M1909_machine_gun
The Skoda M1909 is a Machine gun of Austro-Hungarian (Czech) origin and was manufactured by the Škoda Works in Plzeň. Although it was unable to compete with the more reliable Schwarzlose m/07, it was used in the same period, albeit mostly with reserve and home guard battalions within the Austro-Hungarian armed forces. The M1909 is a delayed-blowback water cooled belt fed medium machine gun, chambered in the 8x56mm round. As with all delayed blowback operated mechanisms chambered for powerful cartridges it suffers from relatively poor performance compared to recoil operated guns such as the Maxim.
MG_08
The Maschinengewehr 08, or MG08, was the German Army's standard machine gun in World War I and is an adoption of Hiram S. Maxim's original 1884 Maxim Gun. It was produced in a number of variants during the war. The MG 08 remained in service until the outbreak of World War II due to shortages of its successors, the MG 13 Dreyse and the MG34. It was retired from front-line service by 1942.The Maschinengewehr 08 (or MG08)—so-named after 1908, its year of adoption—was a development of the license made Maschinengewehr 01. It could reach a firing rate of up to 400 rounds per minute using 250-round fabric belts of 7.9mm ammunition, although sustained firing would lead to overheating; it was water-cooled using a jacket around the barrel that held approximately one gallon. Using a separate attachment sight with range calculator for indirect fire, the MG08 could be operated from cover. Additional telescopic sights were also developed and used in quantity during the war.The MG08, like the Maxim Gun, operated on the basis of short barrel recoil and a toggle lock; once cocked and fired the MG08 would continue firing rounds until the trigger was released (or until all available ammunition was expended). Its practical range was estimated at some 2,000 metres (2,200 yd) up to an extreme range of 3,600 metres (3,900 yd). The MG08 was mounted on a sled mount (German: Schlitten) that was ferried between locations either on carts or else carried above men's shoulders in the manner of a stretcher.
Madsen_machine_gun
The Madsen was a light machine gun developed by Julius A. Rasmussen and Theodor Schoubue and proposed for adoption by Captain Vilhelm Herman Oluf Madsen, the Danish Minister of War and adopted by the Danish Army in 1902. It was one of the first true light machine guns produced in quantity and sold to over 34 different countries worldwide in 12 different calibres, seeing extensive combat use in various conflicts around the globe for over 100 years. The Madsen was produced by Compagnie Madsen A/S (later operating as Dansk Rekyl Riffel Syndikat A/S and then Dansk Industri Syndikat A/S). The Madsen has a rather sophisticated and uncommon operating cycle not used in any other crew-served weapon. The machine gun uses a mixed recoil-operated locking system with a hinged bolt that is patterned after the lever-action Peabody Martini breechblock. The recoil operation is part short and part long recoil. After firing a round, the initial recoil impulse drives the barrel, barrel extension, and bolt to the rear. A pin on the right side of the bolt moves backward in grooves in an operating cam plate mounted to the right side of the receiver. After 12.7 mm (0.5 in) of travel, the bolt is cammed upward, away from the breech (the "short" portion of the recoil system). The barrel and barrel extension continue to move rearward to a point slightly exceeding the combined overall length of the cartridge case and projectile (the long portion of the recoil system, responsible for the weapon's low rate of fire). After the breech is exposed, an odd lever-type extractor/ejector, mounted under the barrel, is pivoted to the rear, extracting the empty case and ejecting it through the bottom of the receiver. The bolt's operating cam then forces the bolt face to pivot downward, aligning a cartridge feed groove in the left side of the bolt with the chamber. While the bolt and barrel are returning forward, a cartridge-rammer lever, mounted on the barrel extension, is pivoted forward, loading a fresh cartridge.
Kleinflammenwerfer
The first German man-portable flamethrower was called the Kleinflammenwerfer (small flamethrower) or "Kleif". Fuel was stored in a large vertical, cylindrical backpack container. High-pressure propellant was stored in another, smaller container attached to the fuel tank. A long hose connected the fuel tank to a lance tube with an igniting device at the nozzle. The propellant forced the fuel through the hose and out of the nozzle at high speed when a valve was opened. The igniting device at the nozzle set fire to the fuel as it sprayed out. The flamethrower was operated by two soldiers, one carrying the fuel and propellant tanks, another wielding the lance. Wex, a replacement for the Kleif, was introduced in 1917 after the third battle of Ypres. This was created by and developed by Richard Fiedler, alongside the Grossflammenwefer, which was a larger flamethrower.
Flammenwerfer_M.16.
The Flammenwerfer M.16. was a flamethrower used by German infantry during World War I for clearing trenches and killing riflemen. It was used in 1918 in the battle of Argonne Forest in France against Allied forces. The Flammenwerfer M.16 was the first flamethrower ever. The Nazis in the 1940s created the sequel, the Flammenwerfer 35. German riflemen would usually be behind flamethrower carrying infantry. The flamethrowers would kill enemy infantry, helping the riflemen move in. The flamethrower was manufactured in the same year as the MP18 submachine gun.
8_cm_Luftminenwerfer_M_15
The 8 cm Luftminenwerfer M 15 (Pneumatic trench mortar) was a light mortar used by Austria-Hungary in World War I. It was designed by the 58th Infantry Division and the first twenty were built in the division's workshops. Later production was contracted out to Vereinigte Elektrische Maschinen A. G. in Budapest. It used the breakable screw method to retain the bomb in place until the air pressure in the chamber was strong enough to break the screw. Grooves of different depths could be used to vary the range. It was sometimes referred to as the Roka-Halasz system.
9_cm_Minenwerfer_M_14
The 9 cm Minenwerfer M 14 (Trench mortar) was a light mortar used by Austria-Hungary in World War I. It was designed by the Army's own Technisches und Administratives Militär-Komitee (TMK) in an effort to quickly satisfy the demand from the front for a light mortar. It had a number of issues with its ammunition, namely the black powder used as a propellant gave off copious smoke clouds on firing that revealed the tube's location and the mortar bomb fuzes had a high rate of failure. The breech-loading mortar tube was mounted on a framework that didn't allow for any traverse, which meant that it was impossible to engage different targets without relaying the mortar. In turn the frame was mounted a rectangular firing platform. The M 14/16 had a circular platform to provide traverse and weighed only 65 kilograms (140 lb). A later model allowed the mounting to be collapsed for ease of transport. A new M 16 mortar bomb that used the German Poppenberg fuze system generally cured the dud problem, but it still used black powder as its propellant. This was a severe tactical disadvantage and it was decided to purchase replacement mortars from the German firm of Heinrich Lanz from 1917.
9_cm_Minenwerfer_M_17
The 9 cm Minenwerfer M 17 (Trench mortar) was a medium mortar used by Austria-Hungary in World War I. It was developed by the Hungarian Gun Factory to meet a competition held on 3 October 1917 to replace both of the earlier light mortars, the M 14/16 and the Lanz. Production was slow to ramp up and only ten weapons could be delivered in January 1918. The first large deliveries were made in March 1918, but the raw materials crisis and strained production facilities hindered the TMK's plan to produce 2730 mortars by October 1918. It was a breech-loading smooth-bore weapon that used a shotgun-like break-action to open the breech. This was arranged so that the barrel returned to the proper elevation to speed up the rate of fire. The carriage was mounted on a small metal rectangular firing platform with four carrying handles that permitted some amount of traverse.
10.5_cm_Luftminenwerfer_M_15
The 10.5 cm Luftminenwerfer M 15 (Pneumatic Trench Mortar) was a medium mortar used by Austria-Hungary in World War I. It was developed by the German firm of Ehrhardt & Sehmer. It was a rigid-recoil, muzzle-loading mortar on a fixed base that used compressed air to propel the mortar bomb to the target. Each cylinder of compressed air lasted for fifteen shots. A notable advantage was that the mortar had no firing signature, unlike conventional mortars with smoke and muzzle flash. A batch of 25 mortars, 250 cylinders of compressed air and 10,000 complete bombs (i.e. with fuses) was ordered on 31 July 1915 for combat evaluation, but the manufacturer was unable to deliver the mortar bombs. They had to be manufactured by the Army itself. A slightly improved model was offered by Ehrhardt & Sehmer at the end of March 1916, but it was rejected because of the poor range of the ammunition and the difficulty in procuring it. Ten trench mortar platoons, each with two weapons, were formed and deployed in February 1916, mainly to the Russian theater.
12_cm_Minenwerfer_M_15
The 12 cm Minenwerfer M 15 (Trench mortar) was a medium mortar used by Austria-Hungary in World War I. It was designed by the Army's own Technisches und Administratives Militär-Komitee (TMK) as an enlarged 9 cm Minenwerfer M 14 in 1915. The War Ministry decided to order 50 from the TMK, but the latter preferred only to produce 10 and switch the remaining 40 to the 14 cm Minenwerfer M 15, but no response was made by the Ministry. The TMZ placed an order for the 10 mortars from Teudloff & Dittrich in Vienna at the end of 1915. A follow on order for another hundred was canceled in February 1916.
12_cm_Luftminenwerfer_M_16
The 12 cm Luftminenwerfer M 16 (Pneumatic trench mortar) was a medium mortar used by Austria-Hungary in World War I. It was developed by Austria Metal Works in Brno from their earlier, rejected, 8 cm project. It was a rigid-recoil, smooth-bore, breech-loading design that had to be levered around to aim at new targets. It was very simple in that the shell closed the top of the chamber and was retained by a "gripper" until the air pressure was deemed sufficient and the gripper was manually released, which fired the weapon. An additional barrel could be fitted to extend the range. A cylinder of compressed air was good for eleven shots. After an evaluation on 23 November 1915 it was deemed superior to the German designs already in service (10.5 cm Luftminenwerfer M 15 and 15 cm Luftminenwerfer M 15 M. E.) in range and accuracy and a batch of 100 mortars and 50,000 bombs was ordered at the beginning of 1916. Some 280 were at the front by the end of 1916 and 930 by the end of 1917. In addition to Austria Metal Works it was produced by Brand & L'Huillier and the machine factory at Brno-Köningsfeld. Some improvements must have been made over the course of the production run because late-war documents refer to the original design as the M 16a (alte?), but what exactly was changed is unknown.
14_cm_Minenwerfer_M_15
The 14 cm Minenwerfer M 15 was a medium mortar used by Austria-Hungary in World War I. It was developed by Škoda Works as an alternative to a German design from Rheinische Metallwarenfabrik/Ehrhardt for which ammunition could not be procured. It was a rigid-recoil, rifled, muzzle-loading weapon that had to be levered around to aim at new targets. It was lifted onto a two-wheel cart for transport. The M 16 version added a central barrel ring and cutouts on the side of the carriage. Rotation within the barrel was improved, greatly increasing accuracy. It weighed an extra 20 kilograms (44 lb), but had a maximum range of 1,080 metres (1,180 yd). Its transport cart was also improved. The first batch of 100 mortars was ordered in May 1915 and a second batch in spring 1916, but deliveries were slow; only 88 of the second batch could be sent to the front by May 1916. A third batch of 300 was ordered in November 1916, but production was such that only 30 had been delivered by the spring of 1917.
15_cm_Luftminenwerfer_M_15_M._E.
The 15 cm Luftminenwerfer M 15 M. E. (Pneumatic Trench Mortar Maschinenfabrik Esslingen) was a medium mortar used by Austria-Hungary in World War I. It was developed by the German firm Maschinenfabrik Esslingen in response to a German requirement. Its initial testing was observed by an Austro-Hungarian representative and his positive report convinced them to order a batch of five for comparative testing. It was evaluated on 21 September 1915 and it produced the right impression. Nonetheless four weapons were sent off for combat trials at the end of October 1915, which were presumably favorable. The barrel was mounted on a central pivot attached to a base plate, apparently with 360° of traverse. A single cylinder of compressed air was good for twelve shots. The Model II incorporated minor improvements suggested by both the Austrians and German pioneer troops and was evaluated at the end of 1915. It was deemed satisfactory and another hundred were ordered. However, they were soon made obsolete by the better performance of the 12 cm Luftminenwerfer M 16 and shelved before the production run was finished.
