Weapons of the Unification Wars

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Hand-Cranked Machine Gun

Reffye mitrailleuse

Reffye mitrailleuse

An early type of volley gun used by the French military in the late 19th century. It featured multiple barrels and was capable of firing volleys of projectiles simultaneously, serving as a precursor to modern machine guns.
Montigny mitrailleuse

Montigny mitrailleuse

The Montigny mitrailleuse is an early rapid-fire weapon developed in Belgium, capable of firing multiple barrels simultaneously. Pre-dating modern machine guns, it saw limited use during the Franco-Prussian War.

Muzzle-Loading Pistol

Prussian M1850 Percussion Cavalry Pistol

Prussian M1850 Percussion Cavalry Pistol

A percussion cap pistol used by Prussian cavalry in the mid-19th century, designed for close-quarters combat and horse-mounted use.

Infantry Rifle

M1841 Dreyse Needle-Gun

M1841 Dreyse Needle-Gun

A revolutionary Prussian bolt-action rifle that used a needle firing pin to ignite a paper cartridge. It was one of the first breech-loading rifles, giving the Prussian Army a significant advantage in the mid-19th century.
Podewils M1858/67

Podewils M1858/67

An updated, breech-loading version of the original Podewils M1858, modified in 1867 to use paper cartridges. This upgrade improved loading speed and reliability.
Mle 1853/67 Tabatiere

Mle 1853/67 Tabatiere

A French single-shot breech-loading rifle, converted from older muzzle-loading muskets. It was chambered in a large-caliber rimfire cartridge and used primarily in the mid-to-late 19th century.
M1867 Werndl-Holub

M1867 Werndl-Holub

An Austrian single-shot breech-loading rifle designed by Josef Werndl and Karel Holub. It was adopted by the Austro-Hungarian army and was known for its robust design and the use of a rotating block breech mechanism.
M1867 Wanzl

M1867 Wanzl

An Austrian conversion of the Lorenz M1854 rifled musket into a breech-loading rifle. It was an interim solution to modernize older rifles before the adoption of more advanced breech-loading designs like the Werndl.

Musket

Liege M1853 Musket

Liege M1853 Musket

A Belgian-made percussion musket, often a copy or variant of the French Mle 1853. It was widely used in Europe during the mid-19th century and was known for its reliability and accuracy.

Rifled Musket

Podewils M1858

Podewils M1858

A Bavarian muzzle-loading rifle-musket that used a percussion cap system. It was the standard infantry rifle of Bavaria during the mid-19th century.

Artillery Briquet

Saxon Model 1845 Fusilier Sword

Saxon Model 1845 Fusilier Sword

A military sword issued to Saxon infantry units in the mid-19th century. It featured a shorter, single-edged blade for close combat, reflecting a transitional period in military armament.