Type 13 Manchurian Mauser - A WW1 Legacy in China
Forgotten Weapons
•
12m
The Liao Type 13 was produced at what would become known as the Mukden Arsenal in Manchuria starting in 1924, with production facilitated by the Steyr company of Austria. Late in World War One, Steyr developed an improved pattern of Mauser rifle, with a shrouded firing pin, shrouded striker, gas vent holes, detachable box magazines, and receiver dust cover. The rifle was not put into production because of cost and time constraints, and after the war Steyr was prohibited from building military arms by the Treaty of Versailles. However, they were able to license the design to Zhang Zuolin, the ruler of Manchuria. About 140,000 were made in total, know today as the Liao Type 13 or simply the Manchurian Mauser. The Manchurian version incorporated most of the Steyr design elements with the exception of the detachable magazines. Unfortunately, virtually all of these rifle today are missing their dust covers, which also served to prevent the rear of the bolt from rotating while being cycled. Owners today need to be careful of this, as we can see from the gouge in this particular one.
Up Next in Forgotten Weapons
-
Evolution of the Karabiner 98k, From ...
The Mauser Karabiner 98k began production as an excellent quality rifle, with every nuance of fine fit and finish one would have expected form the Mauser company. World War Two had barely begun by the time a few compromises began to be made to maintain production, however - and by the end of the ...
-
Ishapore No6 Jungle Carbine SMLE Prot...
In 1943, the British government began a program to develop a shortened and lightened version of the No1 SMLE rifle, for production in India and Australia - where the national ordnance factories had not converted to production of the No4 rifle. This prototype is the first pattern produced by the I...
-
A .50 Caliber 1911: Guncrafter Indust...
Guncrafter Industries is a custom handgun company formed by one Alex Zimmerman in 2002 after many years working for Wilson Combat. Among other things, they make custom 1911 pistols chambered for the .50 GI (Guncrafter Industries) cartridge, also designed by Zimmerman. The idea of the cartridge is...
