INITIAL BATTLE RIFLE LISTING

[Drydock]

Not final, research ongoing. South American variations on the Comblain are endless!  Where not mentioned, it is expected that these will be in military configuration.  Please submit weapon suggestions by PM for evaluation.  If it was accepted for military service prior to 1902 I'd like to know about it.  Weapons must use a self contained cartridge with integral primer.  IE no muzzleloaders, or breechloaders requiring a seperate percussion cap.

Milspec replicas, such as the various Trapdoor Springfield replicas from H&R and Pedersoli, are recognized.

CARCANO 1891

COMBLAIN-VARIOUS FROM 1870

ENFIELD     .303 MAGAZINE LEE-ENFIELD
ENFIELD     .303 MAGAZINE LEE-METFORD MARK 1
ENFIELD     .303 MAGAZINE LEE-METFORD MARK 1*
ENFIELD     .303 MAGAZINE LEE-METFORD MARK 2
ENFIELD     .303 MAGAZINE LEE-METFORD MARK 2*

ENFIELD     .450 MARTINI-HENRY
ENFIELD     .577 SNIDER-ENFIELD RIFLE/CARBINE

FRENCH MILITARY     MODEL 1886 LEBEL
FRENCH "CHASSPOTT"
GRAS     MODEL 1874 INFANTRY RIFLE

SWISS VETTERLI M1867-71 M1878, M1881

ITALIAN VETTERLI M1870, M1870/78

DREYSE "NEEDLE GUN"
MAUSER     MODEL 1871 SHORT RIFLE
MAUSER 71
MAUSER  78/80
MAUSER 84
MAUSER  85
MAUSER  86
MAUSER  87
MAUSER  88
MAUSER  89
MAUSER  90
MAUSER  91
MAUSER  92
MAUSER  93
MAUSER  94
MAUSER  95
MAUSER  96

MANNLICHER M1888

STEYR M1895

MOISEN-NAGANT M1891
RUSSIAN BERDAN SINGLE SHOT 1ST AND 2ND MODEL.

PEABODY 1871

REMINGTON     U.S. NAVY M1867 ROLLING BLOCK CARBINE
REMINGTON     REMINGTON KEENE MAGAZINE BOLT RIFLE
REMINGTON     REMINGTON LEE MAGAZINE BOLT RIFLE
REMINGTON     U.S. NAVY "ANNAPOLIS CADET" MILITARY RIFLE
REMINGTON     U.S. ARMY MODEL 1870 "EXPERIMENTAL" CARBINE
REMINGTON     U.S. ARMY MODEL 1870 "EXPERIMENTAL" MILITARY RIFLE
REMINGTON     U.S. NAVY MODEL 1870 (TYPES 1 & 2) MILITARY RIFLE
REMINGTON     U.S. ARMY MODEL 1871 MILITARY RIFLE
REMINGTON     ANY ROLLING BLOCK IN MILSPEC CONFIGURATION

SCHMIDT-RUBIN M1889, M1896, M1897, M1900

SHARPS     .50/70 CARBINES
SHARPS     .50/70 RIFLES
SHARPS     SPRINGFIELD/SHARPS MODEL 1870-1871
SHARPS     MODEL 1874
SHARPS     MODEL 1878 SHARPS-BORCHARDT

SNIDER     INFANTRY RIFLE

SPENCER     MODEL 1860 ARMY RIFLES
SPENCER     MODEL 1860 CARBINES
SPENCER     MODEL 1860 NAVY RIFLES
SPENCER     MODEL 1865 ARMY RIFLES
SPENCER     MODEL 1865 CARBINES
SPENCER     MODEL 1867 ARMY RIFLES AND CARBINES
SPENCER     NEW MODEL ARMY RIFLES AND CARBINES
SPENCER     SMALL-FRAME MILITARY CARBINES
SPENCER     SPRINGFIELD ARMORY RIFLE MUSKET CONVERSION OF SPENCER CARBINES

