Dreyse Needle Gun

The Dreyse Needle Gun (German Zündnadelgewehr, which translates roughly as "needle ignition rifle") was a military breechloading rifle used primarily by Prussia, who adopted it for service in 1841 as the Dreyse Zündnadelgewehr: it was more widely known as the Prussian Model 1841. It was developed by Johann Nikolaus von Dreyse in Sömmerda over a period from 1827 to 1840. The Dreyse was the first breechloading bolt-action rifle adopted by a major military. Production began in 1840: the gun proved slow to manufacture, with only 30,000 produced per year, and the low funding of the Prussian army meant that only 90 battalions had been issued the weapon by 1855. It was not able to completely replace the Model 1839 Potsdam caplock musket until the introduction of cast steel gun barrels in the 1860s. Other powers were skeptical of the new design, regarding a cartridge that was "always primed" as inherently dangerous, an attitude which had largely prevented military interest in the earlier pinfire cartridge. However, Prussian successes in the Austro-Prussian War of 1866 led to interest in the system from other states: the French incorporated the technology into their Chassepot 1866.

Its name comes from the needle-like steel firing pin, 1mm thick and several inches long, which passed through the base of the waxed paper cartridge to impact a percussion cap attached to the base of the bullet. The operating method was a single-shot bolt action, with the cartridge placed into the open action manually. There are various quoted rates of fire for the weapon: one common figure is 10-12 rounds per minute, though British testing gave a rate of only 6. Some Austrian Lorenz 1854 Infantry Rifles were rebuilt with the Dreyse system. The system was functional but finicky, as the long firing pin and its small driving spring were prone to damage, the pin especially since it was surrounded by powder at the moment of detonation. Another result of this was the needle was inevitably heavily fouled with black powder and burned paper residue (requiring frequent replacement to prevent misfires, and careful cleaning to avoid locking up of the action). In addition, the paper cartridges were too fragile for mechanical loading, preventing the use of them with any kind of integral magazine.

The Dreyse was gradually replaced by the Mauser Gewehr 1871 as the standard service rifle for the German Army in the 1870s.

Specifications

(1841 - 1876)

• Type: Bolt-action rifle

• Caliber: 15.4 mm (M/41, M/62), 15.2 mm (M/60, M/65), 15.3 mm (M/54), 15.1 mm (M/57)

• Weight: 4.7 kg (M/41), 4.69 kg ((M/62)

• Length: 56.1 in (142.5 cm) (M/41), 53 in (134.5 cm) (M/62)

• Barrel length: 35.7 in (90.7 cm) (M/41), 33.1 in (84.2 cm) (M/62)

• Variants: Model 41, Model 54, Model 57 Cavalry Carbine, Model 60 Fusilier Rifle, Model 65 Jäger Rifle

• Rate of fire: 6–12 rounds/min

• Muzzle velocity: 305 m/s (1,000 ft/s)

• Effective range: 600 m (650 yd)

• Feed system: Single-shot bolt-action

• Sights: V-notch and front post

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The Dreyse Needle Gun and variants can be seen in the following films, television series, video games, and anime used by the following actors:

Dreyse Model M/41

Dreyse Infantry Rifle M1841 - 15.4 mm

The first model adopted by the Prussian military. This model was introduced to secrecy as a "leichtes Perkussionsgewehr" ("light percussion rifle"). This model was first used in the First Schleswig War between Prussia and Denmark in 1848 with little success. It was employed with far more success during the Second Schleswig War of 1864.

Film

Title	Actor	Character	Note	Date
Paths of Glory		French soldier		1957
Ludwig II	Tom Schilling	Prince Otto of Bavaria		2012
		Bavarian soldiers

Television

Show Title	Actor	Character	Notes / Episode	Date
1864	Ludwig Trepte	Heinz		2014
	Roland Schreglmann	Ludwig
		Prussian soldiers

Dreyse Model M/62

Dreyse Infantry Rifle M1862 - 15.4mm

This model was introduced in 1862, while the production of the model M / 41 expired at the same time. The changes included improvements in production technology, a reduction in the overall length, a new discharge stand and a more solid bayonet fastening.

Film

Title	Actor	Character	Note	Date
The Captain from Köpenick		German soldiers		1956
Mark of Cain (Kainovo znamení)		Prussian soldiers		1989

Television

Show Title	Actor	Character	Notes / Episode	Date
Lock 'n Load With R. Lee Ermey	R. Lee Ermey	Himself		2009
1864	Ludwig Trepte	Heinz		2014
		Prussian soldiers