Zündnadelgewehr in the Austro-Prussian War 1866

[LangeKerl]

Not sure if you guys have seen this before. I thought it was pretty interesting.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xScjkrcaAcc" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

 

[Larmo]

Very interesting, thanks for posting this Willi. The ability to quickly load and fire from a prone position with the breech loading Needle Gun was an enormous advantage over the muzzle loading weapons. If memory serves, to load and fire while prone armed with a muzzle loader, the soldier had to remove a cartridge from his pouch, roll over on his back, elevate the barrel, tear the cartridge paper with his teeth, pour the powder into the barrel, place the bullet on the muzzle with one hand, draw the rammer with the other hand, ram home the bullet, replace the rammer, remove a percussion cap from his belt pouch, half cock the hammer, place the percussion cap on the cone, roll back over on his stomach, cock the hammer to full, aim and fire. Most of these procedures were done with the soldier having to take his eyes of the enemy, Yikes

Interesting too is the experimentation by the Germans of an ammunition pouch with a lid or cover that opened away from the soldiers body in 1874 and 1888. Although by 1909 they returned to a pouch which again opened towards the soldiers body.