Enjoying Black Powder Episode 4: The Mauser Gewehr 1871

This episode delves into the Mauser Gewehr 1871, a pivotal single-shot bolt-action rifle adopted by Prussia after the Franco-Prussian War. It highlights the rifle's unique features like the flag safety and bolt retention screw, and discusses its use of the 11mm black powder cartridge. The review includes practical shooting tests, noting its smooth operation and pleasant recoil despite minor fouling issues and a broken barrel band spring.

The German Mauser 1871 is a single-shot bolt-action rifle chambered in 11mm rimmed black powder. Despite its heavy weight (over 10 lbs) and length (nearly 53 inches), it features a smooth action and a well-balanced design. However, its exposed barrel and forward-positioned sights can impact accuracy, and its black powder firing produces significant smoke, a disadvantage in combat.

This review of the German Gewehr 1898 by C&Rsenal highlights its robust construction and historical significance. The rifle weighs 9 pounds with an overall length of 49.2 inches, chambered in 8mm Mauser. Key features include a fixed double-stack magazine loaded via stripper clips, a smooth cock-and-open bolt action, and a simple Mauser flag safety. While the trigger on the example tested was described as 'muddy' in its second stage, the rifle's manageable recoil and effective sights make it a noteworthy piece of military hardware.

This review covers the Argentine Mauser 1891, highlighting its historical significance and operational features. The video demonstrates the manual loading of its internal box magazine and showcases the bolt-mounted safety. Live fire testing confirms its functionality, with impacts on a steel target clearly visible.

This video delves into the history and mechanics of the Model 1918 Mauser Anti-Tank Rifle, a powerful firearm chambered in 13.2 caliber. The description highlights its effectiveness in World War I against British tanks. The content also mentions the acquisition of the rifle at the Las Vegas Antique Arms show and teases an upcoming video showcasing other finds from the event. Links to a Patreon, podcast 'Flak & Fubar,' and an Instagram account are provided for further engagement.

This episode of 'Enjoying Black Powder' features the Mauser Model 71/84, the first magazine-fed rifle on the series. Ian McCollum demonstrates its 8-round tubular magazine and bolt-action operation, highlighting historical military doctrine where soldiers often used such rifles as single-shots to conserve ammunition. The video showcases the rifle's rapid-fire capability and the significant smoke produced by black powder cartridges.

This video details the unique 'French Finger Trap' issue with the MAS-36 rifle's bayonet, where two rifles can become unintentionally locked together. A 1951 French arsenal memorandum identified this problem, proposing a simple modification to the bayonet handle. Drilling a small hole allows a tool, like a firing pin, to depress the internal spring, enabling the separation of locked rifles.

The M134 Minigun is a scaled-down 7.62 NATO rotary cannon, requiring 24V DC power and consuming 1.5 kW. Its high rate of fire (3,000+ RPM) is essential for aircraft engagement windows. The complex delinker mechanism is critical for feeding ammunition, and practical hand-held use is impossible due to weight and recoil. Live fire demonstrates rapid ammunition consumption and the need for indirect aiming.

The H&K G11 is a revolutionary prototype assault rifle designed in the late 20th century, notable for its caseless ammunition and unique rotating drum bolt mechanism. Despite advanced features like a 2000 RPM burst fire rate and integrated optics, its development was ultimately halted by geopolitical shifts and cost concerns.

This video demonstrates the assembly and live-fire of the German 1936 pattern light mortar (L.Gr.W.36). It highlights the mortar's leveling mechanism for accuracy and the difficulty in visually tracking its 50mm projectiles after firing. The content showcases historical military hardware and its operational use.