The Rifle of the Chinese Republic — The Hanyang Model 1888An exact copy of the Gewehr 88 from
The Rifle of the Chinese Republic — The Hanyang Model 1888An exact copy of the Gewehr 88 from Germany, the Hanyang became the main battle arm of the late Qing dynasty and the last emperors of China. After the overthrow of the emperor in 1912, the Hanyang became the official arm of the new Chinese Republic under the leadership of Chiang Kai Shek. It and the Zhong Zheng Type 24 Mauser copy were used to fend of the Japanese in the decade preceding World War II. During World War II most Hanyang’s were replaced with American firearms due to the Lend Lease Act, most especially the M1 Garand. Chambered for 8x57 Mauser, the Hanyang was considered obsolete by a generation, especially compared to the newer and higher quality Type 38 and 99 Arisaka rifle fielded by their Japanese enemies. The rifle fired a round nosed bullet, which compared to cartridges of the day with conical bullets, was woefully obsolete. This decreased the accuracy of the Hanyang greatly. Also, due to the poor manufacturing capabilities of Chinese industry at the time, many were crudely made and of low quality. However, it served its purpose as a simple firearm for an ancient nation that was entering a modern world. -- source link
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