Kropatschek grenade launcher

[breakeyp]

Does anyone have a picture of the rifle grenade used by Portugal with the 1886 8mm Kropatschek rifle? I have the spigot launcher but have no idea what the projectile looks like.

[jamie5070]

What's a spigot launcher? That would be a nice piece of gear to have.

[breakeyp]

A spigot launcher has the rifle grenade fitting over the end of the barrel or attachment versus a cup launcher where the grenade sits inside the cup prior to firing.

[jamie5070]

Now there's something else I need that I didn't know existed. Thanks for the pics.

[green]

What era is that from? Looks like a 22mm dia.

[breakeyp]

The GL has a 28mm diameter spigot and is marked "Steyr / 1886 / 8mm." The only rifle/carbine system it fits is the Steyr manufactured rifle/short rifle / carbine for Portugal. The system was obsolete with in ten years. I always wondered if they had rifle grenades that early and hence I asked here.

[oldfoneguy]

I've also never seen this grenade launcher for the Kropatschek system. I have a long infantry rifle and a short rifle and would like to get my hands on one of these.

These tube magazine rifles were obsolete sooner than 10 years. These are Model 1886's and while my long rifle is one of those my short rifle was made in 1889. Sad truth the year my short rifle was made the Belgian Mauser M1889 was introduced these were history. A stripper clip fed smokeless power fired rifle vs a tube magazine fed black powder rifle, no comparison. However Portugal continued to use these as their front line weapon into and during WWI. How under armed those poor guys were facing M98 Mausers with a tube magazine fed black power cloud producing rifle.

[Eaglelord17]

I've also never seen this grenade launcher for the Kropatschek system. I have a long infantry rifle and a short rifle and would like to get my hands on one of these.

These tube magazine rifles were obsolete sooner than 10 years. These are Model 1886's and while my long rifle is one of those my short rifle was made in 1889. Sad truth the year my short rifle was made the Belgian Mauser M1889 was introduced these were history. A stripper clip fed smokeless power fired rifle vs a tube magazine fed black powder rifle, no comparison. However Portugal continued to use these as their front line weapon into and during WWI. How under armed those poor guys were facing M98 Mausers with a tube magazine fed black power cloud producing rifle.

Yes the Kropatchek was in use in WWI, but don't forget the M1904 Mauser-Vergueros in 6.5x58 were also in use as well (also the 1896 Mannlicher short rifles too). They also weren't using black powder rounds in WWI for these rifles, they were using smokeless loadings of the same cartridge. The guys they were also facing off against were mostly equipped with Mauser 71/84s and Commission Gewehr 88s (plus whatever else they were taking along the way as they didn't have any real resupply system other than looting from the enemy).

What shocks me about this is the fact the action is strong enough for a rifle grenade. I never considered the possibility of one existing simply because it never occurred to me the action might be able to withstand the pressures involved.

[oldfoneguy]

You know I never considered that. A 2 piece bolt with no locking lugs just the bolt root. Those had to have been some short range low power grenades.

[breakeyp]

Possibly the reason we don't see these is that they failed in testing for the reasons discussed. The barrel of this launcher is hand engraved "No. - 10." I bought it a Knob Creek at the IMA table. I have assumed it came from the Nepal lot. This may not be correct.