Schlegemilch 1896: Closest Competition to the Mauser 98

[@sarjim4381]

Well, Mauser is much easier to spell and pronounce, so there's that.

[@1brettsnyder]

@@GlamStacheessnostalgialounge What's it mean?

[@sarjim4381]

@@GlamStacheessnostalgialounge Assuming Ian has misspelled the name and it's really Schlegelmilch, buttermilk is a good name for a rifle, just like Buttermilk was a good name for Dale Evan's horse.

[@TheKerberos84]

@@1brettsnyder You could translate it with milk beater.

[@Schmidt54]

Schlegelmilch could mean "milkbeater", so... maybe not the most popular name attached.

[@sarjim4381]

@@Schmidt54 My high school German is pretty rusty but Schlegel is usually something like a chicken drumstick and Milch is, pretty obviously, milk. How that combines in German seems to not have a direct English equivalent.

[@sprret]

That rifle was well looked after, it looks brand new!

[@kaschberle6948]

only dropped once

[@psinno]

Most of the furniture on guns here looks better taken care of than the floors in my recently renovated house.

[@richarddixon7276]

Its a rather attractive looking machine without a doubt .

[@s1n1stersixsgaming8]

Luck No. 7 She's a beauty of rifle, honestly the engineering that went into it is impressive, whomever had her in their collection really cared for it.

[@ThePerfectRed]

Even the temper colors of the trigger are still present 7:20

[@michaelhorning6014]

Schlegelmilch was really swinging for the fences. A brilliant and innovative design that had the misfortune of running up against an epoch-making design.

[@LoneWolf051]

Im surprised no other European country didnt test this

[@nindger4270]

@@LoneWolf051 Well, almost everyone else already had either a native design or an earlier version of the Mauser. Bad timing, I suppose.

[@LoneWolf051]

@@nindger4270 Italy wouldve really benefited from testing and adopting this over that Carcano

[@nindger4270]

@@LoneWolf051 maybe, we don't know what problems this may have had, but again, it was several years too late for that. The Carcano was adopted in 1891.

[@mr.bobcyndaquil4214]

@@LoneWolf051 Wasn't the Spandau arsenal state-owned? Because that might explain why.

[@WhitzWolf92]

This is why I watch Forgotten Weapons; prototypes that most average people would never hear about but had one or more really clever elements in either the mechanism or manufacturing.

[@stephenb2276]

Right! Like that .950 from last month... dear god

[@jackmcslay]

Watching how sleek the disassembly goes with this rifle is basically gun porn

[@Terabit3]

And one of the big reasons were all subscribed to Ian

[@imperialgermanbayonets9244]

Little correction here. The original Gewehr 98 sights went down to 200 meters, not 400. They only changed that to 400 meters as the lowest setting in 1903 after adopting the S cartridge. Great video and an awesome rifle!

[@ForgottenWeapons]

Good catch, thanks.

[@VadarVadar]

Gun Jesus answered!

[@shellcracker18]

Vadar praise be!

[@VeraTR909]

That 'lower receiver' disassembly seems very slick, great design in my opinion.

[@PieterBreda]

The entire rifle seems very cleverly designed. Look at the trigger assembly.

[@s1n1stersixsgaming8]

2nd and 3rd both #engineeringporn

[@ILikeToLaughAtYou]

Mirodin somewhat reminds me of how an M1 takes down without any tools or anything. This is obviously a much easier system, and they’re two different eras, but hey, I think it’s sorta similar.

[@TheAngrySaxon1]

@@PieterBreda Arguably it looks like a much better design than the G98.

[@sakkra93]

I can't help but imagine that there's an alternate universe out there where the Mauser 98 is remembered just as some failed trials rifle, but everyone remembers the victor - the Schlegemilch 96, the standard rifle of the German Empire in WWI.

[@pilgrimm23]

Many shooters can look at a weapon and see how it works as a machine. It takes a far more rare person to see that and to also look at that weapon and see it as a machinist. To realize how many engineering steps are needful to mill the block of steel, broach the needed holes.... rare indeed. My Compliments sir.. I always learn from you.