SPRINGFIELD ARMORY     MODEL 1870 ROLLING-BLOCK RIFLE, U.S.N.
SPRINGFIELD ARMORY     MODEL 1871 ROLLING-BLOCK RIFLE, U.S.A.
SPRINGFIELD ARMORY     MODELS 1866, 1868 RIFLES
SPRINGFIELD ARMORY     MODEL 1870 RIFLE
SPRINGFIELD ARMORY     MODEL 1873 CADET RIFLE
SPRINGFIELD ARMORY     MODEL 1873 CARBINE
SPRINGFIELD ARMORY     MODEL 1873 RIFLE "TRAPDOOR"
SPRINGFIELD ARMORY     MODEL 1875 OFFICER?S RIFLE FIRST TYPE
SPRINGFIELD ARMORY     MODEL 1877 CADET RIFLE
SPRINGFIELD ARMORY     MODEL 1877 CARBINE
SPRINGFIELD ARMORY     MODEL 1877 RIFLE
SPRINGFIELD ARMORY     MODEL 1879 CADET RIFLE
SPRINGFIELD ARMORY     MODEL 1879 CARBINE
SPRINGFIELD ARMORY     MODEL 1879 RIFLE
SPRINGFIELD ARMORY     MODEL 1880
SPRINGFIELD ARMORY     MODEL 1884 RIFLE "TRAPDOOR"
SPRINGFIELD ARMORY     MODEL 1888 RIFLE "TRAPDOOR"

SPRINGFIELD ARMORY (KRAG)     ARSENAL-ALTERED TO M1896 STYLE
SPRINGFIELD ARMORY (KRAG)     M1892-DATED 1894
SPRINGFIELD ARMORY (KRAG)     M1895 CARBINE
SPRINGFIELD ARMORY (KRAG)     M1896
SPRINGFIELD ARMORY (KRAG)     M1896 CADET RIFLE
SPRINGFIELD ARMORY (KRAG)     M1896 CARBINE
SPRINGFIELD ARMORY (KRAG)     M1898 CARBINE
SPRINGFIELD ARMORY (KRAG)     M1898 NRA CARBINE
SPRINGFIELD ARMORY (KRAG)     M1898 RIFLE
SPRINGFIELD ARMORY (KRAG)     M1899 CARBINE
SPRINGFIELD ARMORY (KRAG)     M1899 PHILIPPINE CONSTABULARY CARBINE

DANISH KRAG M1889
NORWIEGIAN KRAG M1894, 95, 97

WINCHESTER     HOTCHKISS RIFLE
WINCHESTER     MODEL 1895 NRA MUSKET
WINCHESTER     MODEL 1895 RUSSIAN MUSKET
WINCHESTER     MODEL 1895 CARBINE
WINCHESTER     MODEL 1895 FLATSIDE MUSKET
WINCHESTER     MODEL 1895 MUSKET
WINCHESTER     MODEL 1883 (HOTCHKISS REPEATER)
WINCHESTER     MODEL 1895 LEE STRAIGHT PULL RIFLE

The above lists most of the major issue small arms of the period.  For those of you determined to field the rare and exotic, you can find just about everything here:  http://www.militaryrifles.com/MAINIndx.htm   Please remember that lever action rifles with tubular underbarrel magazines are NOT allowed in this concept.  There are other venues for those.  IE I know the Turks used 1866s at Plevna, don't care, not allowed. 

Why no Mauser 98?  True statement "The Mauser 98 is the definitive bolt action of the 20th century."  Nuff said. 

The Lee Enfield is NOT the SMLE, but the first, longer version.  The SMLE was developed in response to the Boer war, and fielded after 1903.

[Old Top]

Thank you Sgt Drydock   

Old Top

[US Scout]

OUTSTANDING

Well done on the list.  Thanks for the effort.

US Scout
GAF, Commanding

[Bull Schmitt]

How about the:

71/84 Mauser rifle
Swedish rolling blocks (not Remington)
Danish Krags
Smith Carbine
Burnside Carbine
Gallager Carbine
Joslyn 1862 & 1864 Carbines
Maynard Carbine and Rifles
Merrill Carbine & Rifles
Starr

There are a bunch of lesser know US and Confederate breechloaders. Most were of very limited production.

