German military rifles
The evolution of German military rifles is a history of common and diverse paths followed by the separate German states, until the mid-19th century when Prussia emerged as the dominant state within Germany and the nation was unified. This article discusses rifled shoulder arms developed in or for the military of the states that later became Germany; it excludes firearms of the Austrian Empire, except where they were used substantially by German troops.
There was also a period in the late 20th century when Germany was again divided and the two nations had separate armies and weapons, in "Cold War" opposition. The various rifles used during this period are displayed here, identified by either East German or West German usage.
Early ''Jäger'' rifles
were a type of soldier, a form of light infantry, first named by the Landgrave of Hesse when he formed such a unit from his foresters and huntsmen in 1631. Huntsmen and foresters recruited in certain German states were an established presence in German military units. They were often of middle-class backgrounds or belonged to the lesser nobility. These troops were primarily used for reconnaissance, skirmishing or screening bodies of heavier troops. Since they owned their own weapons there was little standardization, and the early rifles were generally designed for hunting. Jäger were not just skilled riflemen; they were also able to handle and maintain delicate, accurate rifles in an age when very few soldiers had mechanical skills.''Jäger'' rifles (late 18th century)
By the late 18th century, these rifles had evolved to being shorter than earlier hunting weapons and were generally shorter than the typical military musket, with no provision for a bayonet. The shorter weapon was easier to load and more practical in skirmish combat. However, there was some loss of accuracy, and the shorter barrel used the powder charges less efficiently.Jäger rifles typically had a length around, with a barrel, and weighed around. Frequently there was a scrolled brass trigger guard to provide a better grip and a raised cheek-rest for support when aiming. Most rifles had a butt-trap or patch box about six inches long for storing greased linen patches and tools. The patch box lids were generally brass and were hinged at the rear. Most of these rifles were the personal property of the soldier and could vary substantially in design and decoration.
The Jäger rifle concept was adopted by other nations including Britain, which imported German Jäger rifles for use by skirmishers and marksmen. Many of these were Hanoverian and when Britain standardized with its Pattern 1776 rifle, it was essentially a copy of a Jäger style from Hanover. Hessian mercenary troops who fought for the British in the US Revolution included Jäger rifle units.
1810 ''Neue Korps-Jägerbüchse'' (Prussia)
During the early 19th century, Prussia began to standardize its military rifle. In 1810, as part of its strenuous effort to rebuild its army after the defeat at Jena-Auerstadt, the state officially adopted its first standard rifle, which was a combination of preferred features from previous weapons. It had a 28½".58 caliber tapered and flared barrel, offering good balance. This was the only flintlock military rifle of a major military power to use set triggers, and was the first German rifle that could be fitted with a bayonet.As with most early military rifles used by European forces, they were not designed to supplant the smooth bore musket, but meant to be a complementary weapon used by special units including light infantry, skirmishers, and snipers.
1811 ''Kavalleriebüchse'' (Prussia)
The 1811 Prussian Cavalry Rifle was almost completely redesigned: it was a new pattern featuring a new lock and hardware. It had a 17" octagonal barrel firing a.60 caliber bullet, but was changed to a round barrel in 1823.1835 ''Neue Korps-Jägerbüchse'' (Prussia)
In 1835, the Germans converted most of the 1810 rifles to percussion and adopted a nipple safety, which is an arm that covers the percussion cap to prevent accidental discharge. This was also known as the Potsdam rifle. The barrel length is inches in.60 caliber.Dreyse Needle Gun 1848 (Prussia)
The Dreyse needle-gun was a military breechloading rifle, famous as the arm of the Prussians, who adopted it for service in 1848 as the Prussian Model 1848. Its name comes from its needle-like firing pin, which passed through the cartridge case to detonate a percussion cap at the base of the bullet. The Dreyse rifle was also the first breech-loading rifle to use a bolt-action to open and close the chamber.The gun was the invention of the gunsmith Johann Nikolaus von Dreyse, who, beginning in 1824, had conducted multiple experiments, and in 1836 produced the complete needle-gun. From 1848 onward the gun was gradually introduced into Prussian service, then later into the military forces of many other German states. The employment of the needle gun radically changed military tactics in the 19th century.
