Original German Dreyse Zündnadel Needle Fire Pioneer Short Rifle from Kingdom of Württemberg dated 1870 / 71 Original Items

Original Item: Only One Available. These are really hard to find! In 1836 JOHANN NIKOLAUS VON DREYSE designed this breech loading cartridge system while the rest of the world were still using muzzleloaders. These were called Zündnadelgewehr, which translates roughly as “ignition needle rifle”. These were adopted by the Prussian Military in 1841, and called the leichtes Perkussionsgewehr Modell 1841(“light percussion rifle Model 1841”), with the name chosen to hide the revolutionary nature of the new weapon.

Its first notable service was in the May uprisings in Dresden in 1849. Taking a 15.4mm paper cartridge ignited by a needle projecting from the front of the bolt, the barrel on these is heavily rifled to engage the cartridge. The system was so revolutionary that it was observed that in the Austro-Prussian War of 1866, a Prussian Infantryman could fire five rounds from a prone position in the time it took an Austrian Infantryman to discharge one round from a standing position.

The Zundnadel saw service up through the Franco-Prussian War of 1870-1871, when the Prussians were quickly victorious despite the French Chassepot Needle fire Rifle introduced in 1866, which was considered a far superior weapon. It was this action that brought the German Empire together in 1871, and by this time the Needle Rife rifles were in use by many other German states. The Dreyse Needle Fire was obsoleted in 1871 with the introduction of Paul Mauser’s M1871 bolt action rifle which took what we would think of as conventional brass cased ammunition (10.4mm).

This is one of the very last DREYSE Rifles to be adopted by an Independent German State, the Kingdom of Württemberg in Southern Germany, prior to the Unification of all the German States with Prussia under BISMARK in 1871, which then adopted the Mauser Model 1871 Rifle for use throughout the new Germany.

This very late example of a Pioneer Short Rifle is all IRON MOUNTED using no brass whatsoever. It has only two barrel bands, one just in front of the back sight and a larger, longer front band mounted just behind the bayonet stand. Its original brass tipped cleaning rod is present, with an intact cleaning jag on the other end.

The pioneer short rifle is fitted with the standard type Dreyse type bolt, with large ball on the bolt handle, and the firing “Needle” is still present also. This is the original design, which has to have the needle manually with drawn from the chamber before the bolt can be moved back. This is accomplished by pressing down on the release at the rear of the bolt, with allows it to then be locked in the rear position. After the bolt is opened and a new cartridge introduced, the soldier then had to push the back of the bolt forward until it locks into firing position. Definitely far better than percussion, but still quite a bit behind even “antique” rifles today.

The receiver on this example is marked OBERNDORF, for Oberndorf am Neckar in the Kingdom of Württemberg, where the Royal Rifle factory was based. This town was also the birthplace of Paul and Wilhelm Mauser, the founders of the famous Mauser Arms Company. Prior to going out on their own, Paul and Wilhelm worked at the Oberndorf Royal factory, where they had worked to perfect production of the Zündnadel guns.

The other side of the receiver is marked with dates 1870 and 1871. This means that most likely this is a Zündnadelpioniergewehr (Needle Ignition Pioneer Gun) M/69, one of the last models adopted. We do not know the reason for the two dates unfortunately. The serial number appears to be 228 and is all matching as far as we can see. The Butt Plate tang is Regimentally marked :-  13. P. 1. 10. , for the 13th Pioneer Regiment, 1st Company, 10th Man.

The Rifle is in wonderful natural steel finish as issued. The bore is in excellent condition, with just a bit of light oxidation in the grooves. An Exceptionally rare Short Pioneer Rifle, one of the very last Dreyse Rifles produced before complete Unification.

Received from an amazing Collector’s Museum Collection, Ready to display!

Specifications-

Year of Manufacture: 1870 – modified 1871
Caliber: 15.4mm Dreyse
Cartridge Type: Needlefire Cartridge – Lead bullet in Paper Cartridge
Barrel Length: 23 1.2 inches
Overall Length: 42 Inches
Action type: Bolt-Action Needle Fire with Manual Cocking
Feed System: Single Shot

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