Carle M1867
Tula Arms Plant · Rifle · Discontinued · 1867
Also known as: Karle rifle, System Carle, Carle's needle rifle, Carl rifle
Overview
The Carle M1867 is a Russian single-shot, bolt-action needle rifle adopted by the Imperial Russian Army in 1867. Based on a patent by the Hamburg broker Johannes Friedrich Christian Carle, the design was a stopgap that converted existing M1856 muzzle-loading rifled muskets into breechloaders by replacing the old breech with a needle-fire bolt mechanism. It fired a 15.24mm (six-line) combustible paper cartridge ignited by a long needle that pierced the cartridge to strike a primer seated against the bullet. A leather-disc obturator at the bolt face sealed propellant gases. Capable of roughly 8 to 12 aimed rounds per minute, it dramatically increased Russian infantry firepower over the muzzleloaders it replaced, though its complex paper cartridge and fragile needle led to its rapid replacement by the Krnka metallic-cartridge conversion.
Specifications
| Weight (empty) | 4500 g (158.7 oz) |
| Overall Length | 1340 mm (52.76") |
| Barrel Length | 939 mm (36.97") |
| Action Type | Bolt Action |
| Firing Mechanism | Striker Fired |
| Trigger Type | Single Action |
| Magazine Capacity | 1 rounds |
| Muzzle Velocity | 305 m/s (1001 fps) |
| Muzzle Energy | 1628 J (1201 ft·lbf) |
| Effective Range | 300 m (328 yd) |
| Maximum Range | 1000 m (1094 yd) |
| Rate of Fire | 10 rpm |
| Barrel Rifling | Right Hand |
| Number of Grooves | 4 |
| Frame Material | Steel |
| Barrel Material | Steel |
| Stock Material | Walnut |
| Finish | Blued |
Calibers
- 15.24mm Carle · primary — also known as 6-line, 15.24mm needle, .60 caliber Carle
Features
- Firing modes: Manual
- Feed systems: Single Shot Breech Loading
- Features: Muzzleloader Conversion, Leather Obturator Seal, Paper Combustible Cartridge, Needle Firing Pin
Service history
Operators
- Imperial Russian Army · adopted 1867 · as Carle Rifle M1867
Conflicts
- Russo-Turkish War (1877-1878)
- Russian conquest of Central Asia (1860s-1885)
Production
Estimated total produced: 215,000 · Production years: 1867-1869
Approximately 213,000-215,500 rifles converted from existing M1856 muzzle-loading rifled muskets
Origin
Country of origin: Russia
Designer: Johannes Friedrich Christian Carle
Discontinued: 1869
Notes
Roughly 213,000 to 215,500 examples were converted from M1856 rifled muskets before the design was superseded by the M1867 Krnka. The needle and leather obturator were prone to fouling and wear, a common weakness of needle-fire systems.
Background
Patented in 1865 by Johannes Friedrich Christian Carle, a Hamburg ship and insurance broker, the needle rifle was an improvement on the Prussian Dreyse system. Modernizing after defeat in the Crimean War, Russia could not yet mass-produce an original breechloader, so it adopted Carle's design specifically because it could recycle the vast stock of M1856 muskets already in its arsenals.