peashooter85:The Model 1867 Werder Rifle and Pistol,In the 1860’s Bavaria was separate and independe
peashooter85:The Model 1867 Werder Rifle and Pistol,In the 1860’s Bavaria was separate and independent state as Germany would not be unified until 1871. As a result Bavaria had its own government, police, and military. In 1867 the Bavarian military adopted a unique breech loading single shot rifle called the Werder, which utilized an ingenious action. Most breechloading rifles have a closed breech, where the user has to open the breech to insert a cartridge, then close it for firing. With the Werder the breech is open until cocked. Thus the user inserted a cartridge the cocked the gun which closed the breech. Cocking was done by pulling back on the lever located near the rear of the receiver. Once fired the breech would fall back into the open position while simultaneously ejecting the empty casing. Thus the user only had to insert cartridge and cock the firearm. The opposite facing forward trigger also closed the breech, only without cocking the firearm. This was a safety measure which allowed the user to have the firearm loaded without having it cocked. With practice an infantrymen could fire 15 to 20 rounds a minute, extremely fast compared to most other breechloading rifles which could manage around 12 shots a minute. Due to its fast rate of fire the Werder was nicknamed the “Bavarian Lighting” (Bayerisch Blitz). The Werder would serve primarily in the Franco-Prussian War, as Bavaria was allied with Prussia and at war with France.After the unification of Germany the Werder remained in service with the Bavarian militia and police until 1877. Eventually they were replaced with bolt action repeating rifles. Both a rifle and a carbine version were made, as well as a pistol which was issued to officers and cavalrymen. -- source link