Kropatschek rifle

Kropatschek/Steyr-Kropatschek
Kropatschek Model 1886
Type	Rifle
Place of origin	Austria-Hungary
Service history
In service	1886–1898 (Portugal)
Used by	Kingdom of Portugal
Wars	Second Boer War World War I
Production history
Designed	1886
Produced	1886–ca. 1898
Variants	Long rifles, short rifle
Specifications
Weight	4.3 kg (9.5 lb)
Length	1320 mm (4 ft)
Barrel length	820 mm (32.3 in)
Cartridge	8×50mmR
Caliber	8mm (.323 in)
Action	Bolt action
Muzzle velocity	609 m/s (2,000 ft/s)
Effective firing range	2406 yd (2,200 m)
Feed system	8-round integral tubular magazine

A Kropatschek is any variant of a rifle designed by Alfred von Kropatschek. Kropatschek's rifles used an tubular magazine (constructed of nickel-plated steel) of his design, of the same type used in the German Mauser Gewehr 1871/84 and the Japanese Type 22 Murata. While designed for black powder, the Kropatschek action proved to be strong enough to handle smokeless powder.

Variants

Austria-Hungary:

• Gendarmerie Repetier-Karabiner M1881: 11 mm Gendarmerie Carbine (also known as M1874/81);
• Kropatschek Torpedo Boats Gewehr M1893: 8 mm Navy Rifle for Torpedo boat crews.

France:

• Fusil de Marine Mle 1878: 11 mm Navy Rifle;
• Fusil d'Infanterie Mle 1884: 11 mm Infantry Rifle;
• Fusil d'Infanterie Mle 1885: 11 mm Infantry Rifle.

Portugal:

• Espingarda de Infantaria 8 mm m/1886: 8 mm Infantry Rifle;
• Carabina de Caçadores 8 mm m/1886: 8 mm Light Infantry Carbine;
• Carabina de Cavalaria 8 mm m/1886: 8 mm Cavalry Carbine;
• Carabina da Guarda Fiscal 8 mm m/1886/88: 8 mm Treasury Guard Carbine;
• Espingarda de Infantaria 8 mm m/1886/89: 8 mm Colonial Infantry Rifle;
• Carabina de Artilharia 8 mm m/1886/91: 8 mm Artillery Carbine.

See also

• Antique guns

References