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Austro-Hungarian Kropatschek Carbine M1881 |
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Made by Osterreichische Waffenfabriks-Gesellschaft, Steyr, 1881-83 Quantity: 12,200 Caliber: 11.15x42R - 11x58R Tube magazine in fore-end, 6 rounds Turning bolt action, locked by the bolt rib abutting the receiver ahead of the bridge 1040mm [40.9 inch] overall, 3.69kg [8.4 lbs] 570mm [22.4 inch] barrel, 6-groove rifling, RH, concentric Ramp-and-leaf sight graduated to 600 schritt Muzzle velocity 307 m/sec with M1877 Carbine round Model 1867 Socket bayonet |
By 1874 the failure of the ineffectual M1872 Fruwirth carbine
to interest the
Austro-Hungarian Army cleared the way for a rifle designed by Alfred von
Kropatschek. The first guns were submitted to the Minister of War on September
24, 1874. They had a conventional action inspired by the German Mauser M1871,
using the bolt rib to lock against the receiver, and had a Vetterli-type tube
magazine in the fore-end. The cartridge carrier mechanism was similar to the
Fruwirth M1872. The striker was designed with an intregal cocking piece and
eliminated the separate hammer of the Fruwirth. The increased mass of the bolt
guide closed against the split receiver bridge. This made the action
substantially stronger than the earlier Fruwirth was. This allowed the
chambering of a stronger cartridge, the M1877 11.15x42mmR, instead of the
Fruwirth's low powered M1867 11.15x36mmR cartridge.
The M1881 Kropatchek held six rounds in the magazine, an additional round in the
chamber and another on the cartridge carrier for a total of eight rounds when
fully loaded.
In 1876 the Kropatschek was declared 'suitable for adoption' - which simply allowed lengthy minor improvements to drag on into the 1880s.
In 1879 Leopold Gasser of Vienna patented a spring-loaded loading gate for the Kropatschek, adapted from the then-current Winchester pattern. The gate was used on some of the 'Gasser-Kropatschek' rifles tested in Austria-Hungary in the early 1880s.
After army trials the 'Repetier-Karabiner fur Koniglich Ungarnische Landesvertheidigung' (Hungarian Gendarmerie) was adopted on June 19, 1881, and 4000 carbines were ordered from Steyr. The accepted weapon had a single barrel band and the bolt handle was turned downward. The gun was somewhat similar to the earlier Fruwirth, but the striker had an integral cocking piece instead of an external hammer.
Later the Model 1881 was also issued to the Gendarmerie of Bosnia-Herzegovina. From March 17, 1882, the carbine was issued to the Austrian Landesgendarmerie.
The Kropatschek is marked "OEWG" on top of the receiver ring and the
acceptance mark 'St' and Date
Some sources list this as the Model 1874 or as the Model 1874/81. The confusion
comes from when the design was completed, 1874 versus when the weapon was
finally accepted and the initial order was placed in 1881.
The Fruwirth is easily mistaken for the Kropatchek due to the very similar
configuration. The easiest way to tell them apart is the absence of a barrel
band on the Fruwirth and the separate traditional style hammer of the Fruwirth
when compared to the striker of the Kropatchek M81.
By 1885 the rise of the box magazine restricted distribution and influence of the Kropatschek - except in France, where its popularity in Indo-China and Africa eventually created the Lebel.
Surviving guns were replaced by 1890-pattern and by 1895-pattern Mannlichers after 1900.