FN_M1903
The FN Model 1903 (M1903, FN Mle 1903 or FN Ml 1903), or Browning No.2 was a self-loading semi-automatic pistol engineered by John Browning and made by Belgian arms manufacturer Fabrique Nationale (FN). It was introduced in 1903 and fired the 9 x 20 mm SR Browning Long cartridge. It should not be confused with the US-made Colt Model 1903 Pocket Hammerless (in .32 ACP), nor with the Colt Model 1903 Pocket Hammer (in .38 ACP), although they are based on the same mechanical design, which Browning sold to both companies (and others as well). Due to its reliability, accuracy, light weight, and quick reloading, the M1903 was an issued sidearm for many police forces and militaries. FN requested John Browning to prepare a prototype in 1901. FN manufactured a few samples for Norway and Sweden to consider as military weapons. Norway opted for the Colt M1911 pistol, but Sweden ordered 10,000 pistols (designated m/1907) as standard military sidearms in 1907. The Ottoman Empire ordered 8,000 pistols for police use between 1908 and 1914, and the Russian Empire ordered approximately 11,000 with detachable shoulder stock holsters for their police forces during the same time period. An additional 9,000 pistols were sold commercially before production was discontinued when the FN factory was overrun by troops from the German Empire in August 1914. FN requested John Browning to prepare a prototype in 1901. FN manufactured a few samples for Norway and Sweden to consider as military weapons. Norway opted for the Colt M1911 pistol, but Sweden ordered 10,000 pistols (designated m/1907) as standard military sidearms in 1907. The Ottoman Empire ordered 8,000 pistols for police use between 1908 and 1914, and the Russian Empire ordered approximately 11,000 with detachable shoulder stock holsters for their police forces during the same time period. An additional 9,000 pistols were sold commercially before production was discontinued when the FN factory was overrun by troops from the German Empire in August 1914.
FN_Browning_M1910
The FN Model 1910 is a blowback-operated, semi-automatic pistol designed by John Browning and manufactured by Fabrique Nationale of Belgium. The FN Model 1910 was a departure for Browning. Before, his designs were produced by both FN in Europe and Colt Firearms in the United States. Since Colt did not want to produce it, Browning chose to patent and produce this design in Europe only. Introduced in 1910, this pistol used a novel operating spring location surrounding the barrel. This location became the standard in such future weapons as the Walther PPK and Russian Makarov. It incorporated the standard Browning striker-firing mechanism and a grip safety along with a magazine safety and an external safety lever (known as the "triple safety") in a compact package. Offered in both .380 ACP (6-round magazine) and .32 ACP (7-round magazine) calibers (with the ability to switch calibers by changing only the barrel), it remained in production until 1983. An FN M1910, serial number 19074, chambered in .32 ACP (the others were 19075, 19120 and 19126 purchased for the Black Hand members) was the handgun used by Gavrilo Princip to assassinate Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria in Sarajevo on June 28, 1914, precipitating the First World War. A variant of the Model 1910 was known variously as the Model 1922 or 1910/22. This was a larger model with a longer barrel (113 mm), slide extension, and a longer grip frame to accommodate an extra two rounds. This model was aimed at military and police contracts and many examples were produced for various agencies. The FN Model 1910/1922 was initially designed for Yugoslavia. 1910/1922 pistols went on to see extensive service in World War Two, and continued to be manufactured by the Germans after their occupation of Belgium and seizure of the FN factory. These examples carry Nazi production stamps, and most have simple checkered wood grips instead of the earlier horn or plastic grips bearing the FN logo. The FN Model 1910/1922 was also used by the following countries: Yugoslavia, Holland, Greece, Turkey, Romania, France, Finland, Denmark, and West Germany in the post war period.
Nagant_M1895
nt M1895 Revolver is a seven-shot, gas-seal revolver designed and produced by Belgian industrialist Léon Nagant for the Russian Empire. The Nagant M1895 was chambered for a proprietary cartridge, 7.62x38R, and featured an unusual "gas-seal" system, in which the cylinder moved forward when the gun was cocked, to close the gap between the cylinder and the barrel, providing a boost to the muzzle velocity of the fired projectile and allowing the weapon to be suppressed (an unusual ability for a revolver). Other Nagant revolver designs were also adopted by police and military services of Sweden (7.5 mm M1887), Norway (M1893), Poland, and Greece (Περίστροφον M1895). These revolvers were largely similar to the Russian Nagant M1895, but lacked the gas seal mechanism. Léon Nagant and his brother Émile were well known in the Russian Tsar's court and military administration because of the important part they had played in the design of the Russian service rifle Mosin-Nagant Model 1891. The Nagant M1895 became the standard issue side arm for Russian army and police officers, later for Red Army and Soviet law enforcements. Production began in Liège, Belgium, but was soon moved to Russia. The M1895 started to be replaced by the more modern Tokarev semi-automatic pistol in 1933, but was still produced and used in great numbers during World War II. Despite being supplemented after 1930 by the Tokarev, it was never fully replaced until the arrival of the Makarov pistol in 1952. The distinctive shape and name helped it achieve cult status in Russia and in the early 1930s the presentation of a Nagant M1895 revolver with an embossed Red Star was one of the greatest honours that could be bestowed on a Party Member. The common Russian name for the revolver, наган (nagan) became synonymous with the concept of the revolver in general and was applied to such weapons regardless of actual make or model. It remains in use with the Russian Railways and remote police forces.
Ruby_pistol
The self-loading Ruby pistol is best known as a French World War I sidearm, the Pistolet Automatique de 7 millim.65 genre "Ruby". A very international piece of weaponry, it was closely modeled after the American John Browning's M1903 made by the Belgian Fabrique Nationale de Herstal, and was produced by over 50 Spanish companies, but primarily by the Spanish Gabilondo y Urresti firm (the official "Gabilondo Ruby"). In 1914, just before the start of the First World War, Gabilondo started manufacture of a sturdy self-loading pistol based on the Browning Model 1903 and chambered for the 7.65mm Browning/.32 ACP cartridge. Unusually for the time, the magazine capacity was nine shots instead of the usual six or seven. The pistol was intended for export to the Americas, and despite the small calibre was designed with military and police sales in mind. Other Spanish manufacturers had copied the Browning since around 1905. The Ruby, apart from the extended magazine appears to be a direct copy of a pistol called the "Victoria" made by Esperanza and Unceta. This pistol used features patented by Pedro Careaga in 1911, and by the Esperanza and Unceta company in 1912. These patents may have covered the frame-mounted safety (instead of a grip safety), and an internal striker (instead of a hammer). In 1915 Gabilondo sent examples of the pistols to the French government, who were hard-pressed for all sorts of small-arms, even in this early stage of the war. After testing was completed in May 1915, the French decided to accept the Ruby as the "Pistolet Automatique de 7 millimètre 65 genre "Ruby" and contracted Gabilondo to produce 10,000 pistols a month. By August the target had been raised to 30,000 and later still an incredible 50,000 a month. Despite its size, the company could barely cope with the initial contract and arranged for four partners to manufacture the Ruby for them. The contract stipulated that each company would produce a minimum of 5,000 pistols per month. Gabilondo would produce 10,000 guns, carry out overall quality control and arrange delivery to the French authorities in Bayonne. As the number of pistols required increased the company agreed to purchase any pistols in excess of the agreed number at the same contracted price. As demand increased Gabilondo recruited another three partners to help manufacture the Ruby. Estimates of Gabilondo Ruby production are between 250,000 and 300,000 pistols in total. While most Gabilondo contract pistols were of good quality, others were less well made.
Colt_Model_1903_Pocket_Hammerless
The Colt Model 1903 Pocket Hammerless is .32 ACP caliber, self-loading, semi-automatic pistol designed by John Browning and built by Colt Patent Firearms Manufacturing Company of Hartford, Connecticut. The Colt Model 1908 Pocket Hammerless is a variant introduced five years later in .380 ACP caliber. Despite the title 'Hammerless', the Model 1903 does have a hammer. It is covered and hidden from view under the rear of the slide. This allowed the weapon to be carried in and withdrawn from a pocket quickly and smoothly without snagging. These pistols were popular civilian firearms for much of their life, and also served as United States General Officer pistols from the 1940s until their replacement by the M15 General Officers pistol in the 1970s. The Office of Strategic Services issued the Model 1903 to its officers during World War II.The Shanghai Municipal Police issued the M1908 to it's Chinese officers in the 1920's and 1930's and it was a popular back-up/off-duty model with police officers in the United States. In addition to lawful owners, many gangsters of the pre-World War II era favored the Model 1903 and Model 1908 because they were relatively small and easily concealed. It is said that Al Capone kept one in his coat pocket and Bonnie Parker used one to break Clyde Barrow out of jail after smuggling it into the jail by taping it to her thigh. Bank Robber, John Dillinger was carrying this model of pistol when he was shot by FBI agents outside the Biograph theater on July 22, 1934. Note: There was also a Colt Model 1903 Pocket Hammer pistol in .38 ACP, but this design is unrelated. The FN Model 1903 pistol design is related to the Colt Pocket Hammerless, but it is physically larger due to its chambering in 9 × 20 mm SR. As noted above, this pistol was still actually fired by action of a hammer striking and driving a firing pin into a center-fire cartridge's primer. The hammer was covered by the rear of the slide. The "hammerless" designation was merely an advertising designation pointing out the pistol's particular suitability for concealed carry. Special features include a serrated slide to prevent slippage during manual cycling of the slide, and two safety mechanisms (a grip safety and a manual safety). The grip safety is a spring loaded piece making up the back strap of the pistol. The grip safety, though not solely restricted to them, was a typical feature of Colt automatic pistols. A magazine safety was added on later models; this feature prevents the pistol from being fired with a round in the chamber and the magazine removed.
Mauser#Models_89.2F90.2F91_and_Experimental_Model_92
Mauser was a German arms manufacturer of a line of bolt action rifles and pistols from the 1870s to 1995. Mauser designs were built for the German armed forces. Since the late 19th and early 20th centuries, military Mauser designs were also exported and licenced to a number of countries, as well as being a popular civilian firearm. Mauser continued to make sporting and hunting rifles in the late 20th century. In 1995 the company became a subsidiary of Rheinmetall called Mauser-Werke Oberndorf Waffensysteme GmbH, before being merged in 2004 into Rheinmetall Waffe Munition Gmbh. A division of the original company, Mauser Jagdwaffen GmbH, was split off and merged in 2000 with SIGARMS; it continues making rifles. The Mauser name has also been licenced by other companies. Peter Paul Mauser, often referred to as Paul Mauser, was born on June 27, 1838, in Oberndorf am Neckar, Württemberg. His brother Wilhelm was four years older. Their father, Franz Andreas Mauser, was a gunsmith at the Württemberg Royal Armory. The factory was built in an Augustine cloister, a stout building ideal for arms production. Another son, Franz Mauser, travelled to America in 1853 with his sister and worked at E. Remington & Sons. Peter Paul was conscripted in 1859 as an artilleryman at the Ludwigsburg arsenal, where he worked as a gunsmith. Based on the Dreyse needle gun (Zündnadelgewehr), he developed a rifle with a turn-bolt mechanism that cocked the gun as it was manipulated by the user. The rifle initially used a firing needle; a later version used a firing pin and a rear-ignition cartridge. The rifle was shown to the Austrian War Ministry by Samuel Norris of E. Remington & Sons. Norris believed the design could be adapted to convert Chassepot needle guns to fire metallic cartridges. Shortly thereafter, a partnership was formed in Oberndorf between Norris and the Mauser brothers. The partners went to Liège in 1867, but when the French government showed no interest in a Chassepot conversion, the partnership was dissolved. Paul Mauser returned to Oberndorf in December 1869, and Wilhelm arrived in April 1870.
Albini_rifle
The Albini rifle (or Albini-Braendlin rifle) was a single-shot 11mm rifle adopted by Belgium in 1867. The action on the Albini rifle was designed by an Italian officer Augusto Albini and was perfected by an English gunsmith, Francis Braendlin. Initially, there were delays and problems with its delivery as the rifle seemed to have extractor issues and the Terssen rifle was adopted as a temporary measure. But once the problem was fixed and the availability of Albinis increased, Terssens were eventually withdrawn from service. The Albini rifles were eventually replaced by M1870 Belgian Comblain rifles beginning in the 1870s. The rifle was a front-hinged, forward lifting action that had a mechanism that worked together with the hammer-striker assembly to simultaneously lock and fire the rifle. The breech block itself houses longitudinal spring-loaded firing pin which is struck by a cylindrical striker, the back end of which is attached to the hammer via a screw through the hammer nose, and which passes longitudinally through the rear of the receiver behind the firing pin. When fired, the striker moves into the back of the breech block striking the firing pin and locking the block in place at ignition. Both striker and firing pin move in the same line as the rifle bore. Pulling the hammer back withdraws the striker from the breech block allowing it to be lifted on its pivot pin by means of a small fixed knob on the right side of the block.
M1870_Belgian_Comblain
The M1870 Belgian Comblain was a falling-block rifle invented by Hubert-Joseph Comblain of Liège, Belgium.
