M1867 Russian Krnka

The M1867 Russian Krnka was a breech-loading conversion of the muzzle-loading Model 1857 Six Line rifle musket, designed by the Austro-Hungarian arms maker Sylvester Krnka. In January 1869 Krnka brought two sample rifles to Russia to compete with a domestic conversion system, and by the end of March Tsar Alexander II ordered the 15.24 mm Krnka conversion adopted by the Russian army. Conversions were carried out at the Tula, Sestroretsk, Kiev and Izhevsk armories and at private firms, and factories making Carle needle rifles were ordered to build Krnkas and convert their existing rifles. Three main versions were produced, for infantry, sharpshooters and dragoons, and Montenegro had its own model made from converted Lorenz rifles. Shortly after adoption the Berdan No. 2 was chosen as the main rifle, yet both were made side by side until about 1879. During the Russo-Turkish War of 1877 to 1878 the Krnka remained the most common rifle in Russian service, although its range proved inferior to the Peabody-Martini and Winchester rifles used by the Turks. Withdrawn rifles were later issued to conscripts and police in Central Asia, and many were converted into smoothbore hunting shotguns.