View source for Vereinsgewehr 1857

{{Infobox weapon|is_ranged=yes
| image=
| image_size =
|caption=
|name=Vereinsgewehr 1857
|type=[[Rifled musket]]
|origin=[[Württemberg]], [[Baden]], [[Hesse]]
|design_date=1856
|production_date= 1857–1866
|manufacturer= [[Königlich Württembergische Gewehrfabrik]] and others in [[Suhl]]
|service= 1861/2-1867/68
|used_by=[[Württemberg]], [[Baden]] and [[Hesse]]
|wars= [[Austro-Prussian War]]
|caliber= {{cvt|13.7|mm|2}}
|part_length= {{convert|100|cm|in}}
|cartridge= {{convert|.547|in|mm}} [[Minié ball]]
|feed=[[Muzzle-loaded]]
|action=[[Caplock]]
|rate=
|velocity=
|range= {{convert|910|m|yd}} (Baden and Württemberg sights), {{convert|1100|m|yd}} (Hesse sights)
|weight= {{convert|4.6|kg|lbs}}
|length= {{convert|1.39|m|in}}
|variants=Hesse variant
|number= >70,000 (30,000 Württemberg; Baden and Hesse @ 20,000)
}}
The '''Vereinsgewehr 1857''' (union rifle, mod. 1857) was the commonly developed rifle of [[Baden]], [[Hesse]] and [[Württemberg]] for their troops of the 8th Bundesarmee [[corps]] as a successor of the [[Musket Model 1777 corrigé]]. The rifle for the [[line infantry]] was, with minor modifications in the sights, adopted by all three states; pistols and [[carbine]]s for the [[cavalry]] and sharpshooter rifles for the [[Jäger (military)|Jäger]] were, however, developed by each state on its own.
The rifle has a [[percussion lock]] construction of Swiss model, i.e. there was no loading position of the hammer.
A number were converted to the Dreyse needle fire breech-loading bolt-action system in 1867, and became known as Model 1857/67.
== Hesse and Baden/Württemberg variants ==
Rifles from Hesse on the one hand and Baden and Württemberg on the other hand can be distinguished by their [[iron sights|rear sight]]s.
Württemberg and Baden union rifles and [[Jäger (military)|Jäger]] rifles use a sight with the scale below, from {{convert|200|yard|m}} to {{convert|1000|yard|m}}, constructed by [[1st lieutenant]] [[Breithaupt]].
Hesse instead used a [[quadrant (plane geometry)|quadrant]] sight with the scale above, max. {{convert|1200|yard|m}}, after [[Darmstadt]] [[armoury (military)|armoury]] [[colonel]] Müller.
== Literature ==
* Hans-Dieter Götz: Militärgewehre und Pistolen der deutschen Staaten 1800–1870, 2nd edition, Stuttgart, 1996, {{ISBN|3-87943-533-2}} {{in lang|de}}
== External links ==
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20101121182549/http://davide-pedersoli.com/default.aspx?item=ArmiCategoriaDettaglio&CategoriaId=145&lang=en Vereinsgewehr]-[[replica]] by [[Davide Pedersoli]]
[[Category:Rifled muskets]]
[[Category:Military history of Württemberg]]
[[Category:Rifles of Germany]]
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