Hotchkiss_M1914
The Mle 1914 Hotchkiss machine gun chambered for the 8mm Lebel cartridge became the standard machine gun of the French Army during World War I. It was manufactured by the French arms company Hotchkiss et Cie, which had been established in the 1860s by American industrialist Benjamin B. Hotchkiss. The gas-actuated Hotchkiss system was first formulated in 1895 by Odkolek von Augeza and improved into its final form by Laurence Benet and Henri Mercie. The Mle 1914 was the last version of a series of nearly identical Hotchkiss designs : the Mle 1897, Mle 1900 and the Mle 1908. The heavy Mle 1914 Hotchkiss is not to be confused with the lighter Hotchkiss M1909 (the U.S. "Benet-Mercie" or the British Hotchkiss Mark I). At the beginning of World War I, the St. Etienne Mle 1907 was the standard machine gun of French infantry. However, due to inferior field performance by the St. Etienne, the Hotchkiss Mle 1914 became the French infantry standard in late 1917. The American Expeditionary Forces (A.E.F.) in France also used the Mle 1914 Hotchkiss extensively in 1917 and 1918. Hotchkiss heavy machine guns, some being of earlier types, were also used in combat by Japan, Chile, Mexico, Spain, Belgium, Brazil and Poland. The Hotchkiss machine gun, a sturdy and reliable weapon, remained in active service with the French army until the early 1940s. By the end of 1918, 47,000 Hotchkiss machine guns had already been delivered to the French army alone.
Hotchkiss_M1909_Benet-Mercie_machine_gun
The Hotchkiss M1909 machine gun was a French designed light machine gun of the early 20th century, developed and built by Hotchkiss et Cie. It was also known as the Hotchkiss Mark I and M1909 Benet-Mercie. It was adopted by the French army as the Hotchkiss M1909 (or Mle 1909) in 1909, firing the 8 mm Lebel. A variant to use the .303 round was produced in Britain as the "Hotchkiss Mark I" and manufactured by Enfield. The British army employed three different types of machine gun: the Vickers medium machine gun, the Hotchkiss for cavalry use and the Lewis Gun with the infantry. It was adopted by the US in 1909 as the "Benet-Mercie Machine Rifle, Caliber .30 U. S. Model of 1909" firing the .30-06 cartridge. The name comes from three sources: Hotchkiss, the name of the American Benjamin B. Hotchkiss who started the company in France; the two main designers, Lawrence Benet and Henri Mercie; and the US designation system at time which label arms with "Model of Year". Lawrence Benet was related to the former head of US Army Ordnance at the time of adoption. It is also known as the Hotchkiss M1909 and M1909 Benet-Mercie, but should not be confused with the heavier Hotchkiss M1914 machine gun. It was also used by other countries, including Belgium, Spain, Brazil and Australia.
Chauchat
The Chauchat (pronounced /ʃoʊˈʃɑː/, named after its main contributor Colonel Louis Chauchat), was the standard light machine gun of the French Army during World War I (1914–18). Under the leadership of General Joseph Joffre, it was commissioned into the French Army in 1916. It was also widely used by the US Army in 1917-1918 and by six other nations: Belgium, Greece, Poland, Russia, Serbia and Germany (who used captured examples) during and after World War I. Its formal designation in the French Army was Fusil mitrailleur Mle 1915 CSRG (Chauchat Sutter Ribeyrolles Gladiator). It was also more simply known as the FM Chauchat, CSRG and Gladiator. Relatively small and lightweight, the Chauchat significantly increased the firepower of the infantry offensive. Over 262,000 Chauchat machine rifles were manufactured, (for the most part chambered for the 8 mm Lebel service cartridge) thus making it the most widely-manufactured automatic weapon of World War I. A variant chambered to the US .30-06 cartridge is known as the CSRG M1918 but it soon proved to be unsatisfactory. Consequently, the French 8 mm Lebel Chauchat was the model almost exclusively used during 1917 and 1918 by the A.E.F (American Expeditionary Forces) while on the Western Front in France. In surviving official A.E.F. instruction manuals, the 8 mm Lebel Chauchat is designated "Automatic Rifle Model 1915 (Chauchat)". The Chauchat was one of the first light machine guns designed to be a mobile machine gun, carried and fired by a single operator and an assistant, without a heavy tripod or a team of gunners. It set a precedent for several subsequent 20th century firearm projects, being a portable automatic weapon built inexpensively and in very large numbers. The Chauchat combined a pistol grip, an in-line stock, a large-capacity detachable magazine, and selective-fire capability in a compact package of manageable weight (20 pounds) for a single soldier. Furthermore, it could be fired from the hip and while walking. In the muddy trenches of northern France, several operational problems came to light, caused by the economical construction which had been simplified to allow emergency mass production. These problems allowed for the ingress of dirt and were the cause of 2/3 of all stoppages. After the World War I, the French replaced the Chauchat as the standard light machine gun with the Mle 1924 and later with the Mle 1924/29 light machine gun. The A.E.F. in France eventually replaced it partially with the Browning Automatic Rifle, which appeared on the front lines of northern France in September 1918, barely two months before the Armistice of November 11. Over time the Chauchat's poor reputation in the trenches because of the mud, dirt, and humidity to which the weapon was unadapted have led some modern experts to describe it as the "worst machine gun" ever fielded in the history of warfare. Furthermore, the gun's overall reputation was also damaged by the less than acceptable performance of the Mle 1918 Chauchat, in US .30-06 caliber, a different model which had been specifically designed and manufactured for the A.E.F. in France during World War I.
Lewis_Gun
The Lewis Gun (or Lewis Automatic Machine Gun) is a World War I–era light machine gun of American design that was perfected and widely used by the British Empire. It was first used in combat in World War I, and continued in service with a number of armed forces through to the end of the Korean War. It is visually distinctive because of a wide tubular cooling shroud around the barrel and a top-mounted drum-pan magazine. It was commonly used as an aircraft machine gun, almost always with the cooling shroud removed, during both World Wars. The Lewis Gun was gas operated. A portion of the expanding propellant gas was tapped off from the barrel, driving a piston to the rear against a spring. The piston was fitted with a vertical post at its rear which rode in a helical cam track in the bolt, rotating it at the end of its travel nearest the breech. This allowed the three locking lugs at the rear of the bolt to engage in recesses in the gun's body to lock it into place. The post also carried a fixed firing pin, which protruded through an aperture in the front of the bolt, firing the next round at the foremost part of the piston's travel. The Lewis Gun utilised two different drum magazines, one holding 47 rounds, the other 97. Unlike other designs, the Lewis's drum was not wound against a spring but was mechanically driven by a cam on top of the bolt which operated a pawl mechanism via a lever. An interesting point of the design was that it did not use a traditional helical coiled spring, but used a spiral spring, much like a large clock spring, in a semicircular housing just in front of the trigger. The operating rod had a toothed underside, which engaged with a cog which wound the spring. When the gun fired, the bolt recoiled and the cog was turned, tightening the spring until the resistance of the spring had reached the recoil force of the bolt assembly. At that moment, as the gas pressure in the breech fell, the spring unwound, turning the cog, which, in turn, wound the operating rod forward for the next round. As with a clock spring, the Lewis Gun's recoil spring had an adjustment device to adjust the recoil resistance for variations in temperature and wear. Unusual as it seems, the Lewis design proved enduringly reliable, and was even copied by the Japanese and used extensively by them during World War II. The gun's cyclic rate of fire was approximately 500–600 rounds per minute. It weighed 28 lb (12.7 kg), only about half as much as a typical medium machine gun of the era, such as the Vickers, and was chosen in part because, being more portable than a heavy machine gun, it could be carried and used by a single soldier. BSA even produced at least one model (the "B.S.A. Light Infantry Pattern Lewis Gun", which lacked the aluminium barrel shroud and had a wooden foregrip) designed as a form of assault weapon.
M1895_Colt-Browning_machine_gun
The Colt-Browning M1895, nicknamed potato digger due to its unusual operating mechanism, is an air-cooled, belt-fed, gas-operated machine gun that fires from a closed bolt with a cyclic rate of 450 rounds per minute. Based on a John Moses Browning design dating to 1889, it was the first successful gas-operated machine gun to enter service. Filed for patent in 1892, the M1895's operating mechanism was one of Browning's early patents for automatic rifles; he had previously been working on lever action rifles for Winchester such as the Winchester 1886. The M1895 uses a unique operating mechanism, which is quite similar to that of a lever-action rifle. The earliest prototype developed by Browning in early 1889 was a .44 caliber black powder cartridge rifle, weighing under 12 pounds. Operation was via a lever located under the barrel, which operated the action when swung downwards. The lever was actuated by the muzzle blast operating upon it.
Browning_Auto-5
The Browning Automatic 5, most often Auto-5 or simply A-5, is a recoil-operated semi-automatic shotgun designed by John Browning. It was the first successful semi-automatic shotgun design, and remained in production until 1998. The name of the shotgun designates that it is an autoloader with a capacity of five shots, four in the magazine and one in the chamber. The Browning Auto-5 is a long-recoil operated semi-automatic shotgun. Shells are stored in a tubular magazine under the barrel. When a chambered shell is fired, the barrel and bolt recoil together (for a distance greater than the shell length) and re-cock the hammer. As the barrel returns forward to its initial position the bolt remains behind and thus the spent shell is ejected through a port on the top of the receiver. Then the bolt returns forward and feeds another shell from the magazine into the action. This type of long recoil action was the first of its kind and patented in 1900 by John Browning. To load the weapon, shells are fed into the bottom of the action, where they are pushed into the tubular magazine. Most A-5s have removable plugs in the magazine which prevent more than three shells from being loaded (two in the magazine, plus one in the chamber) to comply with U.S. Federal migratory waterfowl laws, as well as some state hunting regulations. With the plug removed, the total capacity is five rounds. If the chamber is open (the operating handle is drawn back) the first shell loaded into the magazine tube will go directly into the chamber (there is an automatic bolt closing button under the ejection port), the bolt then closes, and all further shells fed into the gun go into the magazine. The A-5 has a system of friction rings that control the rate of recoil. Setting these rings correctly is vital to good shotgun performance and to ensure a long life to the weapon, by controlling excessive recoil. The friction rings are set based on the type of load to be fired through the gun. Different settings can be found in the owner's manual. The Browning Auto-5 was the first mass-produced semiautomatic shotgun. Designed by John Browning in 1898 and patented in 1900, it was produced continually for almost 100 years by several makers with production ending in 1998. It features a distinctive high rear end, earning it the nickname "Humpback". The top of the action goes straight back on a level with the barrel before cutting down sharply towards the buttstock. This distinctive feature makes it easy to identify A-5s from a distance. A-5s were produced in a variety of gauges, with 12 and 20 predominating; 16 gauge (not produced between 1976 and 1987) models were also available. The gun saw military service worldwide between World War I and the Vietnam War.
Webley_Revolver
The Webley Revolver (also known as the Webley Break-Top Revolver or Webley Self-Extracting Revolver) was, in various marks, the standard issue service pistol for the armed forces of the United Kingdom, the British Empire, and the Commonwealth from 1887 until 1963. The Webley is a top-break revolver with automatic extraction. That is, breaking the revolver open for reloading also operates the extractor. This removes the spent cartridges from the cylinder. The Webley Mk I service revolver was adopted in 1887. A later version, the Mk IV, rose to prominence during the Boer War of 1899–1902. However, the Mk VI, introduced in 1915 during the First World War, is perhaps the best-known model. Firing the large .455 Webley cartridge, Webley service revolvers are among the most powerful top-break revolvers ever produced. Although the .455 calibre Webley is no longer in military service, the .38/200 Webley Mk IV variant is still in use as a police sidearm in a number of countries. Webley & Scott immediately tendered the .38/200 calibre Webley Mk IV revolver, which as well as being nearly identical in appearance to the .455 calibre Mk VI revolver (albeit scaled down for the smaller cartridge), was based on their .38 calibre Webley Mk III pistol, designed for the police and civilian markets. Much to their surprise, the British Government took the design to the Royal Small Arms Factory at Enfield Lock, which came up with a revolver that was externally very similar looking to the .38/200 calibre Webley Mk IV, but was internally different enough that no parts from the Webley could be used in the Enfield and vice-versa. The Enfield-designed pistol was quickly accepted under the designation Revolver, No. 2 Mk I, and was adopted in 1932, followed in 1938 by the Mk I* (spurless hammer, double action only), and finally the Mk I** (simplified for wartime production) in 1942.
