Brandenburg Gazette

[swamphen]

Decapitation with a rifle sounds strange ...

Consider that it was an elephant gun. Now consider the size of the barrels on those things. (.800 rings a bell  :o .) Now consider the effect that will have on a head...

Indeed. It sounds like there can be only one...

Will post "the rest of the story" tonight or tomorrow morning.

[miketr]

The Iberian ambassador pays his respects and sends word that Madrid and the Imperial family is happy nothing happened to the Kaiser.

[Walter]

Consider that it was an elephant gun.

You should have mentioned that in the first place. When you mentioned hunting rifle, I was thinking of something smaller and faster which Prinz August Wilhelm uses to hunt lions, Zebras, Antelopes, etc.
Personally, I would think that an elephant gun would be overkill...
... but knowing you, there is no doubt that you're thinking of...

There is no such thing as "Overkill", only "Open Fire" and "I Have To Reload."

:D

[Borys]

Real men hunt elephants with .256 ...

[Carthaginian]

Real men hunt elephants with .256 ...

LOL...

I wouldn't trust a 60 grain bullet on a whitetail, much less an elephant.
Nothing smaller than a .30-'06 for large game. Of course, being a pistol man, I'm taking a .475 Linebaugh to Africa. You can stop a light armored vehicle with one of those. ;)

[Borys]

OOC
The .256 I'm thinking about is the current Habsburg service ammunition:
http://www.african-hunter.com/6_5_x_54_mannlicher-schoenauer.htm
In N-verse that rifle has a 12 round magazine, like the SMLE, not the Schoenauer feed.

Borys

[Carthaginian]

An excellent little round, but still a .25 caliber round.
I'll admit, I was thinking of the .256 Winchester Magnum, a sort of necked down .357 S&W Magnum made to drive a 60 grain bullet at low warp-speed velocities for varmint hunting. Of course, I'll chalk that up to my being a pistol man in the extreme.

What you're talking about would make an excellent military chambering. The 156 grain bullet would be a good man-stopper, and the (apparently) smaller, lighter round would allow a larger basic load. A great choice for the Habsburg military- not just as a carbine, but for their long rifles as well.



I'm still debating on the Confederate Army's primary caliber. The .30-'06 is the obvious choice, but I'm thinking on something more exotic. I might go with the .30-30 or even a smokeless .45-70-500. Both are excellent rounds, though 1.) the .30-30 is a rather short-ranged cartridge and 2.) by now the .45-70-500 is showing it's age. I might pick the .38-55-255 Winchester as a compromise.

NOTE- the CSA is an oddball amongst the nations of the world, using a rifle virtually identical to the OTL Winchester Model 94 lever-action as it's standard infantry weapon rather than a bolt-action rifle. The logic behind this thinking is that the shooter has to remove his face from the rifle to work the bolt- causing loss of sight picture- but not with a leaver action.

[Korpen]

NOTE- the CSA is an oddball amongst the nations of the world, using a rifle virtually identical to the OTL Winchester Model 94 lever-action as it's standard infantry weapon rather than a bolt-action rifle. The logic behind this thinking is that the shooter has to remove his face from the rifle to work the bolt- causing loss of sight picture- but not with a leaver action.

The drawback is it is pretty damm hard to reload leaver action rifles while prone.
And depending on the design, there might be no need to remove your face to reload a bolt action rifle.

[miketr]

NOTE- the CSA is an oddball amongst the nations of the world, using a rifle virtually identical to the OTL Winchester Model 94 lever-action as it's standard infantry weapon rather than a bolt-action rifle. The logic behind this thinking is that the shooter has to remove his face from the rifle to work the bolt- causing loss of sight picture- but not with a leaver action.

The drawback is it is pretty damm hard to reload leaver action rifles while prone.
And depending on the design, there might be no need to remove your face to reload a bolt action rifle.

Not really...  And it would be chamber next round and not reload.  I have done so and it works fine, you do loose your aim point as it works best to tilt the weapon to side.  If your in a trench its perectly fine.  Also leaver action have a higher rate of fire than bolt-action. 

The weapons big disadvantage is that you can't use anything like a stripper clip with it and have to reload it one bullet at a time. 

Michael

[Carthaginian]

To keep from cluttering up the news... a new thread for the rifles discussion, if we may?
Shootin' Irons!

[miketr]

OOC
The .256 I'm thinking about is the current Habsburg service ammunition:
http://www.african-hunter.com/6_5_x_54_mannlicher-schoenauer.htm
In N-verse that rifle has a 12 round magazine, like the SMLE, not the Schoenauer feed.

Borys

Might want to check this article if your going for a 6.5mm ammo.

http://www.quarry.nildram.co.uk/256brit.htm

For myself the Iberian military uses a combo of...

http://www.gunsworld.com/spain/spanishmauser_us.html

and

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steyr-Mannlicher_M1895 (because of all the Austrian aid from the civil war)

[swamphen]

16 February
Hohenzollernhaus (Imperial Palace), Neue Brandenburg

The Kaiser rose from his seat as his guest entered and gave his salutations. "Herr Wurmbach. What request do you have for Us that you have asked Us to hear you?"

The man rose and faced the Kaiser, his coat swirling slightly around him. "My liege, I have come to request that compensation be given to me and my family for the loss of my son."

"We are sorry to hear of your loss. What compensation would you consider appropriate?"

"Your life."  The man drew a sword from under his coat. "The imperialism of Brandenburg is leading us down the same self-destructive path of our forefathers. I have chosen to stop it. I shall prevail over tyranny with the Sword of Inevitable Justice! Again - "

Despite his surprise, the Kaiser was never an unprepared man. "Spare me."

"No! There is to be - "

"As a citizen of Brandenburg, you should at least understand Norman, which means you know 'spare me' can have multiple meanings." The Kaiser pulled his sabre from the wall behind him. "Besides, 'Sword of Inevitable Justice Again' is a stupid name."

The sound of the blades clashing filled the room, the combatants proving an even match. The more fit physique of the ill-minded farmer was countered by the training the Kaiser had received in his youth from his mentor, an old Highlander. Shouts for the guards could be heard outside, but as the sound of running feet grew, Wurmbach lashed out, opening a serious wound on the Kaiser's left hand.

Before he could press his advantage, or the Kaiser attempt to recover, a deafening explosion rattled the room, immediately followed by a neary-drowned-out 'KASPLUTT' and a noxious cloud. As the smoke cleared, the nearly completely decapitated body of the Kaiser's assilant could be seen to fall to the floor, while on the stairs in the back of the room stood Prinz August Wilhelm, holding his Afrikan elephant gun, still aimed at where Wurmbach had stood, and still smoking.

As the guards broke into the room, the Kaiser, clutching a strip of his coat as a makeshift bandage against his left hand, walked over to where the farmer's dead body lay.

"As I said, Herr Wurmbach, I am sorry for your loss. But you need to remember that revenge is a dish best served cold, and one need not compound losses anyway." He remembered the battle cry of his old mentor, and thought it somehow appropriate. "There can be only one."

[Phoenix]

Real men hunt elephants with .256 ...

Real men hunt elephants with a spear and a pack of Basenjis. ;D

[Phoenix]

Prince Pu Lun sends a little note:
"Your Most High Imperial Majesty's Most Revered Ancestors have smiled on Your August Person indeed ! One bows to a Strong House blessed with a vigorous Emperor."

[swamphen]

The Kaiser sends his personal thanks in response to the messages from fellow royalty and other countries.

The Brandenburgian press bays for Swiss blood....
8)