A rare modell 11 infantry rifle (12.02.2020)
In 1912 production of the new
Modell 1911 Infantry Rifle for the new cartridge
Gewehr Patrone 11 (7.5mm GP11) began. At the same time it was decided to upgrade the
Modell 1889/96 Infantry Rifle introduced and equipped for the old cartridge (
Gewehr Patrone 90 (7.5mm GP 90) 1890) to the latest state of the art; the upgraded rifles were designated
Modell 1896/11 Infantry Rifle.
However, the old
Modell 1889/96 Infantry Rifle were also left off the assembly line until 1912 (numbers up to 349'000). However, from the start of production of the
Modell 1911 Infantry Rifle in 1912, they were no longer assembled, although there were still enough parts to produce more than 1,000 units. But it didn't make sense to assemble these weapons and then modify them at the same time. So in 1913 the rifles with the numbers 349'001 to 350'000 were produced from already produced
Modell 1889/96 Infantry Rifle parts (system housing, breech, modified stock) as well as new
Modell 1911 Infantry Rifle parts (barrel with sight, magazine) as
Modell 1911 Infantry Rifle. However, they have the appearance of
Modell 1896/11 Infantry Rifle.
Why are these 1'000 rifles now
Modell 1911 Infantry Rifle and not
Modell 1896/11 Infantry Rifle and are listed as
Modell 1911 Infantry Rifle in the literature?
The answer is simple: the parts were never assembled to a
Modell 1889/96 Infantry Rifle and therefore they are not modified rifles. The 1'000 rifles were also only produced in 1913, after 6'000
Modell 1911 Infantry Rifle with the "normal" appearance were already produced in 1912.
In summary:
212'001 - 349'000
Modell 1889/96 Infantry Rifle, modified in
Modell 1896/11 Infantry Rifle.
349'000 - 350'000
Modell 1911 Infantry Rifle with the appearance of the
Modell 1896/11 Infantry Rifle
351'000 - 482'000 "normal"
Modell 1911 Infantry Rifle
At a later date, the
Modell 1911 Infantry Rifle (and possibly also the
Modell 1911 Carbine) was fitted with the old system housing with the magazine groove. Shafts from the
Modell 1889/96 Infantry Rifle were obviously no longer present. The numbers are not known until now.
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| Modell 1911 Infantry Rifle, weapon number 349106, manufactured 1913 | Modell 1911 Infantry Rifle, weapon number 349106, manufactured 1913 | Modell 1911 Infantry Rifle, weapon number 349106, manufactured 1913 | Modell 1911 Infantry Rifle, weapon number 349106, manufactured 1913 | Modell 1911 Infantry Rifle, gun number 349106, manufactured 1913, flat butt top like Modell 1896/11 Infantry Rifle, marking Basel-Land on the stock |
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| Modell 1911 Infantry Rifle, gun number 349106, manufactured 1913, marking Basel-Land on the stock | Modell 1911 Infantry Rifle, weapon number 349106, manufactured 1913 | Modell 1911 Infantry Rifle, weapon number 349106, manufactured 1913 | Modell 1911 Infantry Rifle, weapon number 349106, manufactured 1913, pistol grip used as on Modell 1896/11 Infantry Rifle | |
Many thanks to Corina and
Udo (K31Doc), who gave me this rarity as a present!
Translated with www.DeepL.com/Translator (free version)