Webley Self-Loading .455” Mark I
Webley's first autoloading pistol was an experimental pistol in .45 caliber produced in 1903; mass production began in 1906 with the .32 ACP (7.65 mm) model. This pistol had a 3.5" barrel and an 8-round magazine. A .25 (6.35 mm) version had a 3-inch barrel and a 6-round magazine. Ultimately pistols were produced in a range of bores from .22 inch to .455 inch, and included 9 mm models. Webley self-loaders were simple, single-action blowback pistols, designed by William Whiting. Production ceased in 1940. In 1905, Webley had presented an auto-loading pistol for testing by the Small Arms Committee (SAC), a British military group charged with organizing trials and making recommendations of arms to the War Office. The SAC, which had begun testing automatics in 1900, was unimpressed by Webley's offering, preferring foreign automatics including the Colt. However no automatic was recommended over contemporary service revolvers, which were all Webleys at the time, and trials would continue until 1913. In 1910 Webley offered a new automatic for testing, and in 1911 the Webley Self-Loading .455” Mark I was recommended by both the SAC and the Chief Inspector of Small Arms (CISA.) This pistol was adopted by the Royal Navy in early 1912 as the first automatic pistol officially in British service. Later the pistol was also adopted by the Royal Horse Artillery and was issued to members of the Royal Flying Corps. The Webley&Scott pistol self-loading .455” had a 7-round magazine. It was a no small pistol, rugged and accurate at short range, but also heavy with an awkward grip angle. It was prone to jamming throughout most of its service career, owing largely to its cordite ammunition, which left residue that fouled the close tolerances of its diagonally locking breech. The problem was officially resolved in 1941 with the introduction of the Mark Iz (nitrocellulose) cartridge. The first examples of the pistol had the safety on left side of the hammer, but later models moved the safety to the left side of the frame, where it could also lock the slide. A grip safety was provided on the military models. The pistol had dual ejectors. The slide stop was activated by the absence of a cartridge in the feedway, not by the magazine follower as in most automatics. A drift-adjustable rear sight had range-hashmarks in micrometers. Although never officially adopted by the British Army, Webley self-loaders were widely used as a substitute-standard or personal weapons by British and Commonwealth forces in both World Wars. Versions were also marketed to colonial military and police forces and were widely adopted. The M1906 Webley & Scott .32 ACP Self Loading Pistol was adopted by the London Metropolitan Police in 1911, and is sometimes referred to as the Webley MP for this reason. It officially replaced the bulldog revolvers then in use following the infamous Siege of Sidney Street in 1911.
Here is a complete list:
Allied states: Belgium (including Belgian colonial forces) British Empire Australia British crown colonies Canada India New Zealand Newfoundland South Africa United Kingdom of Great Britain & Ireland France (including French colonial forces) Kingdom of Greece (May 1917 and after) Kingdom of Italy (April 1915 and after) Empire of Japan Kingdom of Montenegro Portugal (March 1916 and after) (including Portuguese colonial forces) Kingdom of Romania (August 1916-May 1918) Russian Empire (until November 1917) Kingdom of Serbia United States of America (April 1917 and after) Albania Andorra Armenia (May 1918 and after) Bolivia (April 1917 and after) Brazil (October 1917 and after) China (August 1917 and after) Costa Rica (May 1918 and after) Cuba (April 1917 and after) Czechoslovakia Ecuador (December 1917 and after) Guatemala (April 1918 and after) Liberia (August 1917 and after) Haiti (July 1918 and after) Honduras (July 1918 and after) Nicaragua (May 1918 and after) Panama (December 1917 and after) Peru (October 1917 and after) San Marino (June 1915 and after) Siam (July 1917 and after) Uruguay (October 1917 and after)
Central Powers: Austro-Hungarian Empire (Austria, Hungary, and parts of the Balkan states, Bosnia, Hertzegovnia, Serbia, part of Montenegro ,and others) Bulgaria German Empire Germany and its states, as well as member states and colonies of its empire in Africa, Asia and the Pacific.) Ottoman Empire (Turkey and its empire).
M1870_Gasser
M1870 Gasser was a revolver chambered for 11.2x29.5mm and was adopted by the Austro-Hungarian Cavalry in 1870. It was an open-frame model, with the barrel unit attached to the frame by a screw beneath the cylinder arbor. The arbor pin was screwed into the barrel unit and fitted into a recess in the standing breech. The cylinder was gate-loaded from the right side, and a rod ejector was carried beneath the barrel. A unique safety bar will usually be found on the right of the frame, below the cylinder. This carries pins which pass through holes in the frame to engage the lock mechanism. Slightly retracting the hammer allows one of these pins to move inward, preventing the hammer moving forward again when released. The pistol can thereafter be carried safely when loaded. Pressure on the trigger withdraws the pin from the path of the hammer before firing. The M1870 Gasser became the Austro-Hungarian cavalry revolver. It chambered an 11.2mm centerfire cartridge usually called the '11mm Montenegrin', a long cartridge which had earlier been used in Fruwirth carbines.
Roth-Steyr_M1907
The Roth-Steyr M1907, or, more accurately Roth-Krnka M.7 was a semi-automatic pistol issued to the Austro-Hungarian Kaiserliche und Koenigliche Armee cavalry during World War I. It was the first adoption of semi-automatic service pistol by the land army of a major power. Roth-Steyr pistol fires from an unusual style of locked breech. The bolt is very long. Its rear end is solid, except for a sleeve for the striker, but its front part is hollow and fits tightly over the barrel. The interior of the bolt has cam grooves cut into it, and the barrel has studs which fit into the grooves. When the pistol is fired, the barrel and bolt recoil together within the hollow receiver for about 0.5 inch. During this operation, the grooves in the bolt cause the barrel to turn 90 degrees, after which it is held while the bolt continued to the rear, cocking the action as it does so. For safety with intended use by mounted cavalry, the pistol has a heavy trigger pull against the firing striker spring similar to a hammerless revolver.[3 The Roth-Steyr is a locked-breech pistol, which allows the barrel and bolt to recoil together within a hollow receiver. It is chambered for a cartridge specific to this model. The Roth-Steyr does not have a detachable magazine, but features a fixed magazine loaded from the top with stripper clips. The sights are fixed, the grips are wooden and terminate in a lanyard ring. Rifling is 4 grooves with right-hand twist.
Rast-Gasser_M1898
The Rast & Gasser Model 1898 was a service revolver used by the Austro-Hungarian Army during World War I and various armies in World War II. The Rast-Gasser's featured some new elements of revolver design, as well as older elements already obsolete at the time of its manufacture. A solid-frame double-action revolver, it had a loading-gate through which individual cartridges are loaded, and extracted individually by an extractor rod. The firing pin was located on a transfer piece on the frame of the revolver rather than the hammer, an advancement at the time. Its ammunition is similar to but not interchangeable with that of the 8 mm French Ord. The cylinder could be removed by pulling down on the trigger guard and withdrawing the axis pin/ejector rod.
Steyr_Mannlicher_M1894
The M1894 Steyr Mannlicher blow-forward, semi-automatic pistol was an early semi-automatic pistol. The earliest Steyr Mannlicher pistol, manufactured by FAB.D'ARMES Neuhausen, Switzerland, was designed to be self loading and to use a special rimmed cartridge in 6.5 mm caliber. The design represented an entirely new utilization of mechanical principles in automatic action called "blow-forward action". In the standard type of automatic action for low powered cartridges, the recoil (or blow-back) is utilized to drive back a movable breech face or block, but Mannlicher utilized the principle of a rigid standing breech with the barrel blowing forward to extract, eject, and prepare for reloading. A special barrel housing which carries the sight covers the entire length of the barrel (6.49 in/165 mm) when the arm is closed. A heavy recoil spring is mounted concentrically around the barrel within this housing and is compressed between a shoulder at the forward end of the casing and a shoulder at the rear of the barrel. An unusual element in this design is a three-armed "barrel-holding lever". It is pivoted above the trigger as shown in the drawing from page 188, Mannlicher Rifles and Pistols, Smith, 1947. Its bottom arm engages with the trigger. The forward arm holds the barrel forward for loading. The rear arm serves as a hammer catch.
Steyr_Mannlicher_M1901
The M1901 Mannlicher Self-Loading, Semi-Automatic Pistol was an early semi-automatic pistol design. This pistol is one of the most simple of blow-back semi-automatic pistols ever designed. The lockwork is essentially that of an elementary single action revolver. While technically listed as a 'hesitation' lock because of a delaying cam which has some theoretical tendency to slow down the opening of the breech, in actual practice it functions as an unlocked pistol. According to the Steyr factory records this arm, patented in 1898, was originally introduced as the "Model 1900" and used a special 8 mm cartridge. When introduced commercially in 1901 it was chambered for a special straight-case cartridge listed in Austria as "7.63 mm Mannlicher", designated in Germany as "7.65 mm Mannlicher", and described in the U.S. as "7.65 x 21 mm". The Mannlicher "straight sided" cartridge actually has a straight taper to help in extraction. The cartridge for this pistol was manufactured in Europe until the beginning of WWII. The cartridge has a bullet weighing approx. 85 grains (5.5 g) which may be steel or cupro-nickel jacketed. The powder charge varies with the type of powder used, the European standard being about 3.5 grains (227 mg) of DWM standard powder, producing a muzzle velocity in the neighborhood of 1070 ft/s (326 m/s).
Steyr_M1912
The Steyr M1912 was developed in 1911 by the Austrian firm Steyr Mannlicher by Karl Krnka, based on the mechanism of the Roth-Steyr M1907. It was developed for the Austro-Hungarian Army and adopted in 1912 as the M1912. It was in service in a limited capacity for the Wehrmacht until the end of World War II. The Steyr M1912 is usually known as the Steyr-Hahn (Steyr-Hammer). Ostensibly this is because of its external hammer but contemporary designs and indeed earlier Steyr designs also used an external hammer, so this is open to debate. The M1912 was originally chambered for the 9mm Steyr round, but after the annexation of Austria by Germany in 1938 the M1912 was taken into Wehrmacht service and about 60,000 were rechambered in 9mm Parabellum and remained in service until the end of the war.
Mannlicher-Schnauer
The Mannlicher-Schönauer (sometimes Anglicized as "Mannlicher Schoenauer," Hellenized as Τυφέκιον Μάνλιχερ or Όπλον Μάνλιχερ-Σενάουερ) is a type of rotary magazine bolt action rifle produced by Steyr-Mannlicher for the Greek Army in 1903 and later was also used in small numbers by the Austro-Hungarian Armies. The Mannlicher-Schönauer rifle was one of these novel designs. The rifle action was designed by Ferdinand Mannlicher and the rotary magazine by his protegee Otto Schönauer of the Österreichische Waffenfabriksgesellschaft (Austrian Arms-Manufacturing Company; now Steyr Mannlicher). Interestingly, while the more famous Mannlicher M1895 had a straight pull bolt, the bolt of the Mannlicher-Schönauer has a rotating action, more reminiscent of the competing Mauser design. At first sight many confuse it with a Mauser rifle, due to the similar bolt and handguards. The Mannlicher-Schönauer may be identified by the split in the rear of the receiver which allows the bolt handle to pass through. The characteristic that sets this design apart from others of the era though was the innovative Schönauer rotating spool magazine. This rifle should not be confused with its more widely manufactured cousin, the Steyr-Mannlicher M1895, or with the so-called Mannlicher-Carcano, made infamous in the assassination of President John F. Kennedy, by Lee Harvey Oswald. However, the ballistics and penetration of the 6.5×52mm Carcano cartridge loaded with the 160 grain full metal jacketed 6.5mm bullet in the rifle used by Oswald are essentially identical to that of the big game hunters using the same bullet with the 6.5×54mm Mannlicher-Schönauer.
Steyr-Mannlicher_M1895
The Steyr-Mannlicher M1895 rifle is a bolt-action rifle, designed by Ferdinand Ritter von Mannlicher that used a refined version of his revolutionary straight-pull action. It was nicknamed the "Ruck-Zuck" ("right now" or "very quick") by Landsers (German slang for "troops"). It was initially adopted and employed by the Austro-Hungarian army throughout World War I, and retained post-war by both the Austrian and Hungarian armies. The main foreign user was Bulgaria, which, starting in 1903, acquired large numbers and continued using them throughout both world wars. Numbers of these rifles also saw use in World War II, particularly by second line, reservist, and partisan units in Romania, Yugoslavia, Italy and to lesser degree, Germany. Post war many were sold as cheap surplus, with some finding their way to the hands of African guerrillas in the 1970s, and many more being exported to the US as sporting and collectible arms. The M1895 is unusual in employing a straight-pull bolt action, as opposed to the more common rotating bolt-handle of other rifles. It consequently renowned for combining a high rate of fire (around 35 rounds per minute) with reliability and sturdiness, although this requires decent care and maintenance with an extractor that is vulnerable to breakage due to a lack of primary extraction. The weapon was issued with a ten-inch blade knife bayonet that was unusual in that the edge faced upwards when mounted on the rifle. The M1895 was originally chambered in the 8×50mmR Mannlicher cartridge. Between the World Wars, both Austria and Hungary converted the majority of their rifles to fire the more powerful 8×56mmR round. Greece and Yugoslavia converted at least some of their captured M1895s to 7.92×57mm Mauser, fed by stripper clips instead of the original model's en bloc clip system. This conversion was designated M95/24 in Greece and M95M in Yugoslavia. The M95/24 is often mistakenly attributed to Bulgaria, but 8x57mm IS was never a standard caliber of the Bulgarian military. These conversions are prized by collectors for their relative scarcity and chambering in a commonly available round, but suffer from a fragile extractor and a lack of replacement parts.
