Shooting Podewils Lindner featuring some accessories.avi

Bench resting a 13•9 mm calibre Podewils-Lindner Schützengewehr M/58/67 Nr. II capping breechloader with and without Dillenbajonet fixed. Manufactured by Gewehrfabrik Amberg (Amberg Rifle Factory). Cartridge used for evaluation is a copy of the 'Second type cartridge' (Sharfe patrone). Cartridges were contained in robust blue paper packets of ten rounds apiece in two layers separated by a paper partition (also featured). The 'later type' of bullet (Geshoβ), two cannelure was used for evaluation. The muzzle plug featured was from the M/58 muzzle loader. The bayonet was carried together with a brass hilted short-sword (Faschinenmesser M/38); both of their scabbards were strapped together and retained in a black leather frog attached to the left side of the soldier's waist-belt (also featured). Models I and II shared the same bayonet. The sling (gewehrtriemen) was normally fixed tightly for parade and guard duty, loosened at other times; it was made from blackened cows hide. Featured is a Jäger's Raupenhelm M/68 with 'L' for Ludwig II. The trigger-pull of the featured piece is fairly heavy which is not uncommon with arms of this period. A test showed that five rounds per minute can be achieved which tallies with contemporary accounts which was -- even then fairly slow for a breechloader. The separate percussion cap system is definitely a disadvantage as it could be inadvertently left in the hollow cartridge base when chambering - or lost; this could easily have happened during the heat of battle. It is interesting to observe that during the 1870-1 war Bavarian troops were to have one of the best and one of the worst standard issue rifles simultaneously. Pitted principally against the Mle. 1866 Chassepot, the Podewils-Lindner was at a great disadvantage ballistically. The test rifle was found to be both reliable and very accurate with the facsimile cartridges. Guy and Leonard A-R-West