Wänzl rifle
The Wänzl or Wänzel rifle was a breech-loading conversion of the Lorenz M1854 and M1862 rifles. After countering Prussian Zündnadelgewehr, The Austrian Empire adopted the Wänzl as a service rifle before replacing it with the Werndl-Holub M1867 rifle. The rifle was a lifting-block breechloader chambered for the 14×33mmRF cartridge.
Wänzl rifle

Jiří Sedláček · CC BY-SA 4.0
- Name
- Wänzl rifle
- Field
- single-shot rifle
- Period
- 1867
- Region
- Austrian Empire
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Documentary summary
The Wänzl or Wänzel rifle was a breech-loading conversion of the Lorenz M1854 and M1862 rifles. After countering Prussian Zündnadelgewehr, The Austrian Empire adopted the Wänzl as a service rifle before replacing it with the Werndl-Holub M1867 rifle. The rifle was a lifting-block breechloader chambered for the 14×33mmRF cartridge.
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wikidata · Q11735457 · wikipedia · Wänzl rifle
In this article
Overview
Overview
A total of 70,000 Lorenz rifles were converted to the Wänzl system. Contract to make 80,000 unit.

Merki na puški tipa Wanzl
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Puške in karabinke tipa Wanzl
M11rtinb
Key facts
Key facts
• Name — Wänzl rifle • Origin — Austrian Empire • Type — Breech-loading rifle • Is Ranged — yes • Service — 1867–1918 • Used By — Austrian Empire Qing Empire Kingdom of Dahomey • Wars — 1882 Herzegovina uprising Boxer Rebellion Balkan Wars World War I (rear echelon troops) • Designer — Franz Wänzel • Number — 70,000 • Variants — Wänzel Infanterie Gewehr M1854/67 Wänzel Infanterie Gewehr M1862/67 Wänzel JägerStutzen M1854/67 Wänzel JägerStutzen M1862/67 Wänzel Extra-Corps Gewehr M1854/67 Wänzel Extra-Corps Gewehr M1862/67 Wänzel WallGewehr M1872 • Length — 41.4 in to 52.6 in • Cartridge — 14×33mmRF (rimfire) 14×33mmR (centerfire) • Action — Front-hinged trapdoor • Feed — Single-shot • Illustration — Various Wänzl rifles
Identity
Identity
Wänzl rifle is classified as a single-shot rifle. Associated with Austrian Empire. Recorded from 1867.
Chronology
Dated record
Chronology
The full dated record · 2 entries
1867
Wänzl rifle first recorded.
1867
Wänzl rifle is recorded from 1867.
Literature
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The Encyclopedia exists whether or not anything is for sale. Corrections are recorded rather than overwritten, and every version of this record is kept. Published 14 August 2026.
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