Mannlicher-Schonauer
In the late 19th century, the classic Mannlicher designs for the Austro-Hungarian army were based on the en-bloc magazine, a straight-pull bolt mechanism and were designed for obsolete large caliber cartridges. Following the introduction of smokeless powder in the Lebel rifle at the end of the Century, the Steyr factory worked on new Mannlicher designs, using more effective modern cartridges. These were offered for the consideration of the Austro-Hungarian Army, for export to other Armies and for the civilian market.The Mannlicher-Schönauer rifle was one of these novel designs. The rifle action was designed by Ferdinand Mannlicher and the rotary magazine by his protegee Otto Schönauer of the Österreichische Waffenfabriksgesellschaft (Austrian Arms-Manufacturing Company; now Steyr Mannlicher). Interestingly, while the more famous Mannlicher M1895 had a straight pull bolt, the bolt of the Mannlicher-Schönauer has a rotating action, more reminiscent of the competing Mauser design. At first sight many confuse it with a Mauser rifle, due to the similar bolt and handguards. The Mannlicher-Schönauer may be identified by the split in the rear of the receiver which allows the bolt handle to pass through. The characteristic that sets this design apart from others of the era though was the innovative Schönauer rotating spool magazine.The original design, introduced at the World Fair as the Model 1900, allowed the development of either service or sport versions depending on market response. While small sporting concerns, such as William Evans of London purchased actions for their rifles, only the Greek Army expressed interest in the design for military use. Their specifications may have dictated some of the rifle's characteristics. The Greek Army requested two main versions, one long rifle of 1230mm length and a carbine of 950mm length for use by cavalry and non-infantry troops. Both types were termed Model 1903. The weight was around 3.75 kg, the magazine capacity was 5 rounds and was fed by a strip system. The 6.5×54mm MS cartridge had traits of a hunting round; even though it had a projectile with a rounded point, it was ballistically efficient, improving accuracy at moderate ranges. The rotary magazine contributed to the smooth feeding and high rate of fire without jamming. The rifle was manufactured to high a standard and was made with tight tolerances, raising costs but improving reliability and durability. The 1903 Mannlicher-Schönauer carbine's light recoil, familiar iron sights - similar to those of the Mannlicher M1895 graduated up to 2000m - and its quick-handling properties brought it wide-spread praise.
Mondragon_rifle
The Mondragón was a Mexican battle rifle and the world's first automatic rifle. It was designed by Mexican general Manuel Mondragón and was the first fully automatic firearm able to be operated by a single rifleman. Mondragón began his work in 1882 and patented the weapon in 1887. It was gas-operated with a cylinder and piston arrangement, now very familiar but unusual at the time, and rotating bolt, locked by lugs in helical grooves in the receiver; it was also possible to operate it as a simple straight-pull bolt action. The caliber was 7mm (.284 in) Mauser and the rifle was available with either an 8-round or 20-round box magazine, or a 100-round drum magazine (for variants produced after 1910).The Mondragón rifle was known for its stopping power and for being very accurate when used as a semiautomatic firearm but suffered from high recoil and poor accuracy when fired on full automatic. In 1910, a light machine gun variant with a heavier barrel and a redesigned mechanism to improve full automatic accuracy[citation needed] coupled to a 100-round drum was manufactured for the Mexican military. The Mexican Army improved the light machine gun variant of the Mondragón up until 1943, when it was replaced with the Mendoza M-1943 general purpose infantry machine gun.The first versions of the rifle had trouble working in muddy and moist environments, German troops using the Mondragón rifle in Western Europe had difficulties with the rifle jamming while used in trench warfare. Although they did not function well in the thick moist mud and dirt of Central Europe, they proved to work well in hot and arid climates such as the North of Mexico. This meant the Mondragón did not have a problem with dirt trapped inside, instead having more of a problem with moisture, as it would still work well with dry sand and dust in its mechanism, although the Mexican manufactured models fixed this problem with slight improvements to the firing mechanism and the barrel.
Gewehr_88
The Gewehr 88 (commonly called the Model 1888 Commission Rifle) was a late 19th century German bolt-action rifle, adopted in 1888. The invention of smokeless powder in the late 19th century immediately rendered all of the large-bore black powder rifles then in use obsolete. To keep pace with the French (who had adopted smokeless powder "small bore" ammunition for their Lebel Model 1886 rifle) the Germans adopted the Gewehr 88 using its own new M/88 cartridge, which was also designed by the German Rifle Commission. The rifle was one of many weapons in the arms race between the Germanic states and France, and with Europe in general. There was also a carbine version, the Karabiner 88. Later models were updated (Gewehr 88/05 and Gewehr 88/14) and would go on to serve in World War I to a limited degree. Unlike many of the rifles before and after, it was not developed by Mauser but the Arms Commission, and Mauser was one of the few major arms manufacturers in Germany that did not produce Gewehr 88s. In 1886, fifteen years after their defeat by German forces in the Franco-Prussian War, the French Army introduced the new Lebel magazine rifle firing an (8 mm) high-velocity projectile. This made Germany’s rifle, the Mauser Model 1871, obsolete due to its large and slow 11 mm round. The practical result was that the French rifle had greater accuracy and range, giving French troops a tactical advantage over the German Army. In response the German Army’s Rifle Testing Commission developed the Gewehr 88 which was adopted for service in 1888. For this reason the Gewehr 88 is also known as the "Commission rifle," or "Reichsgewehr". The Commission Rifle's bolt action design was a modified Mannlicher action with a few Mauser features, but it is incorrect to call it a "Mauser." The barrel design and rifling were virtually copied from the French Lebel. The rifle has an odd appearance as the entire barrel is encased in a sheet metal tube for protection, but with the tube removed the rifle looks rather modern. This tube was intended to increase accuracy by preventing the barrel from directly contacting the stock, but in practice it increased the risk of rust by providing a space for water to be trapped if the rifle was exposed to harsh conditions. The Karabiner 88 utilized a different bolt handle, which resembled those found on commercial sporting rifles.
M1867_Werndl-Holub
The M1867 Werndl-Holub was a single-shot breechloading rifle adopted by the Austro-Hungarian army in 1867. It replaced the breechloader-conversion Wanzl rifle. The rifle was designed and patented by Josef Werndl (1831-1889) and Karel Holub (1830-1903); Werndl later bought out all the rights. It was produced by Steyrwerks, and chambered for the 11mm scharfe Patrone M.67 (11.15x42R) cartridge. In 1877 they were rechambered for the bottleneck 11mm scharfe Patrone M.77 (11.15x58mmR) cartridge. In spite of being long obsolete at the time, Werndl rifles were issued to rear-echelon units of the Austro-Hungarian forces during World War I to free up more modern rifles for use by front-line troops.
Girandoni Air Rifle
The Girandoni Air Rifle was an airgun designed by Tyrolian inventor Bartholomäus Girandoni circa 1779. The weapon was also known as the Windbüchse ("wind rifle" in German).The Girandoni air rifle was in service with the Austrian army from 1780 to around 1815. The advantages of a high rate of fire, no smoke from propellants, and low muzzle report granted it initial acceptance, but it was eventually removed from service for several reasons. While the detachable air reservoir was capable of around 30 shots it took nearly 1500 strokes of a hand pump to fill those reservoirs. Later, a wagon-mounted pump was provided. The reservoirs themselves, made from hammered sheet iron held together with rivets and sealed by brazing, proved very difficult to manufacture using the techniques of the period and were always in short supply. In addition, the weapon was very delicate and a small break could make it inoperable. Finally, it was very different from any other weapon of the time and any soldier using it needed to be highly trained. The Lewis and Clark Expedition used the rifle in the demonstrations that they performed for nearly every Native American tribe they encountered on the expedition.The rifle was 4 ft (1.2 m) long and weighed 10 lbs (4.5 kg), about the same basic size and weight as other muskets of the time. It fired a .46 caliber ball at a velocity similar to that of a modern .45 ACP and it had a tubular, gravity-fed magazine with a capacity of 20 balls. This gravity operated design was such that the rifle had to be pointed upwards in order to drop each ball into the breech block. Unlike its contemporary, muzzle-loading muskets, which required the rifleman to stand up to reload with powder and ball, the shooter could reload a ball from the magazine by holding the rifle vertically while laying on his back and operating the ball delivery mechanism. The rifleman then could roll back into position to fire, allowing the rifleman to keep a "low profile". Contemporary regulations of 1788 required that each rifleman, in addition to the rifle itself, be equipped with three compressed air reservoirs (two spare and one attached to the rifle), cleaning stick, hand pump, lead ladle, and 100 lead balls, 1 in the chamber, 21 in the magazine built into the rifle and the remaining 80 in four tin tubes. Equipment not carried attached to the rifle was held in a special leather knapsack. It was also necessary to keep the leather gaskets of the reservoir moist in order to maintain a good seal and prevent leakage. The air reservoir was in the club-shaped butt. With a full air reservoir, the Girandoni air rifle had the capacity to shoot 30 shots at useful pressure. These balls were effective to approximately 150 yards on a full load. The power declined as the air reservoir was emptied.
Salvator-Dormus_M1893
The Salvator-Dormus M1893 also known as Skoda M1893 was a heavy machine gun of Austro-Hungarian origin. It was patented by Archduke Karl Salvator of Austria and Count George von Dormus and was manufactured by Skoda Works Plzeň. The Salvator-Dormus was chambered in the 8x50mmR round fed from an overhead magazine and was water-cooled with an oil lubrication device. There was also a pendulum adjustment in the trigger mechanism that allowed the operator to select the cyclic rate of fire, anywhere from 180 to 250 rounds per minute. The M1893 was cheaper than the Maxim gun but was gradually replaced by the Schwarzlose MG M.07/12. The M1893 machine guns were mounted aboard the SMS Zenta during the successful defence of the Austro-Hungarian Embassy in Peiking.
Schwarzlose_MG_M.07/12
The Maschinengewehr Patent Schwarzlose M.07/12 (Known as the O' seven twelve) was a medium machine-gun, and was used as a standard issue firearm in the Austro-Hungarian Army throughout World War I. It was also used by the Dutch, Greek and Hungarian armies during World War II. It was also routinely issued to Italian colonial troops, alongside the Steyr-Mannlicher M1895 rifle. The Schwarzlose M.07 was a water-cooled, belt-fed weapon designed by a German named Andreas Wilhelm Schwarzlose. It was usually mounted on a tripod and looked broadly similar to the family of Maxim-derived machine-guns such as the British Vickers and the German Maschinengewehr 08. The Schwarzlose, however, was of simpler design and featured an unusual, delayed blowback mechanism which contained only a single spring. The initial variants of the M.07/12 had a cyclic rate of about 400 rounds/m, but this was later increased to 580 rounds/m during World War I by fitting the mechanism with a stronger spring. The Schwarzlose was a robust and reliable weapon in its intended role as an infantry weapon, but unlike the highly adaptable Maxim-derived machine guns, met with less success when it was used in roles it had not been designed for. The Schwarzlose enjoyed moderate export success in the years leading up to World War I. Apart from the armies of the Austro-Hungarian empire (8 mm caliber) it was adopted by the armies of Greece (6.5 mm caliber), the Netherlands (6.5 mm caliber) and Sweden (using the 6.5x55mm cartridge and designated kulspruta m/1914). After the First World War the Schwarzlose continued in use with the new nations that emerged from the fragments of the Austro-Hungarian empire. Captured examples of the Schwarzlose saw some sporadic use by Russian and Italian units during the First World War. During World War II captured Schwarzlose machine guns of various types saw service with second line units of the Nazi German army, especially during the desperate fighting that took place in the final phases of that conflict.
Skoda_M1909_machine_gun
The Skoda M1909 is a Machine gun of Austro-Hungarian (Czech) origin and was manufactured by the Škoda Works in Plzeň. Although it was unable to compete with the more reliable Schwarzlose m/07, it was used in the same period, albeit mostly with reserve and home guard battalions within the Austro-Hungarian armed forces. The M1909 is a delayed-blowback water cooled belt fed medium machine gun, chambered in the 8x56mm round. As with all delayed blowback operated mechanisms chambered for powerful cartridges it suffers from relatively poor performance compared to recoil operated guns such as the Maxim.
MG_08
The Maschinengewehr 08, or MG08, was the German Army's standard machine gun in World War I and is an adoption of Hiram S. Maxim's original 1884 Maxim Gun. It was produced in a number of variants during the war. The MG 08 remained in service until the outbreak of World War II due to shortages of its successors, the MG 13 Dreyse and the MG34. It was retired from front-line service by 1942.The Maschinengewehr 08 (or MG08)—so-named after 1908, its year of adoption—was a development of the license made Maschinengewehr 01. It could reach a firing rate of up to 400 rounds per minute using 250-round fabric belts of 7.9mm ammunition, although sustained firing would lead to overheating; it was water-cooled using a jacket around the barrel that held approximately one gallon. Using a separate attachment sight with range calculator for indirect fire, the MG08 could be operated from cover. Additional telescopic sights were also developed and used in quantity during the war.The MG08, like the Maxim Gun, operated on the basis of short barrel recoil and a toggle lock; once cocked and fired the MG08 would continue firing rounds until the trigger was released (or until all available ammunition was expended). Its practical range was estimated at some 2,000 metres (2,200 yd) up to an extreme range of 3,600 metres (3,900 yd). The MG08 was mounted on a sled mount (German: Schlitten) that was ferried between locations either on carts or else carried above men's shoulders in the manner of a stretcher.