[@rancidpitts8243]

My thoughts are that it would be a real bear to rebarrel for a gunsmith from a barrel blank. Other than that, a beautiful machine.

[@painmagnet1]

Not rare at all for any amateur gunsmith to appreciate the machining elements required.

[@pilgrimm23]

@@painmagnet1 I AM an amateur gunsmith yet I know what I do NOT know and how hard it is. I admire art in any media and this is a great media.

[@Aimless6]

The Whipped Cream rifle? Right there is one of the problems. Too bad no trial reports survived. The engineering is gorgeous. edit: All other rifles use a tube as receiver, for strength. I imagine this would have been a great last ditch rifle. Where you are not worried about it starting to rattle after a while.

[@strydom666]

Wow, the rifle looks immaculate, I can't believe it's over a century old.

[@coolhand1983]

That is a beautiful rifle. I love the sliding bolt cover and the handguard. I'd love to see one tested

[@bskorupk]

Ian: "If your Interested in having one of these Trials Rifles Yourselves..." Me: "You can kiss your wallet good-buy? :)"

[@samiam619]

OLDCONTEMPTABLE Got an extra car you could sell? 😃

[@bskorupk]

@@samiam619 Good Suggestion! :) But I'm looking for work, and I would be hard pressed to buy a used one, so no, I'm not getting this rifle, or having my first car be expensive... :( On a brighter note, do you know a good place in Massachusetts to find "Kramer's Antique Restorer"? I have a couple of Nepal Cache pieces that I need to attend to! :)

[@nindger4270]

@@bskorupk Considering the lineage and age, they are surprisingly... "affordable". I expected something in the 20-30 grand range, but the last one sold at auction at James D. Julia came in at 11.500. Still completely out of reach for some random John Doe like me, but hey. With how old and rare it is, plus it's technically a Mauser system so you have that whole collector horde to contend with, plus the German premium... I'm guessing the unobtainium cartridge and the fact that it did not in fact serve with any military keeps the price down a bit.

[@bskorupk]

@@nindger4270 I didn't realize that, although the more I think of it, the more it makes sense that expensive ammo would be what makes Bertiers and Lee-Enfields almost as affordable as Mosins! :)

[@nindger4270]

@@bskorupk I'd love a reproduction of this in 7x57 Mauser. Should be close enough in terms of ballistics - small bore, high velocity, flat trajectory - and someone could actually take it out to shoot with it. Would probably still be a really expensive firearm, but at least one wouldn't have to deal with the "utterly irreplaceable antique" issue. :D

[@lancerevell5979]

It's in absolutely gorgeous condition for it's age. 😎👍

[@ILikeToLaughAtYou]

That bolt cover immediately reminded me of an Arisaka, until you pulled the bolt back, and it’s a MILLION TIMES NICER!!! It’s a real shame this rifle never caught on. Maybe someone can do a run (or 20) of these rifles reproduced for the modern market. Looks like a great candidate for a hunting rifle, with the sleek and thin design, as well as the quick takedown procedure and bolt shroud, it’s a real premium rifle by today’s standards of firearm production.

[@soylentgreen7074]

The machining on this rifle is the best I’ve ever seen, you don’t see quality like this anymore.

[@Axemantitan]

There's something amazing about the late-19th/early-20th century rifles. The metalwork, the woodwork, all exceptionally well done. They put a lot of craftsmanship into their work. The same is true with other rifles of the period, notably the M1917 Enfield.

[@blueband8114]

Superb, this era produced so many beautiful rifles.

[@robert8984]

Ian is already thinking "Hmmm - can i place a bid on that rifle?" :D

[@Thermalions]

I seem to recall him mentioning that he tends not to do videos on guns he intends to bid on. No need to unnecessarily increase the bidding competition ;)

[@stardust_2339]

Thermal Ions Or just release a video after the auction. :)

[@nindger4270]

That's what I'm thinking as well, but then I take a look at my pitiful bank balance and sigh in disbelief and desperation. -_-

[@MosoKaiser]

@@stardust_2339 That wouldn't really work with the cooperation he does with auction houses - why would you want a video that doubles as an ad for your auction to only come out after it's been held?

