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Grenade and add-on sight for the Austrian Mannlicher M1895 rifle. Both the grenade and sight are battlefield recoveries from the high-altitude battlefields of South Tirol.

This is a Facebook post I put up yesterday (hence the "block" and "unfriend" reference). I think Bloomberg and Moms Demand Action are confiscating gun banners in sheep's clothing. But I think the in-your-face nature of Open Carry Texas is also beyond stupid. If that offends you, the "block" and "unfriend" buttons are up there for your use. And no, I'm not interested in debating it. Honestly, if you feel the need to wander around town with a rifle.....

Because I just know you were curious. This is the M1886 Mannlicher rifle we recently acquired. Like many rifles of it's era, it has very optimistic sights. In this case, using two different sights, it is set up for target engagements out to 2300 "schritt" which is an Austrian pace measurement, equal to 29.5 inches. The rear sight has a sekrit...

...as a break from proposal writing. Just fired the Gew 41(W), Gew43, and Polish Wz29, using Yugo milsurp 8mm Mauser. Need to check the firing pin and spring on the Pole, as it dented primers (and they may be hard primers) but dd not reliably fire. It was the most accurate, however, when it *did* fire. The bolt could just be in need of a good internal cleaning, if it's fouled with old cosmoline. Both the semis were okay with firing, but the Gew(41) has some feed issues, probably relating to the...

This is the latest next-to-the-latest retired veteran to make his way to the Castle Argghhh! Home for Auld Soldiers. So, this was the question - who created him and with whom did he serve? From the base picture alone, a little judicious googling would have gotten you to Polish-made Kbk Wz 29. The front sight ears and front barrel band should have gotten you to that, as it did indeed for Sean. Slick was close, but no cigar. Which is what made the second picture the key discriminator. As Sean observed...

From the bottom to top - Brit Snider II* Two-band "Sergeant's Pattern" rifle, from the Nepal cache. Germany-Belgian trade gun of the 1870's, made to the same pattern (but different in details and not interchangeable). Lastly, the Belgian-Dutch, a Cadillac of a Snider. Jacob Snider, an American, designed a way to convert muzzle-loading muskets to breech-loading cartridge rifles. Not adopted by the US, the British Ordnance Board loved 'em. We went with the Springfield "Trapdoor"...

How about a cut-away? One of Stephen Para's magnificent work of the armorer's art - in this case a No1 Mk III. The pic embiggens. Close-up of the action . Close-up of the butt.