the schutzen rifle

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The Schützen Rifle John Anderson Roger Hardy

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Contents

•Introduction•German Tradition•German Rifles•American Tradition•American Rifles•Shooting the Schützen Rifle Today

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Introduction

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The German Tradition

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In the beginning

•Clubs recorded since 1139•Schützengilde or Schützengesellschaft

–1139 Gymnich–1190 Düsseldorf–1240 Aachen–1355 Hamburg–1393 Munich–1414 Danzig

•Crossbows initially•Middle class - echo Guilds•Military Contribution•Competitions widespread by 16th CenturyZürich 1504

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•16th Century woodcut•Note Jester’s costume•Pritschenmeister

Traditions lasted many centuries

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Over 300 years later see marker’s costumes

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Oberbozen range 1689

Ceremonial Targets

•Theme in own right•Chance factor•Schützenkönig

•Shooting had social rôle as well as skill

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Czech range 1754

Another centuryanother targetanother range

Several traditionalcourses of fire

including popinjaybut the core was standing

(offhand or muzzle rest) at about 100 to 175 metres.

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So as not to mislead •few targets pictured ranges •political and other themes were popular

1610 1629

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Tradition endured tothe bitter end

Look at the date

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Deutche Schützenbunde founded 1861Political statement (German unification)NRA like defence aimsOfficial Presence of every German state bar Austria

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The Peoples’ Version•Competition at 200 and 400 feet•Offhand, Offhand with Diopter, Standing rest with any sight

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And in Texas, 118 years later

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Precision wasalso an issue

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The German Rifle

•Development•Early Breechloaders•Later Actions

-Martinis-Swinging Blocks-Falling Blocks

•Barrels•Stocks•Triggers•Sights•Ammunition •Accessories

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Terminology

•Schützen Rifles an American Term•Contemporary German usage Scheibenbüchsen•Modern German usage frequently Feuerstutzen

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The Wheellock continued to a late date

Bavarian circa 1740Illustration 1840

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By 1860 the form had distinctively followed function

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Breechloaders first based on military actions

Catalogue1880

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Werndl in Kufstein antique shop window

Some of these early rifles on military actions were beautifullyengraved. A Werndl engraved with an unusual dragon themewas in a 1996 Munich auction, another illustrated in Diana Armi June 1993, and a presentation Wänzl sold by Sotheby’sJuly 1995.

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Actions

•Mauser Mod. 71/88 continued for lower cost rifles•Martini remained very popular especially in South•Other military actions fell out of use•Feuerstutzen are known on over 50 actions•Vast majority underlever single shot:

-Martini (Fallblock)-Swinging Block (Drehblock)-Falling Block (Vertikalblock)

•Haenel Aydt serial numbers exceed 30,000•Order of magnitude stimate (Tom Rowe) for civilian

CF target rifles 1870 to 1939-UK 5,000; US 15,000; German 150,000.

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Bolt and Martini Actions

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Martinis (Fallblock)

Stiegele,Munich 1910

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Daurer, Rosenheim

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•True Martini actions are rare on German Rifles•Most have swinging Hammers & no Stockbolt (cf Keßler)•Majority had block removal to allow barrel cleaning from rear

Most ‘Martinis’ are do not conform to Martini Patent

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Swinging Blocks (Drehblock)

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The Aydt

Internal Extractor

Haenel Original Aydt

Carl Wilhelm Aydt(1847-1923)

Aydt action patent1885

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The basis for Haenel’s target rifle (Aydt Employee for 36 years)•Simple•Cammed closing•Exposed breech for loading and cleaning•Haenel restarted manufacture in 1997

Aydt Mechanism

•Attractive lines•Stiff barrel action assembly

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The Tanner

Distinctive becauseof lever lock

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The Stecherspanner

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Falling Block Actions (Vertikalblock)

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System Meister

•Several Büchel actions incl Konkurrenz & Stecherspanner•Meister was probably the most significant•Falling block with camming action•Prized by modern competitors•Manufacture restarted in 1998

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System Ideal

Unusual in that a stockbolt attaches the butt

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Barrels•Not extreme in height or weight•Not barrel heavy balance•No dominant rifling profile•Henrys and ‘grooved lands’

popular•Stainless an option by 1930s

Haenel

Interrupted Thread

Schmidt u HabermannBayonet

Takedowns werequite common toassist cleaning &portability

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Buttstocks•Stock registers against bone, chin or jawbone

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Set TriggersCompetition rifles minimum3-lever - some examples upto 6 lever

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Sights

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Cartridges•Many similar cases at first•9.5 x47R similar to 38-55•8.15x46R similar to 32-40•8.15 introduced circa 1893

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Reloading Supplies

Expense of shootingincreased with theintroduction of thebreechloader.

Reloading has neverbeen made simpler:•de & recap•drop in powder pellet•finger seat bullet

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Accessories

Reloading tools•Berdan De&Recapper•Bullet seaters•Powder Measures•Sizing Dies

Sighting Refinement•Multihole Eyepiece•Quick Change Blades•Correcting Lens

Other•Cartridge Blocks•Sight Keys•Cleaning gear

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Zimmerstutzen

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Indoor Practice

•4mm lead ball •Separate rimmed cap - no powder•About 25cm barrel at one or other end of ‘barrel’•0.22lr became popular after WW1

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Sources

1. Braun, Anne, Historical Targets,Royden, London 1983 (trans M.O.A.Stanton)2. de Haas, Frank, Single Shot Rifles and Actions, Follet Publishing, Chicago 19693. de Haas, Frank, More Single Shot Rifles and Actions, Published by the author, Orange City 19894. Grant, James J. More Single Shot Rifles, William Morrow & Co., New York 19595. Harrison, E.H. The Romance of the Old Schuetzen, American Rifleman February 19726. Maretsch, Otto, Moderne Scheibenwaffen, Verlag Die Jagd GmbH, Berlin 19117. Mahrholdt, Richard, Waffenlexicon, F.C.Meyer Verlag, Munich 19528. Michaelis,Hans-Thorald, Schützengilden, Keysersche Verlagbuchhandlung GmbH, Munich 19859. Palmer, A.J. History of the International Shooting Union 1907-77, ISU, Wiesbaden 197810.Schlaugenhauf (ed) Bayerische Meisterschaft für Traditionswaffen, Bayerische Schützenzeitung,

October 199811.Schulz, Walter, Gelungene Wiedergeburt, Feuerstutzen nach System Frohn 1906, Deutsche

Waffen-Journal August 1996.12.Schwartz & Dell, The Modern Schuetzen Rifle, Published by the authors, Christianberg 199913.Thompson, Jesse, The Schützen Rifle, Draft, to be published by Tom Rowe14.Weigand, Elmar, The Development of Breechloading Target Rifles in Germany from 1885 to 1935,

The Journal of the HBSA, Vol 2 No 4, May 199115.Wirnsberger,Gerhard, Scheibenbüchsen und ihre Werschlußeinrichtungen, Deutsche Waffen-Journal

December 1993.

Catalogues16. August Stukenbrok, Waffen, Munition, Jagdartikel,circa 191017.Deutche Waffen und Munitionsfabriken, Munitions-Katalog 190418.Herman Historica Auction 199719.Jürgen H. Fricker, Historische Waffen,, Angebot 2 199620.Peterlongo, Tiroler Waffenfabrik, circa 192021.Pistor & Kost, Gewehrfabrik 188022.Pistor & Kost, Scheibenbüchsen, Zimmerstutzen, Munition und Zubehör, 1913