[@felixh2786]

He's probably saving up for a Lewis gun.

[@adamkadir3803]

Problems aside...that rifle is gorgeous. Edit: just finished the video. Huh. Not really any problems. Neat. I'd love to have a custom hunting rifle built like that.

[@joshuaschroeder5365]

Why would you comment before even finishing the video??

[@811brian]

@@joshuaschroeder5365 you have no idea how often that happens.

[@nhrifle]

That rifle has some truly beautiful lines.

[@charro7037]

Splendid rifle

[@maxkronader5225]

"Hey, I invented a great new rifle with lots of innovations. What's my competition in the trials?" "The best bolt action rifle ever made." "Damn."

[@PlanetRibooted]

From a manufacturing perspective, this is a VERY smart design!

[@skillz7119]

120 year old prototype rifle with an integral dust cover? MUD TEST IT. Im sure rock island is chill with that :D

[@dbmail545]

I have to wonder about that barrel extension. Looks very modern but the barrel itself is cut into the extension instead of the extension being just pinned on. As simple as every other part of that action looked, do you think that the increased complication of the barrel extension might have been a deciding factor?

[@Psiberzerker]

Mud test? I'm kidding, but I can just imagine that stripper clip guide wiping all the mud off that top cover, and dropping it neatly in the magazine opening when you cycle it.

[@marcmiltz]

There is an unfortunate misspelling in the video name and thumbnail: it's Schlegelmilch not Schlegemilch

[@thetrippedup9322]

Just had my eyes rapidly flicking between the two variations for about ten minutes

[@neear2789]

@@thetrippedup9322 lmao same

[@ILikeToLaughAtYou]

Lmao. Cut Milk.

[@kenwheeler3637]

Fascinating design. Love the handguard as well. That rifle has been so well looked after it pretty much a museum piece.

[@thelegendaryklobb2879]

Gorgeous looking rifle, and incredibly well preserved. Now buy it and mud test it, we need to see how effective that cover really is! XD

[@randywatson8347]

Glorious machining!

[@MegaTeacherg]

Hi just wanted to thank ypu for all youre hard work and fantastic videos. You are brilliant

[@johnnewman9436]

That trigger guard/magazine housing switch is slick. 😍

[@Simon_Nonymous]

What a lovely bit of iron, and beautifully presented too Ian. So what is in my mind is why the Mauser and not this? The disassembly and operation look squaddy proof. All it needs is a ten round mag and it might almost be as good as an SMLE, and I'd bet a 10 round mag in that calibre would barely upset the balance of the rilfe, and would win in terms of shooting comfort?

[@donaldstraitiff7827]

I think you’re right about the double feed issue. That bolt looks just like the 88, but that doesn’t mean much. Could be like the later “Mannlicher” rifles which are perfectly fine and also based on the 88.

[@doomsayer7937]

Now that's one cool rifle. How simple yet elegant.

[@LtJackboot]

You never know what will constitute a successful firearm. This one looks to be VERY well designed and built and yet it failed.

[@aunscmarinelt.1252]

That’s a beautiful gun. I really wish there were more of these.

[@r-mackphotography6424]

Amazingly engineered and wow, that condition is unreal

[@stephenschwake524]

Amazing that you can still see the colors from the heat-treating on the trigger.

[@esper6119]

THAT HANDGUARD IS ADORABLE

[@jerryjohnsonii4181]

Very Cool rifle Ian an thanks for showing it Sir

[@taffbats]

Looks like a close resemblance of the spandau rifle from the same era ! I find it fascinating the way they got around broaching the raceways by incorporating rails for the bolt guide/travel.

