Waffenfabrik Bern


The Weapons Factory Bern, was an arms manufacturer in Bern, Switzerland, which was a government-owned corporation producing firearms for the Swiss Armed Forces. W+F was integrated into RUAG in 1999, which later discontinued the production of handguns and small arms.

List of W+F weapons

  • Vetterli rifle
  • Schmidt M1882 - 1882 revolver. Chambered in 7.5 Swiss Ordnance
  • Schmidt–Rubin - 1889 straight-pull bolt-action rifle. Chambered in 7.5×53.5 Swiss.
  • Swiss Mannlicher M1893 - straight-pull bolt-action rifle designed by Ferdinand Mannlicher. Chambered in 7.5×53.5 Swiss.
  • Schmidt–Rubin - 1896 straight-pull bolt-action rifle. Chambered in 7.5×53.5 Swiss.
  • Schmidt–Rubin - 1896/11 straight-pull bolt-action rifle. Chambered in 7.5×55 Swiss.
  • Schmidt–Rubin - 1911 straight-pull bolt-action rifle. Chambered for the revamped 7.5×53.5 Swiss. The case was lengthened to 55 mm. This new load became the 7.5×55 Swiss. The new load used a modern spitzer bullet and more modern smokeless powders and produces a much higher velocity and pressure than the older 7.5×53.5mm load. 7.5×55mm should never be fired in the 1889 series Schmidt–Rubin.
  • Parabellum pistol
  • MG 11 - machine gun.
  • Flieger-Doppelpistole 1919 - double barrel aircraft submachine gun.
  • K31 - straight-pull bolt-action rifle. Chambered for 7.5×55mm Swiss.
  • Bern Pistole 43 - Semi-automatic pistol intended to replace the Luger 06/29 but ended up being discontinued because of the SIG P210
  • Sturmgewehr 52 & Sturmgewehr 54
  • MG 51
  • W+F Stgw 70 assault rifle. Licence-built AR-15 chambered in 5.6x48mm Eiger.
  • W+F Stgw 71 assault rifle. Licence-built Stoner 63 chambered in 5.6x48mm Eiger
  • C42 assault rifle. Chambered in 6.45×48mm XPL Swiss

    Notable people

  • Adolf Furrer - small arms designer and Colonel in Swiss Army. He was the director of W+F Bern from 1921 and resigned after World War II.