Rifle

This is one of the last black powder, large calibre rifles. Turkey was largely equipped with single shot falling block rifles, Peabody-Martinis. To gain a magazine-fed weapon the Turks ordered 500,000 rifles and 50,000 carbines based on the 1871/74 German Army pattern. Before the order was completed Mauser had produced smokeless powder small-bore rifles such as the 1896 South African Mauser. Under the conditions of the order it was completed with the more modern rifle. Any 1887 pattern weapons remaining at Oberndorf were eventually issued to the Wurttemburg Landsturm during the First World War. The accompanying sword bayonet had a blade of 464 mm/ 18.25 ins which fitted to the right side of the muzzle.