Madsen_machine_gun
The Madsen was a light machine gun developed by Julius A. Rasmussen and Theodor Schoubue and proposed for adoption by Captain Vilhelm Herman Oluf Madsen, the Danish Minister of War and adopted by the Danish Army in 1902. It was one of the first true light machine guns produced in quantity and sold to over 34 different countries worldwide in 12 different calibres, seeing extensive combat use in various conflicts around the globe for over 100 years. The Madsen was produced by Compagnie Madsen A/S (later operating as Dansk Rekyl Riffel Syndikat A/S and then Dansk Industri Syndikat A/S). The Madsen has a rather sophisticated and uncommon operating cycle not used in any other crew-served weapon. The machine gun uses a mixed recoil-operated locking system with a hinged bolt that is patterned after the lever-action Peabody Martini breechblock. The recoil operation is part short and part long recoil. After firing a round, the initial recoil impulse drives the barrel, barrel extension, and bolt to the rear. A pin on the right side of the bolt moves backward in grooves in an operating cam plate mounted to the right side of the receiver. After 12.7 mm (0.5 in) of travel, the bolt is cammed upward, away from the breech (the "short" portion of the recoil system). The barrel and barrel extension continue to move rearward to a point slightly exceeding the combined overall length of the cartridge case and projectile (the long portion of the recoil system, responsible for the weapon's low rate of fire). After the breech is exposed, an odd lever-type extractor/ejector, mounted under the barrel, is pivoted to the rear, extracting the empty case and ejecting it through the bottom of the receiver. The bolt's operating cam then forces the bolt face to pivot downward, aligning a cartridge feed groove in the left side of the bolt with the chamber. While the bolt and barrel are returning forward, a cartridge-rammer lever, mounted on the barrel extension, is pivoted forward, loading a fresh cartridge.
Kleinflammenwerfer
The first German man-portable flamethrower was called the Kleinflammenwerfer (small flamethrower) or "Kleif". Fuel was stored in a large vertical, cylindrical backpack container. High-pressure propellant was stored in another, smaller container attached to the fuel tank. A long hose connected the fuel tank to a lance tube with an igniting device at the nozzle. The propellant forced the fuel through the hose and out of the nozzle at high speed when a valve was opened. The igniting device at the nozzle set fire to the fuel as it sprayed out. The flamethrower was operated by two soldiers, one carrying the fuel and propellant tanks, another wielding the lance. Wex, a replacement for the Kleif, was introduced in 1917 after the third battle of Ypres. This was created by and developed by Richard Fiedler, alongside the Grossflammenwefer, which was a larger flamethrower.
Flammenwerfer_M.16.
The Flammenwerfer M.16. was a flamethrower used by German infantry during World War I for clearing trenches and killing riflemen. It was used in 1918 in the battle of Argonne Forest in France against Allied forces. The Flammenwerfer M.16 was the first flamethrower ever. The Nazis in the 1940s created the sequel, the Flammenwerfer 35. German riflemen would usually be behind flamethrower carrying infantry. The flamethrowers would kill enemy infantry, helping the riflemen move in. The flamethrower was manufactured in the same year as the MP18 submachine gun.
8_cm_Luftminenwerfer_M_15
The 8 cm Luftminenwerfer M 15 (Pneumatic trench mortar) was a light mortar used by Austria-Hungary in World War I. It was designed by the 58th Infantry Division and the first twenty were built in the division's workshops. Later production was contracted out to Vereinigte Elektrische Maschinen A. G. in Budapest. It used the breakable screw method to retain the bomb in place until the air pressure in the chamber was strong enough to break the screw. Grooves of different depths could be used to vary the range. It was sometimes referred to as the Roka-Halasz system.
9_cm_Minenwerfer_M_14
The 9 cm Minenwerfer M 14 (Trench mortar) was a light mortar used by Austria-Hungary in World War I. It was designed by the Army's own Technisches und Administratives Militär-Komitee (TMK) in an effort to quickly satisfy the demand from the front for a light mortar. It had a number of issues with its ammunition, namely the black powder used as a propellant gave off copious smoke clouds on firing that revealed the tube's location and the mortar bomb fuzes had a high rate of failure. The breech-loading mortar tube was mounted on a framework that didn't allow for any traverse, which meant that it was impossible to engage different targets without relaying the mortar. In turn the frame was mounted a rectangular firing platform. The M 14/16 had a circular platform to provide traverse and weighed only 65 kilograms (140 lb). A later model allowed the mounting to be collapsed for ease of transport. A new M 16 mortar bomb that used the German Poppenberg fuze system generally cured the dud problem, but it still used black powder as its propellant. This was a severe tactical disadvantage and it was decided to purchase replacement mortars from the German firm of Heinrich Lanz from 1917.
9_cm_Minenwerfer_M_17
The 9 cm Minenwerfer M 17 (Trench mortar) was a medium mortar used by Austria-Hungary in World War I. It was developed by the Hungarian Gun Factory to meet a competition held on 3 October 1917 to replace both of the earlier light mortars, the M 14/16 and the Lanz. Production was slow to ramp up and only ten weapons could be delivered in January 1918. The first large deliveries were made in March 1918, but the raw materials crisis and strained production facilities hindered the TMK's plan to produce 2730 mortars by October 1918. It was a breech-loading smooth-bore weapon that used a shotgun-like break-action to open the breech. This was arranged so that the barrel returned to the proper elevation to speed up the rate of fire. The carriage was mounted on a small metal rectangular firing platform with four carrying handles that permitted some amount of traverse.
10.5_cm_Luftminenwerfer_M_15
The 10.5 cm Luftminenwerfer M 15 (Pneumatic Trench Mortar) was a medium mortar used by Austria-Hungary in World War I. It was developed by the German firm of Ehrhardt & Sehmer. It was a rigid-recoil, muzzle-loading mortar on a fixed base that used compressed air to propel the mortar bomb to the target. Each cylinder of compressed air lasted for fifteen shots. A notable advantage was that the mortar had no firing signature, unlike conventional mortars with smoke and muzzle flash. A batch of 25 mortars, 250 cylinders of compressed air and 10,000 complete bombs (i.e. with fuses) was ordered on 31 July 1915 for combat evaluation, but the manufacturer was unable to deliver the mortar bombs. They had to be manufactured by the Army itself. A slightly improved model was offered by Ehrhardt & Sehmer at the end of March 1916, but it was rejected because of the poor range of the ammunition and the difficulty in procuring it. Ten trench mortar platoons, each with two weapons, were formed and deployed in February 1916, mainly to the Russian theater.
12_cm_Minenwerfer_M_15
The 12 cm Minenwerfer M 15 (Trench mortar) was a medium mortar used by Austria-Hungary in World War I. It was designed by the Army's own Technisches und Administratives Militär-Komitee (TMK) as an enlarged 9 cm Minenwerfer M 14 in 1915. The War Ministry decided to order 50 from the TMK, but the latter preferred only to produce 10 and switch the remaining 40 to the 14 cm Minenwerfer M 15, but no response was made by the Ministry. The TMZ placed an order for the 10 mortars from Teudloff & Dittrich in Vienna at the end of 1915. A follow on order for another hundred was canceled in February 1916.
12_cm_Luftminenwerfer_M_16
The 12 cm Luftminenwerfer M 16 (Pneumatic trench mortar) was a medium mortar used by Austria-Hungary in World War I. It was developed by Austria Metal Works in Brno from their earlier, rejected, 8 cm project. It was a rigid-recoil, smooth-bore, breech-loading design that had to be levered around to aim at new targets. It was very simple in that the shell closed the top of the chamber and was retained by a "gripper" until the air pressure was deemed sufficient and the gripper was manually released, which fired the weapon. An additional barrel could be fitted to extend the range. A cylinder of compressed air was good for eleven shots. After an evaluation on 23 November 1915 it was deemed superior to the German designs already in service (10.5 cm Luftminenwerfer M 15 and 15 cm Luftminenwerfer M 15 M. E.) in range and accuracy and a batch of 100 mortars and 50,000 bombs was ordered at the beginning of 1916. Some 280 were at the front by the end of 1916 and 930 by the end of 1917. In addition to Austria Metal Works it was produced by Brand & L'Huillier and the machine factory at Brno-Köningsfeld. Some improvements must have been made over the course of the production run because late-war documents refer to the original design as the M 16a (alte?), but what exactly was changed is unknown.
14_cm_Minenwerfer_M_15
The 14 cm Minenwerfer M 15 was a medium mortar used by Austria-Hungary in World War I. It was developed by Škoda Works as an alternative to a German design from Rheinische Metallwarenfabrik/Ehrhardt for which ammunition could not be procured. It was a rigid-recoil, rifled, muzzle-loading weapon that had to be levered around to aim at new targets. It was lifted onto a two-wheel cart for transport. The M 16 version added a central barrel ring and cutouts on the side of the carriage. Rotation within the barrel was improved, greatly increasing accuracy. It weighed an extra 20 kilograms (44 lb), but had a maximum range of 1,080 metres (1,180 yd). Its transport cart was also improved. The first batch of 100 mortars was ordered in May 1915 and a second batch in spring 1916, but deliveries were slow; only 88 of the second batch could be sent to the front by May 1916. A third batch of 300 was ordered in November 1916, but production was such that only 30 had been delivered by the spring of 1917.
15_cm_Luftminenwerfer_M_15_M._E.
The 15 cm Luftminenwerfer M 15 M. E. (Pneumatic Trench Mortar Maschinenfabrik Esslingen) was a medium mortar used by Austria-Hungary in World War I. It was developed by the German firm Maschinenfabrik Esslingen in response to a German requirement. Its initial testing was observed by an Austro-Hungarian representative and his positive report convinced them to order a batch of five for comparative testing. It was evaluated on 21 September 1915 and it produced the right impression. Nonetheless four weapons were sent off for combat trials at the end of October 1915, which were presumably favorable. The barrel was mounted on a central pivot attached to a base plate, apparently with 360° of traverse. A single cylinder of compressed air was good for twelve shots. The Model II incorporated minor improvements suggested by both the Austrians and German pioneer troops and was evaluated at the end of 1915. It was deemed satisfactory and another hundred were ordered. However, they were soon made obsolete by the better performance of the 12 cm Luftminenwerfer M 16 and shelved before the production run was finished.
FN_M1903
The FN Model 1903 (M1903, FN Mle 1903 or FN Ml 1903), or Browning No.2 was a self-loading semi-automatic pistol engineered by John Browning and made by Belgian arms manufacturer Fabrique Nationale (FN). It was introduced in 1903 and fired the 9 x 20 mm SR Browning Long cartridge. It should not be confused with the US-made Colt Model 1903 Pocket Hammerless (in .32 ACP), nor with the Colt Model 1903 Pocket Hammer (in .38 ACP), although they are based on the same mechanical design, which Browning sold to both companies (and others as well). Due to its reliability, accuracy, light weight, and quick reloading, the M1903 was an issued sidearm for many police forces and militaries. FN requested John Browning to prepare a prototype in 1901. FN manufactured a few samples for Norway and Sweden to consider as military weapons. Norway opted for the Colt M1911 pistol, but Sweden ordered 10,000 pistols (designated m/1907) as standard military sidearms in 1907. The Ottoman Empire ordered 8,000 pistols for police use between 1908 and 1914, and the Russian Empire ordered approximately 11,000 with detachable shoulder stock holsters for their police forces during the same time period. An additional 9,000 pistols were sold commercially before production was discontinued when the FN factory was overrun by troops from the German Empire in August 1914. FN requested John Browning to prepare a prototype in 1901. FN manufactured a few samples for Norway and Sweden to consider as military weapons. Norway opted for the Colt M1911 pistol, but Sweden ordered 10,000 pistols (designated m/1907) as standard military sidearms in 1907. The Ottoman Empire ordered 8,000 pistols for police use between 1908 and 1914, and the Russian Empire ordered approximately 11,000 with detachable shoulder stock holsters for their police forces during the same time period. An additional 9,000 pistols were sold commercially before production was discontinued when the FN factory was overrun by troops from the German Empire in August 1914.
