Waffen

[Borys]

In 1903 a major decision was made by the Kriegsministerium. Staying with the previous supplier, Mannlicher, the Habsburg army took yet another step on the road towards calibre reduction. First came the 11mm Werndle, then the Mannlicher M88 - which after a few years introduced smokeless propelant - and through the M95 Mannlicher in 8mm the Austrian forces adopted the 6,5mm M03 Mannlicher. This brought about a switch to the almost universal turn-bolt action, from the smooth and fast - and jam prone - straight pull action of the M88 and M95. With some minor modifications - 60 degree bolt action, simpler magazine and feed mechanism, greater tolerances to dirt, and return to Imperial Measures, the 0,256 M04 carabine evolved from the M03 is here to stay.

The Austrian army has decided to abandon the two or three - Infantry, sometimes Dragoon, and Cavalry carabine - different lenghts of rifles. In contrast with other armies making the same move, where almost universally an intermediate "short infantry" or "Dragoon rifle" lenght were adopted, the KK Heer went for the shortest - the carabine.
The rationale is that firefights take place at 400-600 meters range, so that the 800-1200 meter capability of 0,3 calibre, ful lenght rifles is overkill, a rarely used ability. The army expects shooting at such ranges to become the domain of Machine Guns and Artillery.

[Borys]

The Habsburgs forces use two models of pistols:

The M00
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FN_M1900 for soldiers who would not normally carry rifles, and who would use the pistol for last-ditch self defence, such as machinegun layers, some artillery gun crews, etc.

And the freshly developed 0,433 calibre M04 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M1911, a refinement of the http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FN_Model_1903. This handgun is issued to those who are likely to use their pistol in combat.