Col Bull

[Dr. Bob]

Swiss Vetterli Mod 71 & 78 10.4 X 38 mm
Italian Vetterli  Years?

[Drydock]

So shall it be written, so shall it be done.   

[RattlesnakeJack]

Sgt. Drydock:

Although you may hate me, I submit herewith a compilation of various rifles which may well qualify for inclusion in the Battle Rifle list ...

A few preliminary comments -

1.  I have omitted many rifles which you already have on the list - such as the British Snider-Enfield, Martini-Henry, Lee-metford and Lee-Enfield

2.  However, I have added a few others which really stand alone - e.g. for Great Britain, the .303 caliber Martin-Metford and Martin-Enfiled rifles

3.  I have undoubtedly duplicated rifles you already have listed.

Here goes:

Austria:   
- 1867 Wanzl - 14mm (.55 cal.) rimfire forward-swinging-block muzzle-loader conversion
- 1868 Werndl - 11.2 mm side-rotating-block single shot
- 1886 and 1888 Mannlicher - 11mm straight-pull bolt-action
- 1888-90 Mannlicher - 8mm straight-pull bolt-action
- 1890 carbine - 8mm straight-pull bolt-action
- 1895 rifle - 8mm straight-pull bolt-action

Belgium:
- 1867 Albini-Braendlin - 11mm lifting block single shot
- 1871 Comblain - 11mm lever/falling block single shot
- 1889 Mauser - 7.65mm

Canada:    
- 1865 Peabody - .50-60 rimfire falling-block single-shot
- 1876 Winchester - .45-75 lever-action tubular magazine

China:    
- 1871 Mauser - 11.15mm single-shot bolt-action   
- 1871/84 Mauser - 11.15mm bolt-action 8-round tubular magazine
- 1888 Mauser - 7.92mm bolt-action 5-round box magazine
- Hanyang Type 88 (Chinese-made version of 1888 Mauser)

Denmark    
- 1889 Krag-Jorgensen - 8mm bolt-action 5-round horizontal box magazine

France:   
- 1866 Gras (Chassepot rifle converted to metallic centerfire)
- 1874 Gras - 11mm bolt-action single shot
- 1878 Gras-Kropatschek (Marine Infantry Rifle) -11mm bolt action repeater
- 1886 and 86/93 Lebel  - 8mm bolt action
- 1890 and 1892 Berthier - 8mm bolt action

Great Britain:
- 1889 Martini-Metford - .303 single shot
- 1895 Martini-Enfield - .303 single shot

Italy:      
- 1871 Vetterli - 10.4 mm bolt-action single shot
- 1871/89 Vetterli-Vitali - 10.4mm bolt action 4-round box magazine
- 1891 Carcano - 6.5mm bolt action 6-round box magazine

Japan:      
- 1887 Murata, Type 13 - 11mm bolt action single shot
- 1887 Murata, Type 20 - 8mm bolt action repeater 8-round tubular magazine

Netherlands:   
- 1871 Beaumont - 11mm bolt-action single shot
- 1888 Beaumont-Vitali - 11mm bolt-action, 4-round box magazine
- 1895 Mannlicher - 6.5mmbolt action 5-round box magazine

Norway:   
- 1867 Remington rolling block
- 1871 Jarman - 10.15mm bolt-action single shot
- 1887 Jarman - 10.15mm bolt action 8-round tubular magazine 
- 1894 Krag-Jorgensen - 6.5mm bolt-action

Portugal:   
- 1885 Guedes - 8mm falling block single shot

Roumania:   
- 1868 Peabody - single shot falling block (external hammer) .45 Roumanian centerfire
- 1874-78 Peabody-Martini - single shot falling block .45 Turkish
- 1893 Mannlicher - 6.5mm bolt action 5-round box magazine

Spain:      
- 1869 Peabody - single shot falling block (external hammer) .43 Spanish centerfire
- 1871 Remington - 11mm rolling block
- 1893 Mauser - 7mm bolt-action 5-round box magazine