FN_Browning_M1910
The FN Model 1910 is a blowback-operated, semi-automatic pistol designed by John Browning and manufactured by Fabrique Nationale of Belgium. The FN Model 1910 was a departure for Browning. Before, his designs were produced by both FN in Europe and Colt Firearms in the United States. Since Colt did not want to produce it, Browning chose to patent and produce this design in Europe only. Introduced in 1910, this pistol used a novel operating spring location surrounding the barrel. This location became the standard in such future weapons as the Walther PPK and Russian Makarov. It incorporated the standard Browning striker-firing mechanism and a grip safety along with a magazine safety and an external safety lever (known as the "triple safety") in a compact package. Offered in both .380 ACP (6-round magazine) and .32 ACP (7-round magazine) calibers (with the ability to switch calibers by changing only the barrel), it remained in production until 1983. An FN M1910, serial number 19074, chambered in .32 ACP (the others were 19075, 19120 and 19126 purchased for the Black Hand members) was the handgun used by Gavrilo Princip to assassinate Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria in Sarajevo on June 28, 1914, precipitating the First World War. A variant of the Model 1910 was known variously as the Model 1922 or 1910/22. This was a larger model with a longer barrel (113 mm), slide extension, and a longer grip frame to accommodate an extra two rounds. This model was aimed at military and police contracts and many examples were produced for various agencies. The FN Model 1910/1922 was initially designed for Yugoslavia. 1910/1922 pistols went on to see extensive service in World War Two, and continued to be manufactured by the Germans after their occupation of Belgium and seizure of the FN factory. These examples carry Nazi production stamps, and most have simple checkered wood grips instead of the earlier horn or plastic grips bearing the FN logo. The FN Model 1910/1922 was also used by the following countries: Yugoslavia, Holland, Greece, Turkey, Romania, France, Finland, Denmark, and West Germany in the post war period.
Nagant_M1895
nt M1895 Revolver is a seven-shot, gas-seal revolver designed and produced by Belgian industrialist Léon Nagant for the Russian Empire. The Nagant M1895 was chambered for a proprietary cartridge, 7.62x38R, and featured an unusual "gas-seal" system, in which the cylinder moved forward when the gun was cocked, to close the gap between the cylinder and the barrel, providing a boost to the muzzle velocity of the fired projectile and allowing the weapon to be suppressed (an unusual ability for a revolver). Other Nagant revolver designs were also adopted by police and military services of Sweden (7.5 mm M1887), Norway (M1893), Poland, and Greece (Περίστροφον M1895). These revolvers were largely similar to the Russian Nagant M1895, but lacked the gas seal mechanism. Léon Nagant and his brother Émile were well known in the Russian Tsar's court and military administration because of the important part they had played in the design of the Russian service rifle Mosin-Nagant Model 1891. The Nagant M1895 became the standard issue side arm for Russian army and police officers, later for Red Army and Soviet law enforcements. Production began in Liège, Belgium, but was soon moved to Russia. The M1895 started to be replaced by the more modern Tokarev semi-automatic pistol in 1933, but was still produced and used in great numbers during World War II. Despite being supplemented after 1930 by the Tokarev, it was never fully replaced until the arrival of the Makarov pistol in 1952. The distinctive shape and name helped it achieve cult status in Russia and in the early 1930s the presentation of a Nagant M1895 revolver with an embossed Red Star was one of the greatest honours that could be bestowed on a Party Member. The common Russian name for the revolver, наган (nagan) became synonymous with the concept of the revolver in general and was applied to such weapons regardless of actual make or model. It remains in use with the Russian Railways and remote police forces.
Ruby_pistol
The self-loading Ruby pistol is best known as a French World War I sidearm, the Pistolet Automatique de 7 millim.65 genre "Ruby". A very international piece of weaponry, it was closely modeled after the American John Browning's M1903 made by the Belgian Fabrique Nationale de Herstal, and was produced by over 50 Spanish companies, but primarily by the Spanish Gabilondo y Urresti firm (the official "Gabilondo Ruby"). In 1914, just before the start of the First World War, Gabilondo started manufacture of a sturdy self-loading pistol based on the Browning Model 1903 and chambered for the 7.65mm Browning/.32 ACP cartridge. Unusually for the time, the magazine capacity was nine shots instead of the usual six or seven. The pistol was intended for export to the Americas, and despite the small calibre was designed with military and police sales in mind. Other Spanish manufacturers had copied the Browning since around 1905. The Ruby, apart from the extended magazine appears to be a direct copy of a pistol called the "Victoria" made by Esperanza and Unceta. This pistol used features patented by Pedro Careaga in 1911, and by the Esperanza and Unceta company in 1912. These patents may have covered the frame-mounted safety (instead of a grip safety), and an internal striker (instead of a hammer). In 1915 Gabilondo sent examples of the pistols to the French government, who were hard-pressed for all sorts of small-arms, even in this early stage of the war. After testing was completed in May 1915, the French decided to accept the Ruby as the "Pistolet Automatique de 7 millimètre 65 genre "Ruby" and contracted Gabilondo to produce 10,000 pistols a month. By August the target had been raised to 30,000 and later still an incredible 50,000 a month. Despite its size, the company could barely cope with the initial contract and arranged for four partners to manufacture the Ruby for them. The contract stipulated that each company would produce a minimum of 5,000 pistols per month. Gabilondo would produce 10,000 guns, carry out overall quality control and arrange delivery to the French authorities in Bayonne. As the number of pistols required increased the company agreed to purchase any pistols in excess of the agreed number at the same contracted price. As demand increased Gabilondo recruited another three partners to help manufacture the Ruby. Estimates of Gabilondo Ruby production are between 250,000 and 300,000 pistols in total. While most Gabilondo contract pistols were of good quality, others were less well made.
Colt_Model_1903_Pocket_Hammerless
The Colt Model 1903 Pocket Hammerless is .32 ACP caliber, self-loading, semi-automatic pistol designed by John Browning and built by Colt Patent Firearms Manufacturing Company of Hartford, Connecticut. The Colt Model 1908 Pocket Hammerless is a variant introduced five years later in .380 ACP caliber. Despite the title 'Hammerless', the Model 1903 does have a hammer. It is covered and hidden from view under the rear of the slide. This allowed the weapon to be carried in and withdrawn from a pocket quickly and smoothly without snagging. These pistols were popular civilian firearms for much of their life, and also served as United States General Officer pistols from the 1940s until their replacement by the M15 General Officers pistol in the 1970s. The Office of Strategic Services issued the Model 1903 to its officers during World War II.The Shanghai Municipal Police issued the M1908 to it's Chinese officers in the 1920's and 1930's and it was a popular back-up/off-duty model with police officers in the United States. In addition to lawful owners, many gangsters of the pre-World War II era favored the Model 1903 and Model 1908 because they were relatively small and easily concealed. It is said that Al Capone kept one in his coat pocket and Bonnie Parker used one to break Clyde Barrow out of jail after smuggling it into the jail by taping it to her thigh. Bank Robber, John Dillinger was carrying this model of pistol when he was shot by FBI agents outside the Biograph theater on July 22, 1934. Note: There was also a Colt Model 1903 Pocket Hammer pistol in .38 ACP, but this design is unrelated. The FN Model 1903 pistol design is related to the Colt Pocket Hammerless, but it is physically larger due to its chambering in 9 × 20 mm SR. As noted above, this pistol was still actually fired by action of a hammer striking and driving a firing pin into a center-fire cartridge's primer. The hammer was covered by the rear of the slide. The "hammerless" designation was merely an advertising designation pointing out the pistol's particular suitability for concealed carry. Special features include a serrated slide to prevent slippage during manual cycling of the slide, and two safety mechanisms (a grip safety and a manual safety). The grip safety is a spring loaded piece making up the back strap of the pistol. The grip safety, though not solely restricted to them, was a typical feature of Colt automatic pistols. A magazine safety was added on later models; this feature prevents the pistol from being fired with a round in the chamber and the magazine removed.
Mauser#Models_89.2F90.2F91_and_Experimental_Model_92
Mauser was a German arms manufacturer of a line of bolt action rifles and pistols from the 1870s to 1995. Mauser designs were built for the German armed forces. Since the late 19th and early 20th centuries, military Mauser designs were also exported and licenced to a number of countries, as well as being a popular civilian firearm. Mauser continued to make sporting and hunting rifles in the late 20th century. In 1995 the company became a subsidiary of Rheinmetall called Mauser-Werke Oberndorf Waffensysteme GmbH, before being merged in 2004 into Rheinmetall Waffe Munition Gmbh. A division of the original company, Mauser Jagdwaffen GmbH, was split off and merged in 2000 with SIGARMS; it continues making rifles. The Mauser name has also been licenced by other companies. Peter Paul Mauser, often referred to as Paul Mauser, was born on June 27, 1838, in Oberndorf am Neckar, Württemberg. His brother Wilhelm was four years older. Their father, Franz Andreas Mauser, was a gunsmith at the Württemberg Royal Armory. The factory was built in an Augustine cloister, a stout building ideal for arms production. Another son, Franz Mauser, travelled to America in 1853 with his sister and worked at E. Remington & Sons. Peter Paul was conscripted in 1859 as an artilleryman at the Ludwigsburg arsenal, where he worked as a gunsmith. Based on the Dreyse needle gun (Zündnadelgewehr), he developed a rifle with a turn-bolt mechanism that cocked the gun as it was manipulated by the user. The rifle initially used a firing needle; a later version used a firing pin and a rear-ignition cartridge. The rifle was shown to the Austrian War Ministry by Samuel Norris of E. Remington & Sons. Norris believed the design could be adapted to convert Chassepot needle guns to fire metallic cartridges. Shortly thereafter, a partnership was formed in Oberndorf between Norris and the Mauser brothers. The partners went to Liège in 1867, but when the French government showed no interest in a Chassepot conversion, the partnership was dissolved. Paul Mauser returned to Oberndorf in December 1869, and Wilhelm arrived in April 1870.
Albini_rifle
The Albini rifle (or Albini-Braendlin rifle) was a single-shot 11mm rifle adopted by Belgium in 1867. The action on the Albini rifle was designed by an Italian officer Augusto Albini and was perfected by an English gunsmith, Francis Braendlin. Initially, there were delays and problems with its delivery as the rifle seemed to have extractor issues and the Terssen rifle was adopted as a temporary measure. But once the problem was fixed and the availability of Albinis increased, Terssens were eventually withdrawn from service. The Albini rifles were eventually replaced by M1870 Belgian Comblain rifles beginning in the 1870s. The rifle was a front-hinged, forward lifting action that had a mechanism that worked together with the hammer-striker assembly to simultaneously lock and fire the rifle. The breech block itself houses longitudinal spring-loaded firing pin which is struck by a cylindrical striker, the back end of which is attached to the hammer via a screw through the hammer nose, and which passes longitudinally through the rear of the receiver behind the firing pin. When fired, the striker moves into the back of the breech block striking the firing pin and locking the block in place at ignition. Both striker and firing pin move in the same line as the rifle bore. Pulling the hammer back withdraws the striker from the breech block allowing it to be lifted on its pivot pin by means of a small fixed knob on the right side of the block.
M1870_Belgian_Comblain
The M1870 Belgian Comblain was a falling-block rifle invented by Hubert-Joseph Comblain of Liège, Belgium.
Hotchkiss_M1914
The Mle 1914 Hotchkiss machine gun chambered for the 8mm Lebel cartridge became the standard machine gun of the French Army during World War I. It was manufactured by the French arms company Hotchkiss et Cie, which had been established in the 1860s by American industrialist Benjamin B. Hotchkiss. The gas-actuated Hotchkiss system was first formulated in 1895 by Odkolek von Augeza and improved into its final form by Laurence Benet and Henri Mercie. The Mle 1914 was the last version of a series of nearly identical Hotchkiss designs : the Mle 1897, Mle 1900 and the Mle 1908. The heavy Mle 1914 Hotchkiss is not to be confused with the lighter Hotchkiss M1909 (the U.S. "Benet-Mercie" or the British Hotchkiss Mark I). At the beginning of World War I, the St. Etienne Mle 1907 was the standard machine gun of French infantry. However, due to inferior field performance by the St. Etienne, the Hotchkiss Mle 1914 became the French infantry standard in late 1917. The American Expeditionary Forces (A.E.F.) in France also used the Mle 1914 Hotchkiss extensively in 1917 and 1918. Hotchkiss heavy machine guns, some being of earlier types, were also used in combat by Japan, Chile, Mexico, Spain, Belgium, Brazil and Poland. The Hotchkiss machine gun, a sturdy and reliable weapon, remained in active service with the French army until the early 1940s. By the end of 1918, 47,000 Hotchkiss machine guns had already been delivered to the French army alone.