The needle gun first made its appearance in street fighting during the May Uprising in Dresden in 1849. It also played an important role in the Danish–German War of 1864. The gun saw its heaviest use in the Austro-Prussian War of 1866 and the Franco-Prussian War of 1870–71. Because the breech-loader made it possible for a Prussian soldier to fire five shots, even while lying on the ground, in the time that it took his Austrian counterpart to fire one, it was seen as allowing the Prussians to sweep the field.
The cartridge used with this rifle consisted of the paper case, the bullet, the priming cap and the black-powder charge. The 15.4 mm bullet was shaped like an acorn, with the broader end forming a point. It was glued in a paper case known as a Sabot. Between this inner lining and the outer case was the powder charge, consisting of 4.8 g of black powder. The upper end of the paper case was rolled up and bound together before the needle could strike the primer that was attached to the base of the bullet; its point then passed through the powder and hit the primer ahead. The theory behind this placement of the primer is that it would give more complete combustion of the charge.
In practice the needle-gun proved to have numerous deficiencies: its effective range varied a great deal, a significant amount of gas escaped at the breech when the rifle was fired, and a paper cartridge was used. An improved model, giving greater muzzle velocity and increased speed in loading, was introduced, but this was soon replaced by the Mauser rifle.
M1854 ''Jäger'' rifle (Bavaria)
This percussion weapon combines French and German features with a browned barrel and a rear sight with windage adjustment. It is long, with a.69 caliber barrel. This is among the last military designs prior to adopting the Minie type ammunition.''Vereinsgewehr'' 1856 (Württemberg, Baden, and Hessen)
This rifle was based on a Swiss pattern using Minie ammunition in.54 caliber. It was long, with a barrel. Most of these weapons were made in Liege or in the Württemberg state-run factory in Oberndorf.M1858 ''Jäger'' rifle (Bavaria)
This is a refinement of the Bavarian M1854 adopting Minie type ammunition and using simplified sights.M1858 Podewils gun (Bavaria)
The Podewils gun was a 13.9mm calibre rifle used in the Bavarian army since 1858. It was the most common infantry weapon of the Bavarian army in the Austro-Prussian War of 1866 and the Franco-Prussian War of 1870/71. Originally a muzzleloader, it was converted to breechloading in 1867, the so-called Lindner conversion. In 1869 the Bavarian army started to replace it with the Werder breechloader, but due to budgetary constrains by 1870 most Bavarian troops still used the Podewils while only four infantry battalions had received the Werder.M1869 and M1869 "Aptiertes" Werder (Bavaria)
was engaged in several central European conflicts during the late 19th century, opposing Prussia in the Austro-Prussian War in 1866; however it then joined Prussia against France in 1870–71. Bavaria remained an autonomous state bound by treaty to Prussia between 1866 and 1870 and was incorporated into the newly established German Empire in 1871.In 1869, Bavaria adopted the Werder M1869 chambered for a rimmed centerfire metallic cartridge, the 11×50mmR, a rifle designed by Johann L. Werder based on the Peabody dropping block action, to replace the breech loaded Lindner. After Prussia and others adopted the Mauser M1871 as their standard rifle Bavaria modified their Werder rifles into the "M1869 Aptiertes Werder", chambered for the same 11×60mmR cartridge as the Mauser M1871 used. The Werder remained the primary Bavarian arm until replaced by the Gewehr 1888.
''Infanteriegewehr'' M71, 1871 Mauser
The Mauser Model 1871 adopted as the Gewehr 71 or Infanterie-Gewehr 71 ( I.G.Mod.71 first of many military rifles manufactured to the designs of Peter-Paul and Wilhelm Mauser of the Mauser company.During 1870–71 trials with many different rifles took place; the M1869 Bavarian Werder was the Mauser's chief competitor. The Mauser was provisionally adopted at the end of 1871 pending the development of an appropriate safety. It was adopted by the German Empire, excluding Bavaria. The action was not based on its predecessor, the Dreyse needle gun, which had been in service for 30 years.
The Gewehr 71 is a conventional-looking bolt-action single-shot rifle that uses black powder cartridges. The action included only a bolt guide rib as its single locking lug, locking forward of the receiving bridge. The now well-recognized Mauser "wing"-type safety lever was developed for the Gewehr 71. The cartridge was a metallic 11 × 60R bottlenecked case, holding a charge of of black powder, capped with a round-tipped bullet.