Imperial Gewehr 71

The Gewehr 1871 was the first rifle adopted by the newly-formed German state after its unification at the end of the Franco-Prussian War. It replaced the decades-old Dreyse needle rifles, and fired an 11x60mm black powder cartridge. It was the first significant rifle designed by the Mauser brothers, and would evolve into the iconic and ubiquitous Mauser 98 design over the years.
/ forgottenweapons

[@NormanMatchem]

Wow, Johann does a great impression of his non-Prussian cousin Ian!

[@jeromes6058]

NormanMatchem lol

[@kaiserwilhelmii2586]

Ja ja ja

[@makotoyuki2199]

NormanMatchem 666 likes

[@-oiiio-3993]

The pickelhaube makes the man!

[@sevilleandcoarthouse2960]

I know, I got fooled for a second....

[@DrBreezeAir]

I demand thematic costumes from now on!

[@thewolvesbane2536]

+ShaDOWDoG667 I third this

[@Vampirization]

+DrBreezeAir Agreed.

[@stephenwoods4118]

+DrBreezeAir Ja Ja

[@AdrenalineJunkieXL]

at least a new mustache every video haha

[@Generictwat1]

+DrBreezeAir I think my monitor will explode if any Napoleonic era weapons are discussed due to color overload :/

[@ThePizzaGoblin]

That mustache. It is glorious

[@lawrencebautista1]

DesertFoxCXVII ala-Kaiser Wilhelm moustache

[@littlemikey46]

That moustache is impeccable. I salute you!

[@cpt_nordbart]

I concur

[@garfd]

cat

[@roykliffen9674]

Damn .... that helmet goes very well with your moustache and goatee .... lose the long hair and you could be cast as an extra in a historic movie about the Franco-Prussian War or WW1

[@roykliffen9674]

Bart Bols In the military? PS ... it is not about hating his long hair ... it is about accuracy :)

[@TheTyrial86]

+Roy Kliffen Yes back then gas masks where new, facial hair, and long hair are not allowed for a few reasons. 1)beards prevent a solid seal for a gas mask. 2)long hair enables lice and ticks. Those are reasons. Americans back then had different problems then Europeans at the time.

[@r4fken]

Well whats interesting is that in the British military hair had to be short chin and lower lip shaven but it was part of the dress code that all soldiers should leave the upper lip unshaven as to grow a moustache... Nothing like a bunch of moustached men drinking tea and shooting Enfields...

[@kyleiverson6856]

+Pippin Crazy to think that in the old Prussian Army (well before unification), one had to grow facial hair, and if you couldn't grow a mustache or beard, you had to paint one on.

[@deepsouthredneck1]

+Bart Bols In the Victorian era long hair had went out and beards were in. You're thinking of the colonial era, sometime in the first half of the 19th century people stopped wearing long hair and short hair was also common before then anyway.

[@spiritof78]

What a fine piece of craftsmanship. Serialized screw heads? Wow!

[@MERLK2]

+spiritof78 An archaic idea out of times when weaponparts were for example handforged, and specialy fittet for the individual gun. If the gun gets refurbished or repaired no part can get mixed with parts from other guns and cause problems. Absolutly unecessary when parts got manufactured standardised and in great scale - but you know; old habits dont die easily. Besides those numbers got hammered into the metal manualy - you don`t want to take ol`Hans his job away, wouldn`t you ;)

[@dunxy]

Just lovely! I would not care how good or bad this shot, id own it just to look at it whenever i wanted!

[@Bayan1905]

I bought one earlier this year, won a silver medal in a black powder military rifle match. It's a lot of fun to shoot, especially since most guys were shooting Trapdoor Springfields, and other guns, but I was the only one who had a Gewehr 71.

[@linkfreeman1998]

Wtf lmao Really? Not even other guns like the Gras? All Trapdoors?

[@vinnyethanol]

Gasp! It wasn't Johann, it was Ian himself! You're one time machine away from changing history!

[@marcuscanter8899]

At 7:41 I decided to search the marking, and discovered that the rifle he is showing with was from one of the reserve infantry regiments. the 113th (5th Baden) Infantry. The only notable fact is that the unit never saw direct combat before its disbandment.

[@anjoberlin8708]

The weird thing about it is, that the F.W. at 6:40 stands for Friedrich Wilhelm II. von Mecklenburg-Strelitz.

[@samwecerinvictus]

Your point?

[@thewalking4473]

@@samwecerinvictus He was just stating a simple fact.

[@Blackaceed]

Marked and proofed screws is something Ikea really needs....

[@jasondoe2596]

Oh god... that helmet... that mustache... those SERIALIZED SCREWS... it's hilarious xD Congratulations on reaching the 200000 subs milestone, Ian!