Hotchkiss_M1909_Benet-Mercie_machine_gun
The Hotchkiss M1909 machine gun was a French designed light machine gun of the early 20th century, developed and built by Hotchkiss et Cie. It was also known as the Hotchkiss Mark I and M1909 Benet-Mercie. It was adopted by the French army as the Hotchkiss M1909 (or Mle 1909) in 1909, firing the 8 mm Lebel. A variant to use the .303 round was produced in Britain as the "Hotchkiss Mark I" and manufactured by Enfield. The British army employed three different types of machine gun: the Vickers medium machine gun, the Hotchkiss for cavalry use and the Lewis Gun with the infantry. It was adopted by the US in 1909 as the "Benet-Mercie Machine Rifle, Caliber .30 U. S. Model of 1909" firing the .30-06 cartridge. The name comes from three sources: Hotchkiss, the name of the American Benjamin B. Hotchkiss who started the company in France; the two main designers, Lawrence Benet and Henri Mercie; and the US designation system at time which label arms with "Model of Year". Lawrence Benet was related to the former head of US Army Ordnance at the time of adoption. It is also known as the Hotchkiss M1909 and M1909 Benet-Mercie, but should not be confused with the heavier Hotchkiss M1914 machine gun. It was also used by other countries, including Belgium, Spain, Brazil and Australia.
Chauchat
The Chauchat (pronounced /ʃoʊˈʃɑː/, named after its main contributor Colonel Louis Chauchat), was the standard light machine gun of the French Army during World War I (1914–18). Under the leadership of General Joseph Joffre, it was commissioned into the French Army in 1916. It was also widely used by the US Army in 1917-1918 and by six other nations: Belgium, Greece, Poland, Russia, Serbia and Germany (who used captured examples) during and after World War I. Its formal designation in the French Army was Fusil mitrailleur Mle 1915 CSRG (Chauchat Sutter Ribeyrolles Gladiator). It was also more simply known as the FM Chauchat, CSRG and Gladiator. Relatively small and lightweight, the Chauchat significantly increased the firepower of the infantry offensive. Over 262,000 Chauchat machine rifles were manufactured, (for the most part chambered for the 8 mm Lebel service cartridge) thus making it the most widely-manufactured automatic weapon of World War I. A variant chambered to the US .30-06 cartridge is known as the CSRG M1918 but it soon proved to be unsatisfactory. Consequently, the French 8 mm Lebel Chauchat was the model almost exclusively used during 1917 and 1918 by the A.E.F (American Expeditionary Forces) while on the Western Front in France. In surviving official A.E.F. instruction manuals, the 8 mm Lebel Chauchat is designated "Automatic Rifle Model 1915 (Chauchat)". The Chauchat was one of the first light machine guns designed to be a mobile machine gun, carried and fired by a single operator and an assistant, without a heavy tripod or a team of gunners. It set a precedent for several subsequent 20th century firearm projects, being a portable automatic weapon built inexpensively and in very large numbers. The Chauchat combined a pistol grip, an in-line stock, a large-capacity detachable magazine, and selective-fire capability in a compact package of manageable weight (20 pounds) for a single soldier. Furthermore, it could be fired from the hip and while walking. In the muddy trenches of northern France, several operational problems came to light, caused by the economical construction which had been simplified to allow emergency mass production. These problems allowed for the ingress of dirt and were the cause of 2/3 of all stoppages. After the World War I, the French replaced the Chauchat as the standard light machine gun with the Mle 1924 and later with the Mle 1924/29 light machine gun. The A.E.F. in France eventually replaced it partially with the Browning Automatic Rifle, which appeared on the front lines of northern France in September 1918, barely two months before the Armistice of November 11. Over time the Chauchat's poor reputation in the trenches because of the mud, dirt, and humidity to which the weapon was unadapted have led some modern experts to describe it as the "worst machine gun" ever fielded in the history of warfare. Furthermore, the gun's overall reputation was also damaged by the less than acceptable performance of the Mle 1918 Chauchat, in US .30-06 caliber, a different model which had been specifically designed and manufactured for the A.E.F. in France during World War I.
Lewis_Gun
The Lewis Gun (or Lewis Automatic Machine Gun) is a World War I–era light machine gun of American design that was perfected and widely used by the British Empire. It was first used in combat in World War I, and continued in service with a number of armed forces through to the end of the Korean War. It is visually distinctive because of a wide tubular cooling shroud around the barrel and a top-mounted drum-pan magazine. It was commonly used as an aircraft machine gun, almost always with the cooling shroud removed, during both World Wars. The Lewis Gun was gas operated. A portion of the expanding propellant gas was tapped off from the barrel, driving a piston to the rear against a spring. The piston was fitted with a vertical post at its rear which rode in a helical cam track in the bolt, rotating it at the end of its travel nearest the breech. This allowed the three locking lugs at the rear of the bolt to engage in recesses in the gun's body to lock it into place. The post also carried a fixed firing pin, which protruded through an aperture in the front of the bolt, firing the next round at the foremost part of the piston's travel. The Lewis Gun utilised two different drum magazines, one holding 47 rounds, the other 97. Unlike other designs, the Lewis's drum was not wound against a spring but was mechanically driven by a cam on top of the bolt which operated a pawl mechanism via a lever. An interesting point of the design was that it did not use a traditional helical coiled spring, but used a spiral spring, much like a large clock spring, in a semicircular housing just in front of the trigger. The operating rod had a toothed underside, which engaged with a cog which wound the spring. When the gun fired, the bolt recoiled and the cog was turned, tightening the spring until the resistance of the spring had reached the recoil force of the bolt assembly. At that moment, as the gas pressure in the breech fell, the spring unwound, turning the cog, which, in turn, wound the operating rod forward for the next round. As with a clock spring, the Lewis Gun's recoil spring had an adjustment device to adjust the recoil resistance for variations in temperature and wear. Unusual as it seems, the Lewis design proved enduringly reliable, and was even copied by the Japanese and used extensively by them during World War II. The gun's cyclic rate of fire was approximately 500–600 rounds per minute. It weighed 28 lb (12.7 kg), only about half as much as a typical medium machine gun of the era, such as the Vickers, and was chosen in part because, being more portable than a heavy machine gun, it could be carried and used by a single soldier. BSA even produced at least one model (the "B.S.A. Light Infantry Pattern Lewis Gun", which lacked the aluminium barrel shroud and had a wooden foregrip) designed as a form of assault weapon.
M1895_Colt-Browning_machine_gun
The Colt-Browning M1895, nicknamed potato digger due to its unusual operating mechanism, is an air-cooled, belt-fed, gas-operated machine gun that fires from a closed bolt with a cyclic rate of 450 rounds per minute. Based on a John Moses Browning design dating to 1889, it was the first successful gas-operated machine gun to enter service. Filed for patent in 1892, the M1895's operating mechanism was one of Browning's early patents for automatic rifles; he had previously been working on lever action rifles for Winchester such as the Winchester 1886. The M1895 uses a unique operating mechanism, which is quite similar to that of a lever-action rifle. The earliest prototype developed by Browning in early 1889 was a .44 caliber black powder cartridge rifle, weighing under 12 pounds. Operation was via a lever located under the barrel, which operated the action when swung downwards. The lever was actuated by the muzzle blast operating upon it.
Browning_Auto-5
The Browning Automatic 5, most often Auto-5 or simply A-5, is a recoil-operated semi-automatic shotgun designed by John Browning. It was the first successful semi-automatic shotgun design, and remained in production until 1998. The name of the shotgun designates that it is an autoloader with a capacity of five shots, four in the magazine and one in the chamber. The Browning Auto-5 is a long-recoil operated semi-automatic shotgun. Shells are stored in a tubular magazine under the barrel. When a chambered shell is fired, the barrel and bolt recoil together (for a distance greater than the shell length) and re-cock the hammer. As the barrel returns forward to its initial position the bolt remains behind and thus the spent shell is ejected through a port on the top of the receiver. Then the bolt returns forward and feeds another shell from the magazine into the action. This type of long recoil action was the first of its kind and patented in 1900 by John Browning. To load the weapon, shells are fed into the bottom of the action, where they are pushed into the tubular magazine. Most A-5s have removable plugs in the magazine which prevent more than three shells from being loaded (two in the magazine, plus one in the chamber) to comply with U.S. Federal migratory waterfowl laws, as well as some state hunting regulations. With the plug removed, the total capacity is five rounds. If the chamber is open (the operating handle is drawn back) the first shell loaded into the magazine tube will go directly into the chamber (there is an automatic bolt closing button under the ejection port), the bolt then closes, and all further shells fed into the gun go into the magazine. The A-5 has a system of friction rings that control the rate of recoil. Setting these rings correctly is vital to good shotgun performance and to ensure a long life to the weapon, by controlling excessive recoil. The friction rings are set based on the type of load to be fired through the gun. Different settings can be found in the owner's manual. The Browning Auto-5 was the first mass-produced semiautomatic shotgun. Designed by John Browning in 1898 and patented in 1900, it was produced continually for almost 100 years by several makers with production ending in 1998. It features a distinctive high rear end, earning it the nickname "Humpback". The top of the action goes straight back on a level with the barrel before cutting down sharply towards the buttstock. This distinctive feature makes it easy to identify A-5s from a distance. A-5s were produced in a variety of gauges, with 12 and 20 predominating; 16 gauge (not produced between 1976 and 1987) models were also available. The gun saw military service worldwide between World War I and the Vietnam War.
Webley_Revolver
The Webley Revolver (also known as the Webley Break-Top Revolver or Webley Self-Extracting Revolver) was, in various marks, the standard issue service pistol for the armed forces of the United Kingdom, the British Empire, and the Commonwealth from 1887 until 1963. The Webley is a top-break revolver with automatic extraction. That is, breaking the revolver open for reloading also operates the extractor. This removes the spent cartridges from the cylinder. The Webley Mk I service revolver was adopted in 1887. A later version, the Mk IV, rose to prominence during the Boer War of 1899–1902. However, the Mk VI, introduced in 1915 during the First World War, is perhaps the best-known model. Firing the large .455 Webley cartridge, Webley service revolvers are among the most powerful top-break revolvers ever produced. Although the .455 calibre Webley is no longer in military service, the .38/200 Webley Mk IV variant is still in use as a police sidearm in a number of countries. Webley & Scott immediately tendered the .38/200 calibre Webley Mk IV revolver, which as well as being nearly identical in appearance to the .455 calibre Mk VI revolver (albeit scaled down for the smaller cartridge), was based on their .38 calibre Webley Mk III pistol, designed for the police and civilian markets. Much to their surprise, the British Government took the design to the Royal Small Arms Factory at Enfield Lock, which came up with a revolver that was externally very similar looking to the .38/200 calibre Webley Mk IV, but was internally different enough that no parts from the Webley could be used in the Enfield and vice-versa. The Enfield-designed pistol was quickly accepted under the designation Revolver, No. 2 Mk I, and was adopted in 1932, followed in 1938 by the Mk I* (spurless hammer, double action only), and finally the Mk I** (simplified for wartime production) in 1942.
Webley Self-Loading .455” Mark I
Webley's first autoloading pistol was an experimental pistol in .45 caliber produced in 1903; mass production began in 1906 with the .32 ACP (7.65 mm) model. This pistol had a 3.5" barrel and an 8-round magazine. A .25 (6.35 mm) version had a 3-inch barrel and a 6-round magazine. Ultimately pistols were produced in a range of bores from .22 inch to .455 inch, and included 9 mm models. Webley self-loaders were simple, single-action blowback pistols, designed by William Whiting. Production ceased in 1940. In 1905, Webley had presented an auto-loading pistol for testing by the Small Arms Committee (SAC), a British military group charged with organizing trials and making recommendations of arms to the War Office. The SAC, which had begun testing automatics in 1900, was unimpressed by Webley's offering, preferring foreign automatics including the Colt. However no automatic was recommended over contemporary service revolvers, which were all Webleys at the time, and trials would continue until 1913. In 1910 Webley offered a new automatic for testing, and in 1911 the Webley Self-Loading .455” Mark I was recommended by both the SAC and the Chief Inspector of Small Arms (CISA.) This pistol was adopted by the Royal Navy in early 1912 as the first automatic pistol officially in British service. Later the pistol was also adopted by the Royal Horse Artillery and was issued to members of the Royal Flying Corps. The Webley&Scott pistol self-loading .455” had a 7-round magazine. It was a no small pistol, rugged and accurate at short range, but also heavy with an awkward grip angle. It was prone to jamming throughout most of its service career, owing largely to its cordite ammunition, which left residue that fouled the close tolerances of its diagonally locking breech. The problem was officially resolved in 1941 with the introduction of the Mark Iz (nitrocellulose) cartridge. The first examples of the pistol had the safety on left side of the hammer, but later models moved the safety to the left side of the frame, where it could also lock the slide. A grip safety was provided on the military models. The pistol had dual ejectors. The slide stop was activated by the absence of a cartridge in the feedway, not by the magazine follower as in most automatics. A drift-adjustable rear sight had range-hashmarks in micrometers. Although never officially adopted by the British Army, Webley self-loaders were widely used as a substitute-standard or personal weapons by British and Commonwealth forces in both World Wars. Versions were also marketed to colonial military and police forces and were widely adopted. The M1906 Webley & Scott .32 ACP Self Loading Pistol was adopted by the London Metropolitan Police in 1911, and is sometimes referred to as the Webley MP for this reason. It officially replaced the bulldog revolvers then in use following the infamous Siege of Sidney Street in 1911.