TANK August
Here is
a hunting rifle with two barrels, one in 16 caliber, the other in 9 mm. It is a
“war souvenir” taken from Germany by an American soldier.
Originally, it was a Dreyse hunting rifle (needle gun), which was therefore
transformed "at a certain time" to fire "modern" cartridges in caliber 16 and 9
mm (no idea which 9 mm it could be, especially since I don't know if the barrel
is smooth or rifled).
Here is
a photo of a rifle of the same type in original condition (and much more
beautiful) sold by Hermann Historica.
The
markings
The
right barrel 118/35 8.64 mm underwent two prooftests (according to German
legislation of 1901/1902. A first with the imperial eagle: 7.5 gr powder, 22.9
gr bullet and a second with the eagle and the crowned U 5 gr powder and always
the same projectile 22.9 gr.
The
tests of the left barrel: cal 16: 14.7 gr of powder and 53.6 gr of small
pellets; second test: 9.8 grams of powder and 37.7 grams of lead; strange thing
for the time: this barrel bears the hallmark of a barrel with choke no. 4, i.e.
3/10 mm, that is to say with the crown and the W below.
The
crowned W concerns a re-drilled barrel.
The two
eagles indicate a double ordeal.
The
opening key system under the barrel very closely resembles patent 005013 filed
on September 21, 1857 by August Tank concerning an “improvement in needle
rifles”.
GP with the help of DZ and MAX
