Berdan II M1870
Tula Arms Plant · Rifle · Out Of Production · 1870
Also known as: Model 1870, Berdan No. 2, 4.2-line Berdan rifle, Berdanka
Overview
The Berdan II M1870 was a single-shot, bolt-action infantry rifle adopted by the Imperial Russian Army and chambered for the bottlenecked 10.75x58mmR Berdan centerfire cartridge. Designed by American inventor Colonel Hiram Berdan with Russian Colonel Alexander Gorlov, it replaced the earlier trapdoor Berdan I and used a turn-bolt action with a 45-degree bolt rotation and a cock-on-closing striker. First produced by Birmingham Small Arms in England, manufacture soon shifted to the Russian arsenals at Tula, Izhevsk and Sestroretsk. It served as the standard Russian service rifle until superseded by the Mosin-Nagant M1891, and remained in second-line and irregular use into the Russian Civil War.
Specifications
| Weight (empty) | 4300 g (151.7 oz) |
| Overall Length | 1350 mm (53.15") |
| Barrel Length | 831 mm (32.72") |
| Action Type | Bolt Action |
| Firing Mechanism | Striker Fired |
| Trigger Type | Single Stage |
| Magazine Capacity | 1 rounds |
| Magazine Type | Internal |
| Muzzle Velocity | 437 m/s (1434 fps) |
| Effective Range | 284 m (311 yd) |
| Maximum Range | 1069 m (1169 yd) |
| Rate of Fire | 8 rpm |
| Barrel Rifling | Right Hand |
| Number of Grooves | 6 |
| Frame Material | Steel |
| Barrel Material | Steel |
| Stock Material | Wood |
| Finish | Blued |
Calibers
- 10.75x58mmR Berdan · primary — also known as .42 Russian Berdan, 10.75mm Berdan, 4.2 line
Features
- Firing modes: Repeating
- Feed systems: Single Shot Bolt Action
- Safety mechanisms: Half Cock
- Features: Turn Bolt Action, 45 Degree Bolt Rotation, Ramp And Leaf Rear Sight, Bayonet Lug, Single Shot
Variants
- Berdan II Dragoon Rifle — Dragoon
- Berdan II Cossack Rifle — Cossack
- Berdan II Carbine — Carbine
Service history
Operators
- Imperial Russian Army · adopted 1870 · as Berdan II
- Principality of Bulgaria
- Kingdom of Serbia
- Grand Duchy of Finland
Conflicts
- Russo-Turkish War (1877-1878)
- Russian Civil War (1917-1922)
Production
Estimated total produced: 3,000,000 · Production years: 1870-1892
Initial production by Birmingham Small Arms (1870-1873), then transferred to the Tula, Izhevsk and Sestroretsk arsenals; roughly 3 million produced across all patterns.
Origin
Country of origin: Russia
Designer: Hiram Berdan
Discontinued: 1892
Notes
Distinct from the earlier trapdoor Berdan I M1868. Produced in infantry, dragoon, Cossack and carbine patterns. Around 3 million were built across all variants. Effective range figures derive from sights graduated 200-1,500 arshin (roughly 142-1,069 m).
Background
Designed by Hiram Berdan, who had commanded the famed Union sharpshooter regiments in the American Civil War, the 'Berdanka' became the iconic rifle of the late Tsarist army and remained a familiar peasant and hunting arm in Russia long after the Mosin-Nagant replaced it in front-line service.