[@hjorturerlend]

Ordnung muss sein! ;p

[@AUTgriesbrei]

+hjorturerlend muss*

[@oliverjunge8671]

+Jason “cyberspace entity” Doe The Prussians actually had the reputation to be overly bureaucratic... in the eyes of other overly bureaucratic Germans. The serialized screws, though, that seems like something someone would invent for an Monty Python sketch.

[@Wabaanimkii]

I heard pornhub was looking for youtubers. I can't imagine why but their only qualification was at least 150k subs.

[@ventroid4473]

Jason Doe 500k now! :D

[@jephjacques]

Stache owns

[@ChristianMcAngus]

The manual of arms at the time emphasized coordinated volley fire I think for which you don't absolutely need repeating rifles. Militaries were also seemingly obsessed that given repeating (or later on self loading) rifles soldiers would "waste" ammunition. Look at the rifles with magazine cut-offs from around this period.

[@boc234]

In Ireland's day of need Ah, you proved a friend indeed When ye made the bullets speed, Oh, my old Howth gun!

[@jingoist-sj8gj]

When your bark and bitter bite put the Saxon curse to flight!

[@strawdog9964]

And he didn't stop to fight Oh, my old Howth gun!

[@knightmare8642]

$575? That's a steal!

[@JackOSUrulz]

Chompy yeah, If I had bid on it, it would have went to $2000. Because that's the kind of shit luck I have with gun auctions...

[@mauserwaffen982]

@@JackOSUrulz not just you, me as well.

[@bazookaboss332]

He even shaped his mustache for the video, the madlad.

[@mikepokorny2835]

"Wilkommen zu *Vergessene Waffen*" - gotta love Ians prussian cousin.

[@nonameavailable4840]

your german gets better and better mein werter herr :D

[@saepelaudat]

+no name available A lot better! i just remembered the "Panzerbüsch" (Ian for Panzerbüchse)^^

[@pupyasko1233]

+no name available I agree, but I would also like to point out two minor mistakes I found. The first one right at the start of the video you'd have to say "vergessene Waffen" instead of "vergessen Waffen" because of the plural. Same reason at the end it should be "meine Herren" instead of "mein Herren". Other than that your german was really good.

[@theswedishpanda3897]

+Flo Huber german is really complex sometimes…

[@pupyasko1233]

The Swedish Panda I know. I didn't say this to discourage him or anything, but whatever you want to learn you need someone to point out your mistakes to be able to improve in it, because most times you don't notice them yourself.

[@theswedishpanda3897]

Flo Huber yep true

[@MrMakabar]

Spandau, Erfurt and Danzig were all in Prussia, only Amberg is in Bavaria.

[@ForgottenWeapons]

+MrMakabar Whoops!

[@danzigrulze5211]

+MrMakabar I was about to make a comment on that but you beat me to it.

[@numberninelarge3121]

PRUSSIA FUCK YEA

[@numberninelarge3121]

yea and spandau is in berlin

[@janharmswi]

+Herr Fenchel While it is the capital of Thuringia right now (1945-1952 and since 1990), from 1814 to 1945 Erfurt was in Prussia

[@danm7298]

Pro tip: put the gun to the side as your pulling the bolt back to eject the spent case if needed. rather than waiting until after pulling the bolt to the rear as i see a lot of ppl do. Do it in 1 quick motion.

[@sergelecluse0001]

This rifle is marked for the 113th Infantry Regiment, 5ft company (2nd battalion), weapon No 7. The Prussian unit markings system is explained here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/b2fHmomlj8uEgK8

[@RuSeK195]

dank stache ian

[@SelbstDenkerEcke]

Deine Videos sind immer wieder sehr lehrreich, ich freue mich immer wenn du was über deutsche Geschichte bringst :) Ich hoffe dein Deutsch reicht aus um das zu lesen ;) Grüße aus Deutschland!

[@ottomeyer6928]

sehr gut Kamerad

[@Bayan1905]

I find it fascinating how little these rifles sell for given the fact they were the first Mausers and had such history behind them.

[@michaelfurgessons2896]

I am a simple man i see a pickelhaube and awesome facial hair i press like!

[@brittakriep2938]

The real name of this helmet was ,Helm mit Spitze"/ helmet with point.

[@edwardcarr2725]

6 years ago. Has it been that long. In have expanded my firearms knoweth so much through though forgotten weapons. Thank you Ian. Fundamental engineering explained for the layman.

[@michaeljoesmith3977]

My late father owned one of these. He bought it in San Francisco in 1962 for $14. It looks like the cleaning rod is missing on this particular Mauser. The cleaning rod screwed in a hole right beneath the barrel. My father took the cleaning rod off of his gun and used it for a fire poker.