[@Hrajnoga]

This is one of the most well preserved antique rifles I have ever seen :-O

[@Locutus494]

WOW! That is unbelievable how a 123 year old rifle looks that good! Not just the condition of a gun that old, but the quality of machining and workmanship. It's amazing that they could do that good back then with the technology of the time. A lot of products made with the most cutting edge CNC machining processes today aren't as well made.

[@tonyneo6100]

No book describes this as well you have here , good stuff . Thank you.

[@jonlennon3348]

That is a fine rifle. The features are astounding for the time period. The metal finishing is awesome for the time period. Its a shame they didn't make tons more of them.

[@aaronhrk]

This rifle is absolutely gorgeous... I'd love to own one! It's a shame that there's no documentation relating to it's performance in trials. Thanks again for this one Ian :-)

[@ILikeToLaughAtYou]

Has the trigger been recently repaired or at some point in time? Just going off of a second or two of clear-ish footage of the trigger itself, it seems to be somewhat recently heated. Possibly to strengthen the hairline split I thought I saw? Not trying to make assumptions or anything. Just curious because of something I thought I saw. Then again, I could be 100% incorrect, and that trigger has kept its beautiful colors since it was forged in the late 19th century! Beautiful rifle! Anyone would be lucky to have that work of art in their collection! Great vid as always!

[@matejmatej3554]

Soooooo beautiful and like new this is one awesome looking rifle. Greetings from Slovenia

[@brucebello9892]

Well done Ian, really interesting video, thanks fro bringing it to us, cheers

[@pw7564]

Really cool! The bolt looks very smooth.

[@LionofCaliban]

That's some of the best, easiest, cleanest disassembly I've seen and you're telling me it's a 19th century rifle? No screws, no pins, just tension and levers? I think I can see one reason the rifle failed the tests though. The way the magazine spring, follower comes out and is just so proud, loose, floating around, that's not a good look to be blunt. If that magazine square sheet metal was a bit taller, I think it would have been a little more successful. Plus, that bolt shroud. Question for those with thoughts on the matter, would the round handguard section help lock the whole rifle together? Held keep a set amount of pressure, stop too much wobble, getting into he system?

[@Mike_Rogge]

This is a VERY well designed rifle. Nice job, Shphlablebmiealk

[@MsJoao101]

The build quality is amazing...

[@michaelleslie8424]

That's a very sweet rifle wish I could afford one

[@hanskc3302]

Thanks a lot for sharing this one, Ian! Beautiful rifle!

[@horstboellinger6880]

Some really good ideas on this rifle.

[@true-fiction]

Some very elegant engineering.

[@TurtleStranger]

That piece is art

[@pcka12]

What a clever and unique design!

[@nindger4270]

Such a wonderfully elegant rifle, what a shame that it went nowhere; and some very well thought out features, it seems.

[@camrsr5463]

That is a slick piece of kit!

[@Jesses001]

This seems like a really good rifle. As you mentioned, a lot of little design choices that should make this rifle rather easy to produce. I am surprised it was not at least accepted as a secondary adoption in small numbers. I am also surprised they did not try to sell it anyplace else. I know a lot of countries at this time that would had really benefited from this rifle.

[@criffermaclennan]

That looks like a beautiful rifle

[@remko]

Again a great video to watch! Every time you take something apart I wonder, did you ever had any trouble putting a rare gun back together?

[@Purple_Wayne]

That's a pretty slick design.

[@1brettsnyder]

This design is actually really slick. I like it!

[@MrJob91]

Omg this thing is so beautiful. Almost like a bolt action luger

[@lewickimikolaj]

Rails that bolt rides on and locking ring made as a part of the barell reminds me of Blasers 93 and 98.

[@geneard639]

That is the slickest design for a rifle that I've ever seen to date. I would love to see how the bolt takes down.

[@ThomasRonnberg]

That is such a gorgeous construction

[@jasonbuck489]

That is a magnificent rifle!... That thing belongs in a Museum !

