Werndl model 67 rifle

During the Austrian Prussian in 1866 the Austrians took a heck of a beating from the Prussians due to the Dreyese needle gun. The Austrians were still using the excellently designed muzzle loading model 1854 Lorenz rifle. While at the peak of muzzle loading rifle development it was no match against the faster firing Dreyese rifle.

The Austrians decided to adopt a breach loading metallic cartridge rifle. What came about is the Werndl rifle. This weapon shown here today is a M1867 Jeager, light infantry, rifle. The rifle was design by Karel Holub and with Josef Werndl, the director of the Steyrwerks, made the rifle.

This interesting rifle uses a rotating drum action breech.

Top view of the drum.

The drum is rotated to load a cartridge.

The extractor is actuated when the drum is pushed all the way down.

Not the metal pistol grip

Brass butt plate

bayonet support

They were numbered to the rifle

On February 18,1868 the United States patent office granted a patent to J. Werndl , No. 74,737.

This the US patent for the rifle.

This is a great color plate of the Werndl, from the book listed below.

You can find this book at Amazon:

http://www.amazon.com/Experiment-Trial-Prototypes-International-Military/dp/B00BN6VF3Q/ref=sr_1_12?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1458488593&sr=1-12&keywords=Experiment+and+trial

This is also available at Amazon:

http://www.amazon.com/The-International-Arms-Review-1/dp/B001GNZZG4/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1458488670&sr=1-2&keywords=international+arms+review

Also at Amazon:

http://www.amazon.com/potpourri-single-shot-rifles-actions/dp/B0006F2FXY/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1458488764&sr=1-1&keywords=A+potpourri+of+single+shot+rifles+and+actions

This book can be found on line at:

https://books.google.com/books?id=iyosAAAAYAAJ&pg=PP9&lpg=PP9&dq=ordnance+memoranda+no.+15&source=bl&ots=5DlK5DWDmP&sig=CCd54NdO95VPFbUIyZUijtqnnkE&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjUwYvE_6nJAhUH8j4KHfIrCAw4ChDoAQgjMAE#v=onepage&q=ordnance%20memoranda%20no.%2015&f=false