[@PunchCatcher]

Always fun to watch someone who enjoys their work

[@mickleblade]

That 'tash is getting good too, the wax just makes it superb!

[@slateslavens]

Ian, I know I'm late to the party on this video, but I feel like I'm looking at the Mosin Nagant 1891's uncle. The bolt handle, the bolt path in the top of the receiver, the shape of the cocking piece, everything. It's hard to miss that Mosin and Nagant used the Gewehr 71 as the basis for the MN 1891.

[@josescoseria5562]

They were also manufactured in Austria , I have ( and shoot) a Kar.71 dated 1876 marked Oesterreichischer Waffenfabrik Gesellschaft Steyr.

[@ZGryphon]

Nice job with the moustache wax. That is indeed the authentic Kaiser-style flavor saver.

[@355scaper]

glad to see you having so much fun with these videos!

[@Jagdtyger2A]

I just noticed a cut out near the chamber that looks just like the 1880 cut out on the Gras rifles in case of cartridge rupture

[@garrynorris4478]

Ian your videos are so informative not only about the weapon but the history that goes with it thank you

[@Salpeteroxid]

The second Holstein-Schlesvig war in 1864 was fought by the danes with musket's and this is only a couple years later. Amazing.

[@jugularspeed774]

This is probably my favorite KZbin channel! I love learning and being interested and engaged!

[@jugularspeed774]

I have learned so much from this channel and I continue to. My mom says that if I was this interested in school work I would be a straight A student

[@uttaradit2]

Excellent presentation as usual.

[@RogueVigilante]

You should have kept that one Ian it suits you and you seem excited by that I love how passionate you are about the Guns and how much Knowledge you have about them it is fascinating I enjoy your videos

[@megatwingo]

Cool rifle, cool moustache and cool Pickelhaube! :)

[@tiberium511]

you pull that look off perfectly

[@mrkprice]

I have watched several of your reoprts and they are really great!

[@pakman422]

Wow someone got a deal! What a lucky bidder. Great job with having fun in the video Ian. Thats something I like seeing you do more as your channel grows. - Jacob S.

[@bobthompson4319]

his moustache and beard matches the helmet very well.

[@flyingninja1234]

Your videos, are always interesting & informative. Thank you.

[@TUBEMAN192]

Really rockin' the moustache there Ian!

[@boris4231]

That intro was genuinely great!

[@troy9477]

LOVE the pickelhaube! We need more historically correct accessories in these videos, besides just the bayonets. It is great to see these close up and see how they function, rather than just photos in print articles. One thing that would be nice would be a brief mention of the ballistics, if you have the info available. Keep up the great work!

[@selimcelik3494]

I'd love to see a developmental history of military bolt action rifles from the beginning of the smokeless powder era to WW2. Since, for the most part it seems that stuff stayed basically the same, especially considering how rapid other military tech advanced in that time period, and I'd like to know what incremental improvements were made.

[@DasBoeseFleisch]

...very cool You should do the German intro every time you present a German weapon. :-)

[@pnkemp]

Excellent as always, thanks.

[@mefaulstich]

LOL! Great intro! Love your channel Ian! You are always informative and fascinating to listen to! Thank you for your excellent KZbin channel!

[@scnitzelmahn6430]

I have a request - Gewehr 88 or 88/05, maybe start an informal series going through through some lesser known mausers - go onto the various ww1 mauser carbines, interwar mausers, odd updated ww1 rifles used in ww2 etc....

[@TheBenchPressMan]

Great history Ian, as always! After studying early modern Germany (late medieval), I had yet to come up to unification as such, so the date of 1871 will now sick in my mind. Thanks

[@TheWarbirdMistress]

My brother still hunts with one of these! 😂😂😂 He somehow got a hold of it in the Bundeswehr and I have no idea how he got to possess let alone keep it, but lo and behold he's rocking that thing against the Great Whitetail Horde every season while having the balls to mock my 1000m SMLE skills 🤣🤣🤣

[@TheWarbirdMistress]

My mistake. He uses a 71/84. He wasted no time correcting me 😋

[@FinalFront]

Do you handload ammo for your SMLE?

[@TheWarbirdMistress]

@@FinalFront I tend to buy ammo, but I've loaded my own for years in the past.

[@tools6106]

As an owner of one of these fine weapons I truly love the quality of its fit and its finish. The German craftsmen took such pride in their work! Been offered bigger money for mine, but this one is mine parked under our mantle since before I was born in the 60’s. Wish I could fire it, unfortunately the barrel was fouled when dad received it! Great report!!!

[@bdockett]

Congrats on reaching 200K subs! Looking forwards to your continued presence here on KZbin.

[@kyleiverson6856]

It's enjoyable to see the similarity, at least superficially, how the Gewehr 71's bolt is to the Gewehr 88. Goes to show sort of how rushed that later rifle was developed.

