Type Bolt-action rifle Used by Switzerland Designed 1893 | In service 1893–1905 Designer Ferdinand Mannlicher | |
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Place of origin Switzerland
Austria-Hungary | ||
The Swiss Mannlicher Model 1893 Carbine was a straight-pull carbine designed by Ferdinand Mannlicher for use by the Swiss cavalry troops. It features a bolt that is almost identical to that of the Mannlicher M1890 Carbine and Mannlicher M1895 rifle aside from the shape of the cocking piece.
Design
The Swiss military was in need of a cavalry carbine for their mounted units, so they tried shortening the existing Schmidt–Rubin 1889, but its action proved to be too long to be effective to maneuver with while mounted, so the Swiss government began trials for a new carbine. Two turning-bolt designs were submitted by SIG, a turning-bolt and a straight-pull design were submitted by Ferdinand Mannlicher, a modified Mauser design and a straight-pull design by Vogelsang and Krauser. The Mannlicher straight-pull design was chosen for its compactness.
It was carried by side sling swivels and didn't feature a bayonet mount. These carbines were supposedly hated by the Swiss soldiers as they were hard to field strip and their bolts were hard to disassemble. Many were intentionally smashed during drills, so today combined with their small manufacture number they are quite rare. It was later replaced by the Schmidt–Rubin M1899/1900 Short Rifle.
The M1893s were never meant to fire more potent GP11 ammunition and should never be fired using it.