Gendarmerie Repetier-Karabiner M1881

Österreichische Waffenfabriks-Gesellschaft (Steyr) · Carbine · Out Of Production · 1881

Also known as: M1874/81, 11mm Gendarmerie Carbine, Kropatschek Gendarmerie Carbine M1881

Overview

The Gendarmerie Repetier-Karabiner M1881 (also designated M1874/81) is an Austro-Hungarian bolt-action repeating carbine built on Alfred von Kropatschek's tubular-magazine system and chambered for the 11x58mmR Werndl black-powder cartridge. Issued to the Gendarmerie, it combined the earlier Werndl-pattern 11mm round with a nickel-plated steel tubular magazine feeding a manually cycled bolt, giving mounted and dismounted constabulary a compact repeating longarm.

Specifications

Action Type	Bolt Action
Firing Mechanism	Striker Fired
Trigger Type	Single Stage
Magazine Type	Tube
Barrel Rifling	Right Hand
Frame Material	Steel
Barrel Material	Steel
Stock Material	Wood

Calibers

11x58mmR Werndl · primary — also known as 11mm Werndl, 11x58R Austrian, M1877

Features

Firing modes: Repeating
Feed systems: Tubular Magazine
Features: Tubular Magazine, Carbine Length, Black Powder Cartridge

Service history

Operators

Austro-Hungarian Gendarmerie · adopted 1881 · as Repetier-Karabiner M1881

Production

Production years: 1881-circa 1890s

Limited Austro-Hungarian adoption; produced by the Steyr works (Österreichische Waffenfabriks-Gesellschaft)

Origin

Country of origin: Austria

Designer: Alfred von Kropatschek

Notes

Austria-Hungary made only limited use of the Kropatschek system; the M1881 gendarmerie carbine is one of the few Austro-Hungarian Kropatschek adoptions alongside the M1893 navy/torpedo-boat rifle. Precise physical dimensions and magazine capacity for the M1881 carbine are poorly documented.

Background

Alfred von Kropatschek's tubular-magazine bolt design was largely passed over at home in Austria-Hungary in favour of the Mannlicher, yet it went on to arm the French navy and later formed the direct basis of the revolutionary Lebel Model 1886 smokeless rifle.