The Krnka Model 1867 breechloading rifle,Around the 1860’s and 1870’s almost every natio

The Krnka Model 1867 breechloading rifle,Around the 1860’s and 1870’s almost every nation created their own form of breechloading rifle conversions from older muzzleloading muskets.  For example; British had the Snyder, the Americans had the Trapdoor Springfield, and the French had the Tabatierre.  The Russians too created their own breechloading conversion, produced from Model 1857 Six Line muskets.  Designed by a Czech engineer named Sylvester Krnka, the Krnka Model 1867 featured a breechloading action which used a metallic rimfire .60 caliber cartridge.   The breechloading system features a pivoting breechblock which was moved to the right when loading.  To load and fire the user needed to set the hammer to half cock, open the breech, insert a cartridge into the chamber, close the breech, cock the hammer fully, then pull the trigger.  The breechblock lacked an extractor, thus after firing the user had to remove the empty casing by hand.  Most conversions were done at the Tula Armory south of Moscow.  In 1871 the Russian Army adopted an American rifle manufactured by Colt and designed by the Civil War veteran Gen. Hiram Berdan.  Called the Berdan Rifle, it too was a breechloading single shot rifle.  Regardless of the adoption of the Berdan Rifle, the Krnka was issued concurrently with the Berdan. To share common caliber with the Berdan, all Krnka rifles produced on or after 1871 were chambered for 10.6X58mm. The use of single shot breechloaders was a grave liability, as many nations began to adopt new bolt action and lever action repeating designs.  In 1877 Russia declared war on the Ottoman Empire (Turkey), who made a contract with Winchester for an order of Model 1873 lever action rifles.  As a result the Russian Army and her allies suffered terrible casualties.  Regardless the Russian Army continued use of the Berdan until the adoption of the Mosin Nagant in the 1890s.  Krnka rifles were entirely phased out by 1880.  Most were converted into single shot sporting shotguns after their retirement. -- source link

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