A Kropatschek is any variant of a rifle designed by Alfred von Kropatschek. Kropatschek's rifles used a tubular magazine (constructed of nickel-plated steel) of his design, of the same type used in the Japanese Murata Type 22 and the German Mauser Gewehr 1871/84. While designed for black powder, the Kropatschek action proved to be strong enough to handle smokeless powder.
The Kropatschek was the basis for the French Lebel M1886.
Variants
Austria-Hungary:
- Gendarmerie Repetier-Karabiner M1881: 11 mm Gendarmerie Carbine (also known as M1874/81);
- Kropatschek Torpedo Boats Gewehr M1893: 8 mm Navy Rifle for Torpedo boat crews.
France:
- Fusil de Marine Mle 1878: 11 mm Navy Rifle;
- Fusil d'Infanterie Mle 1884: 11 mm Infantry Rifle;
- Fusil d'Infanterie Mle 1885: 11 mm Infantry Rifle.
Portugal:
- Espingarda de Infantaria 8 mm m/1886: 8 mm Infantry Rifle;
- Carabina de Caçadores 8 mm m/1886: 8 mm Light Infantry Carbine;
- Carabina de Cavalaria 8 mm m/1886: 8 mm Cavalry Carbine;
- Carabina da Guarda Fiscal 8 mm m/1886/88: 8 mm Treasury Guard Carbine;
- Espingarda de Infantaria 8 mm m/1886/89: 8 mm Colonial Infantry Rifle;
- Carabina de Artilharia 8 mm m/1886/91: 8 mm Artillery Carbine.
thumb|Kropatschek 1886
Users
- :1878 Kropatschek rifle adopted by the navy in 1884; in 1891 it was replaced by the 1886 Portuguese model. During the second Revolta da Armada the army used a small number of Kropatscheks captured from navy depots. The Kropatschek was phased out in naval service in 1895 after the adoption of the 1894 Brazilian Mauser
- : 2000 1878 Kropatschek rifles were delivered for the navy in 1881. The objective of this acquisition was to have a fast-firing weapon to repeal torpedo boats.
- : Part of French military aid during World War I.
- : 150,000 Kropatscheks bought from France in 1915
- : The Wassoulou Empire arms industry created functional copies of the Krophatschek rifle in the 1880s and 90s to use in their struggle against French colonial forces.
See also
- Antique firearms