This review details the extremely rare Afghan contract Schlegelmilch carbine, a unique bolt-action rifle produced for Afghanistan's Kabul Arsenal. It highlights Louis Schlegelmilch's innovative bolt design, originally intended for German military trials, adapted with a Mannlicher-style en-bloc clip system. The carbine features tool-less field stripping and a receiver marking the 'Mosque' crest of Emir Abdur Rahman Khan, dated 1321 Hijri (1903).
This review of the Berthier Mousqueton Modèle 1892 carbine highlights its compact 37.2-inch length and 6.8-pound weight, making it relatively handy. The Mannlicher-style en bloc clip allows for fast loading of its 3-round capacity. However, the firearm presents challenges with its somewhat brutalist ergonomics, significant recoil from the 8mm Lebel cartridge, and susceptibility to mud, with a noted preference for higher capacities.
The M38 Carcano 'Fucile Corto' is presented as a conceptually strong WWII bolt-action rifle, featuring a simplified fixed 200-meter sight and a unique folding bayonet. Despite its innovative design, the transition to the 7.35x51mm caliber was logistically flawed, leading to its abandonment by Italy during the war. Many 7.35mm variants found their way to Finland or Ethiopia.
The Carcano M91, an Italian workhorse rifle, utilized a unique 6.5x52mm cartridge and gain-twist rifling. Despite criticisms, it was a robust design, with over 3.5 million produced. Key features include a Mannlicher-style en-bloc clip and a distinctive flag safety, though a bolt guide lug can be a potential jamming point.
This review details the French Model 1892 Berthier Artillery Musketoon, a compact bolt-action rifle designed for support troops. It highlights its origins as a modification of the 1890 cavalry carbine, its production by St. Etienne and Chatellerault, and its use of a 3-round en bloc clip. The video also examines receiver markings, stock stamps, and variations in bayonet patterns.
The Modele 1890 Berthier Cavalry Carbine offered a significant improvement over single-shot carbines by incorporating a Mannlicher-style clip-fed system, addressing the Lebel rifle's limitations for cavalry use. Despite its handy 17.8-inch barrel and 6.6-pound weight, original configurations are rare due to later conversions. Key features include a 3-round capacity, a unique stacking rod, and arsenal markings indicating production at Saint-Étienne or Châtellerault.
The Salvator-Dormus, patented in 1891, is recognized as the first functional semi-automatic pistol. This rare 1896 pattern example, one of only 50 produced for Austrian military trials, features a unique trigger-delayed blowback system. Unlike typical blowback, its operation relies on the trigger finger's resistance to keep the bolt closed. Despite its innovative design, the Austrian military ultimately rejected it.
The Bergmann No. 2 / 1896, designed by Louis Schmeisser, is a compact early automatic pistol chambered in the low-powered 5mm Bergmann cartridge. Early models featured a folding trigger for enhanced concealability, later replaced by a fixed design. Complete cased sets included accessories like stripper clips and tools, and some pistols bear retail markings from companies like Westley Richards.
The Bergmann No. 1, or Model 1894, was Theodor Bergmann's first commercially offered automatic pistol, designed by Louis Schmeisser. It utilized a simple blowback action and a unique clip-fed system with 'monkey tail' clips, predating popular designs like the Browning Model 1900. Despite early production challenges with Mauser, the pistol showcased innovative features for its time, including a pivoting side plate for magazine access and a redundant safety lug.
This video details a rare semiautomatic conversion of an Austrian Steyr M95 straight-pull rifle, housed in the Beretta reference collection. It highlights how the linear bolt action of straight-pull rifles makes them suitable for gas-operated conversions, unlike turn-bolt actions. The conversion involves a receiver extension for the bolt and recoil spring, a gas tap near the muzzle, and an operating rod linked to the original bolt handle.
The M91/38 TS Carcano in 6.5x52mm, historically used by Italian forces and notably by Lee Harvey Oswald, presents accuracy challenges due to a bore diameter mismatch with modern ammunition. While factory PPU ammo with .264 projectiles yields large groups in the .268 bore, handloading is suggested for improved precision. The rifle features a Mannlicher-style clip and a dual-purpose sighting system.
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