[@peterconnan5631]

Fascinating design and as always a great video. If I were to hazard a guess, I would say it was lacking in accuracy. My reasoning is that the action is what holds the rifle in the stock, and the joint between barrel and action is probably not all that secure. I think if he mounted the barrel firmly to the stock and free-floated the action, it would have been much more accurate. But that's just conjecture...

[@dannythehonestgamer6051]

"So what rifles do we have for the trials for the army´s new service rifle Captain?" "Well General we have a Mauser design and a ...Sche... Schu.. Slegem.... Something i can not pronounce General." "let me see... Schul... Shul... Well ignore that one then and go with the Mauser design, just test it a bit before you sign the contract will you. After all we can not adopt a service rifle that have a name that no one can pronounce without twisting ther tongues."

[@natedunn51]

real general would pick hard name. General: ahh, can you say this name? Captian: No Sir General: It's perfect, our enemies will have no idea what hit them.

[@nindger4270]

I understand how that name must seem like a nightmare to someone who's not a native speaker, but it's really quite simple. Thumbs up for the humour nonetheless. :-D

[@dannythehonestgamer6051]

@@nindger4270 The humor is the important part. And i can actually pronounce it. Just do not expect me to be able to say it ten times fast.

[@happyhaunter_5546]

Wow lots of nifty little features, very interesting

[@kenhelmers2603]

Slick design, nice rifle. Thanks Ian :)

[@charlesperry1051]

That rifle is very well designed and very well preserved.

[@cariboupetepeterson3711]

Beautifully built rifle!

[@costantinoandruzzi2219]

This is gunmaking craftsmanship at its best!

[@adamwash917]

that's beautiful, for being so rare and so old, I hope it sells for a lot!

[@altonriggs2352]

Beautiful rifle..never seen it before this

[@stacybrown3714]

I really like the design. It would be interesting to see how it did in the trial. I guess I'v become as addicted to the facts ad I am to the collecting. Thanks again.

[@charlesmartel9502]

Ian, there appear to be machined lugs protruding from either side of the barrel extension. Did those lock into a metal bedding block, perhaps connected to that stock cross bolt? Fascinating.

[@MrOhms13]

Holy crap. I love the design features of this rifle. The overall look, not so much, but yeah, those design features.

[@aaronbuckmaster7063]

That is an extremely fine rifle, in what is close to our 6mm 284. I have one built on a BRNO 98 with a Lilja barrel. I wonder what the twist rate is in that barrel. I went with 1 in 8 for the long VLD bullets.

[@dobypilgrim6160]

What a beautiful rifle. It's a shame they didn't go into commercial production.

[@jacobdill4499]

That is a really neat gun.

[@dreamingflurry2729]

Totally cool gun, but I'd add a second safety hook for the bolt (only having one makes it more likely to jam when cycling) and make sure that it's impossible to to have any jams while cycling the thing, but otherwise? Damn, I would like to have one :) Thanks for the video, Kamerad Ian :) (note: I am from Germany actually!)

[@astrokaizer]

So shiny so smooth

[@cheesenoodles8316]

Yup...pretty cool...Yup....nerdy excitement over a handguard. Beautiful example of a gun with a great and unique history.

[@mazkact]

Very interesting. I do wonder about primary extraction and I cannot place any kind of recoil lug. Fascinating piece.

[@blakee2525]

This is what kraut space magic looked like in 1896.

[@toolthoughts]

It would be very interesting to get to test one of these.

[@oliverpohlproductions8291]

Beautiful weapon.

[@prestonmonaghan499]

Cogswell and Harrison (?) In England marketed a similar rifle around 1900. I think it was called the spector

[@prestonmonaghan499]

It was called the certus

[@mattdickson2]

idk man that action looks delicate

[@charles_wipman]

Damn it, it looks really good to me.

[@thustra07]

Beautiful.

[@jdgomez775]

This rifle is so aesthetically pleasing, I'm surprised it wasn't sold in the civilian market. At least it could have been sold to another smaller country like Chile or Argentina in South America.

[@stevelewis7263]

it would be great to see a video of this rifle being shot (albeit with reduced loads) to see what accuracy and action is like.