May, 2024
Spanish Mauser M1893
Spanish Empire
Spanish-American War
Made by Ludwig Loewe in 1896
7x57mm
Vergueiro M1904/39
Faced with a decision between the Mauser and Mannlicher rifles to replace their black powder Kropatscheks, the Portuguese would instead choose a locally designed hybrid rifle for their forces.
Lee Enfield #4 Mk1
As the Second World War loomed, a need to update the venerable Lee Enfield rifle in British service saw the design modernized into the new #4 Rifle, with a series of improvements on the same core principals.
Radom Vis P.35
The excellent handgun adopted by Poland on the eve of the Second World War would go on to be one of the most common in German service during the conflict, seeing service on all fronts of the European Theater.
Type 44 Arisaka
The Japanese Type 44 Arisaka was a specialized variant of the Type 38 rifle intended for use by cavalry and other mounted troops, incorporating a folding bayonet.
Beretta M1934
The standard service pistol of Mussolini’s armies during the Second World War was a simple blowback automatic, and would serve on for decades in Italian service as well as helping to build the global brand of Beretta.
Ross MkIII
Canada’s first indigenously produced infantry rifle was a straight pull design made with match grade accuracy in mind. When brought to the conditions of the Great War’s Western Front its deficiencies in other areas became alarmingly apparent.
Ruby Mle.1915
A crude Spanish copy of the Colt Model 1903 became the most common French handgun of the Great War, seeing extensive service in that conflict. Despite its almost disposable nature the pistol would remain in service for decades beyond as well.
Mauser M1903
The most modern rifle in Ottoman inventory during the Great War was an example of the excellent Mauser 98, with some special features. These rifles would serve as a pattern during the interwar Turkish upgrade program, in addition to receiving minor modifications themselves.
Walther PP - Late War
The slightly larger forerunner to the famous Walther PPK, the Polizei Pistole was used by German police and military officers during the Second World War. Remaining in production until the capture of the Walther factory in May of 1945, several were captured by US troops at that time.
Mauser Model 1889/36
Despite adopting a new Mauser 98 pattern rifle, as the Second World War loomed Belgium also undertook a program to upgrade existing stocks of the older Model 1889 rifles to the same pattern.
Mannlicher M.1895
The straight-pull Mannlicher M.95 was the standard issue service rifle of the Austro-Hungarian Empire during the Great War, with millions produced and serving on the Eastern Front and in northern Italy, as well as other Fronts. It would continue in service to the the Empire’s successor states through the Second World War.
Webley MkVI
The large .455 Webley MkVI revolver was the standard service sidearm of the British Army during the First World War, and remained in service through the Second World War as well despite being replaced by .38/200 designs for the latter conflict as the primary arm.
Fucile M91 Carcano
The Kingdom of Italy would wisely chose a rifle within their industrial means with the M1891 Carcano, a rifle that would, despite it’s shortcomings, serve on through both the First and Second World Wars.
Type 99 Arisaka
The Japanese Type 99 rifle was intended to replace the Type 38 as the standard issue weapon to the Imperial Japanese Military during World War Two, but was never able to supplant its older brother.
Included at the end of each posting is a reference to the rarity and average price observed by the author. This is, or course, subjective, and results may vary depending on a variety of factors, including condition, certain markings, etc., while rarity may vary depending on time and location.
Rarity is marked on a scale as follows:
Production (currently produced)
Surplus (Currently available on the surplus market)
Common
Uncommon
Rare
Very Rare