Original 1854 1867 Austro-Hungarian Wänzl Lorenz Infantry Rifle with Bayonet Original Items

Original Item: Only One Available. The Wänzl rifle was a breechloading conversion of the M1854 & M1862 Lorenz rifle. The Austro-Hungarian Empire used the Wänzl as their service rifle until they had enough M1867 Werndl-Holub rifles to arm the military.

The rifle was a lifting-block breechloader chambered for the 14×33mm Wänzl rimfire cartridge. The Austrians converted a total of 70,000 Lorenz muskets to Wänzls.

The Lorenz percussion rifle adopted in 1854 was conceived by Lieutenant JOSEPH LORENZ of the Austrian Army. In 1866 after losing the Austro/Prussian War having faced the superior Prussian Dreyse needle fire rifle the search started for new revolutionary infantry weapon.

This turned out to be the 1867 WERNDL rolling block rifle personally selected by the Emperor Franz Joseph. The question remained of what to do with the vast inventory remaining of the M1854 Lorenz rifles.

This was solved with the 1867 introduction of the WANZL conversion system that turned the Lorenz muzzle loader into a 14MM metallic cartridge breech loader and 70,000 transformations were undertaken.

Our example, from an old Florida collection stamped 856 on the lock plate indicating original manufacture in 1856. It is well marked including WERNDL who was the director of the STEYRWERKS at the time and whose name the new Werndl Rolling Block Rifle was named after.

All steel is polished and the rifle complete with its helical slotted socket bayonet complete with locking ring.

The Union purchased 226,924 Lorenz rifles for the Civil War and the Confederacy – over 100,000 which were known to be used by the Army of Tennessee in 1863-1864.

A scarce rifle almost forgotten to history, the WANZL Trapdoor!

Specifications-

Year of Manufacture: 1856
Caliber: 14×33mm Wänzl rimfire
Cartridge Type: Rimfire Cartridge
Overall Length: 52.5 Inches
Action type: Hinged Breechblock with side action lock.
Feed System: Single Shot

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