The Mauser Model 1904 rifle, the official name should be the Mauser Model 1904 6.8mm caliber rifle.

Just like the name, the caliber is only 6.8mm, which belongs to a variant of the Mauser G98.

This gun type was originally customized for the Chilean Army, and later because the procurement officials of the Qing government believed that this gun had a smaller recoil impulse and higher accuracy than the 7.92mm caliber rifle, which was more suitable for the Chinese military's physique, so a small number of trial items were purchased.

The German 6.8mm M1904 Mauser rifle and the 7.92mm M1898 Mauser rifle are basically the same in structure, but some modifications have been made to adapt to the 6.8mm rifle cartridge, which makes the rifle light weight, small recoil impulse, high precision, reasonable structure and reliable action.

In the 33rd year of Guangxu (1907), the Guangdong Arsenal imitated the German 6.8mm M1904 Mauser rifle as the blueprint, and its products were named "Guangxu 33-year rifle" by the War Department of the Qing government, and in the first year of the Republic of China, the Nanjing government renamed this type of gun as "Yuannian rifle". The First Year rifle is identical to the M1904 model. Later, the War Department of the Beiyang Government planned to install this type of rifle in the national army, because "this gun is particularly suitable for the physique of the Chinese military", and ordered the Hanyang Arsenal and the Sichuan Arsenal to manufacture this gun first.

The difference between Sichuan-made and Guangdong-made is: the barrel length of the first year of Guangdong is 736mm, while that of Sichuan-made is 744mm; The baseline length of the aiming target is 654mm for Guangdong and 659mm for Sichuan. The length of the chamber made in Guangdong is 41.2mm, and the length of the bullet made in Sichuan is 40.1mm, and the rest of the structure is exactly the same. The Shanghai Arsenal also manufactured this type of 6.8mm rifle, which was named "Hu 68 Rifle".

By the way, the 6.8mm Mauser rifle cartridge is actually a reduced caliber type of the 7.92mm Mauser rifle cartridge, that is, a product that uses a 7.92mm Mauser rifle cartridge case to fit a 6.8mm bullet to close the mouth, the charge is reduced by about 1/5, and the muzzle velocity is slightly higher than that of the 7.92mm Mauser rifle cartridge.

It was this rifle that Ernst came up with.

"That's it..."Hearing Ernst say this, Yan Shao was a little interested.

Although Yan Shao's stature is very tall, even taller than most whites (the whites in this period are actually not very tall), but most of the Chinese people at this time are still relatively short, so if there is a rifle with this kind of accuracy and power, but the weight and recoil are relatively small, it is indeed a good choice for Yan Shao...

Seeing that Yan Shao seemed to be interested, Ernst and the person just now were happy.

However, Yan Shao's next words made the expressions of the two of them turn from happy to embarrassed in a very short period of time.

"Do you have a sample for me to see?"

Since he was a little interested, Yan Shao naturally wanted to look at the samples.

However, hearing Yan Shao's words, Ernst was embarrassed.

"This ...... At present, our company has no plans to sell this kind of rifle in China, so there is no such rifle in foreign companies..."Seeing Yan Shao's displeased expression, Ernst hurriedly spoke. "But if you need it, I can send a telegram to Germany, and ask Mauser to arrange the shipment as soon as possible, it won't be long..."

Yan Shao was a little hesitant, although he now has a net worth of several million, but let him throw tens of thousands of oceans on a rifle that he has never even seen, it is obviously impossible to say that he does not hesitate.

On the contrary, the British and Americans are in stock, so there is no such problem...

Noticing Yan Shao's expression, Ernst also knew that he was not without competitors, at least the British and Americans were still qualified to compete with him. So after thinking about it for a moment, Ernst gritted his teeth and said. "Well, if you're not satisfied with the gun, how about allowing you to return it for free?"

Ernst also just thought, why not take the Model 1904 Mauser rifle to China and sell it? This rifle is almost tailor-made for the Orientals, and with the Mauser brand, it may be able to open up a market ...

As for the rifle coming, will Yan Shao return it because he is not satisfied? Ernst was 100% confident in the quality of his country's products, and he believed that as long as Yan Shao saw that batch of rifles, he would never want to return them.

"Free returns?" Hearing Ernst say that if you are not satisfied, you can return it for free, Yan Shao was a little moved, after all, the brand of Mauser Company is still very easy to use, at least for a layman like Yan Shao. "Okay, please trouble you as soon as possible about the telegram, and I'll go back to Anhui later to solve the problem of the gun license..."

The end of the Qing Dynasty and the beginning of the Republic of China was precisely the period when guns were most widespread in China.

Of course, the latter early Republic of China can cover the entire Republic of China period. Both the earlier Beiyang government and the later Nanjing government had a very weak control over the provinces below, so they naturally could not control the rampant guns.

Unlike the Nanjing and Beiyang governments, the Qing government had some control over the provinces, at least until the Xinhai Revolution. Therefore, the proliferation of guns at the end of the Qing Dynasty was entirely due to the policy of "issuing gun licenses" implemented by the Qing government at that time.

"Issuance of a gun." If it is simply a gun license, this policy has lasted from the end of the Qing Dynasty to the Republic of China...

As long as you have a gun license, even if you have a gun on the street, it is not illegal, of course, the price of a gun license is not cheap, from tens of silver dollars to hundreds of silver dollars, sometimes a gun license is even more valuable than the gun itself, and each gun license is only valid for one gun.

This was a method that the Qing government came up with after discovering that it could not stop the proliferation of guns, and it also provided a large amount of income for the Qing government and the early Republic of China government, and it was an extremely effective means of collecting money.

That's why Yan Shao dared to open his mouth wide, and he asked for 500 guns as soon as he opened his mouth, because it was actually very easy to get a gun at the end of the Qing Dynasty, as long as you have money, no matter who you are.

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After leaving the deposit, Yan Shao returned to Anhui by boat, and he arrived in Anqing with more than a dozen escorts.

After hearing that Yan Shao wanted a gun license for 500 guns, Chengxun was not surprised. Because he also heard about how big the Wuhu Textile Factory would be after the completion of the entire factory. In a factory of five or six thousand people, only a patrol team of more than 300 people is not much.

And later Yan Shao also confided in him his idea of opening a flour mill, soap factory and match factory in Wuhu, so after thinking about it, Chengxun nodded and agreed—————— Of course, the money still has to be paid, after all, a lot of this money will go into his pocket.

But then again, compared with the match factory and flour mill in Yan Shao's mouth, Chengxun is more interested in the new Mauser rifle suitable for Chinese in Yan Shao's mouth...

"If there really is that kind of rifle, I'd like to see it...", looking at the check in his hand, which is equivalent to tens of thousands of oceans, Seonghoon touched his chin.

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