Smokeless powder burned much cleaner, eliminating the fouling that caused stuck cases. The French M1886 Lebel rifle was the first rifle to fire a smokeless powder cartridge and the first to mount the bayonet beneath the barrel, instead of to the side. The picture below shows a side view of a bayonet mounted beneath the barrel of an 8 mm. German Mauser Gewehr 98 brought home by a returning World War I veteran.
Next: 1898—The Mauser Bayonet Bar
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© Ralph E. Cobb 2009 All Rights Reserved
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