|
 |
 |
Designed by a Swiss named Friedich Vetterli, manager of the Neuhausen factory. This was one of the first military repeaters to have a bolt action breech mechanism and a tubular magazine under the barrel. The magazine held thirteen 10.4 mm rimfire cartridges. It was also the first repeater to have a self-cocking action and small calibre. Adopted by the Swiss Army in 1868, it underwent several improvements between 1871 and 1879. These culminated in the model 1881. Its magazine system remained unchanged.
Weapon No 45
Rifle 8 mm Lebel Model 1886
 |
 |
This was the design of a French Army Officer, Nicolas Lebel, who was a Lieutenant Colonel and in command of the Firing Technique School at the Du Ruchard Camp. A small bore modification of the 11 mm Model 1885 Kropatcheck, it was one of the last repeaters to have a tubular magazine under the barrel. The cartridges for this rifle contained smokeless powder and jacketed bullets. The introduction of this rifle and of smokeless powder in France came about as the result of a command from the French War Minister, General Boulanger, who launched the slogan 'new smokeless powder and revenge for Alsace-Lorraine!', at the same time commanding that an effective modern rifle be designed in the course of two months. This was the result, the Lebel Model 1886 repeater, which was to be used by the French Army in World War 1. Given more time the French might have come up with a more modern box magazine design instead. See also Weapon No 48.
Weapon No 46
8 mm (Krag-Jorgensen) Engineer Carbine M1889
 |
 |
In 1889, Denmark was the first country to adopt the Krag-Jorgensen and continued to use it in a series of models through World War 2. The 1889 rifle in a slightly modified form was adopted by the United States and Norway. This weapon is the Engineer Carbine, identified by the barrel length (23.6 inches), a wooden handguard and the letter 'I' is found before the serial number. The weapon takes its name from Ole Hermann Krag, a former officer in the Norwegian Artillery, and his colleague Erik Jorgensen, who assisted him in the design and construction. In 1909 Krag also designed a self-loading pistol.
Weapon No 47
Rifle 11 mm Mauser Model 1871/84
 |
 |
This model is basically the same as the model 1871 (Weapon No 43), but has a nine-round tubular magazine. The models 1871, 1871/84 and all their variations use a two-piece bolt.
Weapon No 48
Cut Down Rifle 8 mm Lebel Modele 1866/93-R35
 |
 |
Cut down from full length Lebel Rifles (Weapon No 45) between the wars in a three shot version for second line troops. Only 25,000 Lebels were converted to Modele R-35.
Weapon No 365
7.62 mm Winchester Model 1895 Box Magazine
This Winchester Lever action has played a part in military usage. Designed for Winchester by that great inventor, John M Browning, this model differs radically from the other lever actions which Browning designed for Winchester and whose uses have been sporting. It differs primarily by having a built-in box magazine in the receiver directly below the breech block. This magazine was designed to hold military cartridges, one on top of the other, being forced up by spring actuated follower. During World War 1, Russian purchasing commissions went to the United States to place orders for the manufacture of bolt action rifles of their own pattern.
One of these groups was so impressed by the performance of this Model 1895 that a Russian Government order was placed for them. These Russian versions were, of course, chambered for the standard Russian cartridge as used with the rifle Mosin-Nagant 1891. A special alteration was also made to the loading arrangements, which allowed the standard Russian Army cartridge clip to be inserted in feed guides, then pressing the column of cartridges down into the magazine with a single thrust. This method of clip loading was, of course, an adaptation of the Mauser system of clip loading but it is the only instance of its use in a lever action arm. These Russian 1895s were used in both wars. Captured German intelligence bulletins reported them as in use on all fronts, indicating probably pressing shortages of small arms at the time of their use.