| Wänzl rifle | |
| Origin: | Austrian Empire |
| Type: | Breech-loading rifle |
| Is Ranged: | yes |
| Service: | 1867–1918 |
| Used By: | Austrian Empire Qing Empire Kingdom of Dahomey[1] |
| Wars: | Herzegovina Uprising (1882) 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: | 41.4inches to 52.6inches |
| Cartridge: | 14×33mmR rimfire and centerfire |
| Action: | Front-hinged trapdoor |
| Feed: | Single-shot |
The Wänzl or Wänzel rifle was a breechloading conversion of the Lorenz M1854 and M1862 rifles. The Austro-Hungarian Empire used the Wänzel as their service rifle until they had enough Werndl-Holub M1867 rifles to arm the military.[2] [3]
The rifle was a lifting block breechloader chambered for the 14×33mm Wänzel rimfire cartridge. The Austrians converted a total of 70,000 Lorenz muskets to Wänzels.