M1870 Berdan II

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	Weapon: M1870 Berdan II Type: Infantry Rifle Country of Origin: Russia Year Adopted: 1870 Overall Length (mm): 1320.0 Overall Length (in): 51.97 Weight (kg): 4.00 Weight (pounds): 8.82

The M1870 Berdan II was a Russian bolt-action rifle designed by American firearms inventor Hiram Berdan. Chambered in 10.75x58mmR, the Berdan II was a single-shot rifle that offered significant improvements in accuracy and reliability over previous Russian service rifles. Its bolt-action design was a leap forward for the Russian military, which had primarily used breech-loading and muzzle-loading rifles until this point.

The Berdan II was widely adopted by the Russian Army and saw extensive use during the Russo-Turkish War of 1877-1878. It was favored for its ruggedness and ability to perform in the harsh conditions of the Russian frontier. However, like many single-shot rifles of the era, it was soon outclassed by newer repeating rifles with higher rates of fire.

Despite being replaced by the Mosin-Nagant in the 1890s, the Berdan II remained in service with second-line and colonial troops for many years. It is remembered as an important step in the modernization of the Russian military and played a key role in several important conflicts during its service life.