Sweden:   
- 1867 Remington - 12.17mm rimfire rolling block
- 1889 - rolling blocks rebarreled to 8mm Danish Krag
- 1894 Mauser carbine - 6.5mm bolt-action 5-round magazine
- 1896 Mauser rifle - 6.5mm bolt-action 5-round box magazine

Switzerland:   
- 1867 Peabody - 10.4mm (.41) rimfire single-shot falling-block external hammer
- 1870 Vetterli - 10.4mm rimfire bolt-action single-shot
- 1869-81 Vetterli - 10.4mm rimfire bolt-action 12-round tubular magazine
- 1889 Schmidt-Rubin - 7.5mm straight-pull bolt

Turkey:   
- 300,000 British Snider-Enfields purchased
- 1874 Peabody-Martini - .45 Turkish (10.3mm) - virtually identical to Martini-Henry
- 1887 Mauser - 9.5mm black powder bolt-action 8-round tubular magazine
- 1890 Mauser - 7.65mm bolt-action 5-round box magazine
- 1893 Mauser - 7.65mm bolt-action 5-round box magazine

Russia:   
- 1868 Berdan I - 10.67mm (.42 Russian) lifting-block single-shot
- 1869 Krnka - lifting block conversion for muzzle-loaders   
- 1870 Berdan II - 10.67mm bolt-action single-shot
- 1891 Mosin-Nagant - 7.62mm bolt-action 5-round box magazine

[RattlesnakeJack]

Sgt. Drydock:

In case you aren't already aware of it, here's a very interesting site which may be of assistance in the Battle Rifle project:

"MILITARY RIFLES IN THE AGE OF TRANSITION -
(Non-U.S.) Black Powder, Metallic Cartridge, Military Rifles from about 1865 to about 1888"
http://www.militaryrifles.com/index.htm#MainIndex

[Drydock]

Thank you very much Jack!  THough a fair number of those are allready listed as I went by action type rather than nationality, you have there a number of those more obscure types I treasure.  I always wondered what the Japenese used prior to the Type 38.  I'll be sure to update my list as needed, and feel free to add more here. 

Great site too!

[Trailrider]

Question:

Will the H&R Officer's Model Trapdoor Springfield qualify?  If so, what, if any experience does anyone have with this piece?  I may have an opportunity to acquire one at a reasonable price, but don't want to waste the money if it wouldn't pass muster.

What does anyone know about some of the H&R Trapdoors having locking cam problems.  It did not apply to all of them, but I cannot recall if it applied to the Officer's Model or the Carbines.  Any input would be appreciated.

[Drydock]

Yes, the H&R qualifies as an M1873 Springfield.  An ealy run of carbines I believe were sent out with the locking cam machined with reversed geometry.  Instead of tightning with the rearward bolt thrust, it popped open.  This more than anything is responsible for the impression of the Trapdoor as a "weak" design.  Most still out there have been fixed.  The block assembly can be replace by a Pedersoli unit should you have one with the bad cam.

With the exception of this problem these are generaly hi quality pieces, with a collector market all their own now.  Had one myself, highly reccomended.

[Drydock]

BTT, keep them comments coming.

[US Scout]

Sgt Drydock-

You're doing an outstanding job!  I really like what you're doing for the GAF.  Keep up the great work!

US Scout
GAF, Commanding

[Tuolumne Lawman]

I must be blind and missing it, but I do not see the 1860 Henry Military model. 1,200 issued to 1st. DC Cav, 11,000 used in the CW, and NUMEROUS scouts and army personnel used them on the frontier.  Lt. Beecher used one before his untimely demise.

[Books OToole]

BTT for Mulee Pete.

Books

[Pitspitr]

I must be blind and missing it, but I do not see the 1860 Henry Military model. 1,200 issued to 1st. DC Cav, 11,000 used in the CW, and NUMEROUS scouts and army personnel used them on the frontier.  Lt. Beecher used one before his untimely demise.

plenty other venues for those.  This is for Main Battle rifles.  Henrys and 66s were the submachine guns of their era.