[@m0gm00g13]

It's pretty amazing how many elements of modern bolts I see in that old 71 bolt

[@moenchii]

Seeing a Rifle from Erfurt on your channel... Home sweet home

[@JohannesHuisman]

Love the intro Ian!

[@mo45327]

Great video. You mentioned Serbia used the model 1871. That version is called "Model 1880" and it was modified a bit by Serbian major Kosta "Koka" Milovanović ( it had a bolt guide, progressive rifling...) and used a smaller caliber - 10,15 mm.

[@nohero23]

Danke Johann, fuer die interessanten Informationen!

[@greysonbourne]

Please do more videos like this and the Pederson device!

[@johnhans2929]

I saw several of these at a local store a few years back. They all had property tags and documentation for being used in the movie "The Last Samurai". Unfortunately, they had all been painted to look new (as they would have been in that time). I didn't buy one, but kind of regret it.

[@youngzm]

Meine Heisse Ian aus Rock Island Auctions. You alllllmost had it all Ian, keep up the great videos.

[@TheLolman999880fr]

My eyes couldn't look away from this moustache of majesty and Preußische Stolz. Great rifle by the way !

[@MrTomte09]

Magnificent stache. Magnificent channel.

[@MrArcher7]

It's great when your stache goes along with Pickelhaube.

[@andrewince8824]

I'm loving the mustache, subtle but very fitting. :)

[@jensboeckel7112]

Hervorragende Einleitung! Wonderful intro! 😀

[@TheKnifeRaven]

I adore the style of this rifle and most similar firearms of this era.

[@jotarhf]

Der Helm paßt sehr gut zum Bart! Thanks for your fantastic youtube channel!

[@Vampirization]

That moustache.. Yes. Yes. All my thumbs up to that one!

[@BewareOfTheKraut]

That nice rifle can't compete with the superb Pickelhaube.

[@lalthanpuiarenthlei1299]

I think,it will be one of the best rifle for big hunting till today..

[@louisnapoleonbonapartethet626]

Nice mustache Ian really rocking it.

[@Scott-gs1ep]

It's amazing how all modern helmets mimic German ones. Even the new high speed helmets look like that without the spike and designs.

[@GreyDevil]

Not the first time you've worn that Pickelhaube, but i do enjoy you bringing it out. You might not have other examples of it but going over some details and some history of it would be interesting, is that something that's up your alley Ian?

[@p22adraig]

That helmet is glorious. Fine gun too.

[@berghof63]

$575 is not a lot of money to pay and have such an interesting piece of history. I have a Gewehr 71/84 and was told NEVER to remove screw that keeps bolt in place, only to loosen it. apparently ok to do with the Mod 71 ???. Great presentation !

[@saxon215]

Luckily I watched the proof mark video last night and I understood them! Thanks for sharing ian

[@Ivo--]

Killer mustache Ian!

[@zbm-2375]

That helmet goes with the stache.

[@MrBioniclefan1]

that open in was great I wish I had the money so I could partake in one of these auctions.

[@vonweizhacker]

Tolles Video wie immer!

[@jeremyj.5687]

Johann needs to make further appearances :) I love it when Americans (or English speakers in general) speak German (or German-ish)!

[@Democracy-is-non-negotiable]

you made me with the hat, Great stuff man!

[@herrfriedrich6563]

Danke für das tolle Video ! :D greetings from germany

[@reesetompkins7987]

Nice, does this mean we can expect a slew of RIA videos? The auction videos are some of my favourites. Also, Ian and his hats.

[@ArnoSchmidt70]

The new mic sounds great.

[@kaymio6547]

You really have brushed up your German. Ein sehr gutes Video :)

[@karlwaltersturm5018]

Thank you for your knowledge and dedication to firearms history, I don"t believe these are "forgotten weapons" for the people that are lucky enough to know their history also understand and appreciate the effort, time, and dedication it took to create these marvel's of technology (regardless of the end purpose).

[@xxxXOctaneXxxx]

ian that intro was amazing

[@germanredneck4414]

Best regards from Baden-Württemberg

[@tonyengels1210]

Great way to wear your mustasche Ian, I would leave it this way looks very cool, Like your vids always and very much

[@Thejebe]

I sure as heck enjoyed this video :D

[@scubasteve3743]

I think we can all stand to have a little more mustache wax in our lives.

[@ShitboxXx360]

That's a pretty legit mustache

[@DasLamm68]

Despite it may sound sarcastic, in 1871 the Mauser was not the 1st choice for the new founded German high command. The Mauser won the invite tenders for a new standard rifle because of its safety system against the Bavarian "Werder rifle" and the French Chassepot that were adapted to the 11mm metallic cartridge used for the Bavarian Werder rifle.