Australian Storm 1876

  Chapter 599 Breaking Through Self

  In the morning, I inspected the Azure Weapons Company and saw the situation generally satisfying Li Fushou. In view of the current tension between the North and the South, he specifically urged the company to reduce external orders and focus on local weapons and equipment.

At present, the Azure Weapon Company holds orders for 650 guns of various calibers from the Austro-Hungarian Empire, as well as some weapons orders from Argentina, Chile, the Ottoman Empire, and the Fuso. superior.

some of

  The production of light infantry equipment is sufficient. The annual output of 85,000 rifles, in addition to a small part of the rifle used to replace the rifle of the active army, is reserved for 30,000 to 40,000 each year, and all the excess is used for export.

  The main market is in the Manchu and Qing Dynasty, which is used to equip the new army.

The Jiangnan Manufacturing Bureau produces no more than 5,000 rifles a year. In addition to the serious internal consumption of officials, rampant corruption, and lax factory systems, the quality of the products is often unqualified and the prices are extremely high. Therefore, the governors of various regions are willing to use cheap and high-quality rifles with reliable quality. Australian rifle.

The German-made 1871 Mauser rifle produced by the Jiangnan Manufacturing Bureau requires 18 taels of silver and is rough in workmanship and often jammed during shooting. The more advanced Mauser magazine-style riding rifle in Australia requires only 9 taels of silver, and the design is more precise. , The quality is more reliable, it goes without saying how to choose.

  In addition to the requirements of the new army set up by the Governor of Guangdong and Guangxi, Gu Yanshan, now the Governor of Huguang, the Governor of Fujian and Zhejiang, the Governor of Beizhili and the Governor of Caoyun have all set up new troops, and more than half of the necessary weapons are imported from Australia.

  Displayed according to the reserve list;

  Now there are more than 130,000 rifles in the arms warehouses in various places. This year we plan to purchase another 38,000 to replenish the inventory. Coupled with the large number of rifles in the private sector, there is no shortage of infantry weapons. This part of the export order can continue to be executed.

  Currently, it is mainly for large-caliber artillery. All export orders involved are stopped, and all output is used to supply the army.

  The main gap is the large-caliber shore defense artillery in various places, mainly 280 mm 305 mm and the latest 343 mm shore artillery, supplemented by some advanced 150 mm caliber artillery. The main purpose is for fortress defense and equipping army artillery units.

  Of course, these coastal heavy artillery is not used to deal with the southern states, but to prevent problems before they happen, to protect the main naval ships in the harbor and prevent them from being caught by the British.

  Think from the worst in everything and work towards the best.

  The end of the inspection

  Li Fushou, accompanied by Zhang Qishan, general manager of Azure Weapons Company, Baron Gretzka, director and chief engineer, and Major General Konrad Adenauer, Chief of Staff of the Army, visited the Light Weapons Research Center.

  This is a two-story small building under the shade of green trees. There is a long side house in the backyard. The courtyard is thick and shaded from the sun, and the breeze is breezy. It is a quiet and deep place.

The director of the Light Arms Research Center is the American Professor MacDonald-Cleveland, who is an extremely enthusiastic scholar in light weapons research. He was once the technical director of HS-Maxine Arms Company, as a well-known weapon designer HS -Mr. Maxine's assistant, participated in the research and development of Maxine semi-automatic rifle.

The world’s first real automatic rifle was invented by the American engineer HS Maxim in 1883, and Kerdner-Cleveland was the main technical assistant. He participated in the research and development of the automatic rifle. The mechanism has been deeply studied.

  When the rifle is shooting, the gunpowder gas produced not only shoots the bullet out of the barrel, but also makes the gun recoil.

  American engineer Maxim used the power of part of the gunpowder gas to complete a series of actions such as unlocking, ejecting the shell, delivering the bullet and re-locking the gun, thus realizing the automatic continuous shooting of the rifle and reducing the recoil of the gun against the shooter.

  Drawing on the technical characteristics of the Winchester rifle, Maxine carried out innovative modifications and tests, and finally succeeded in manufacturing the world's first semi-automatic rifle in 1883.

  In this field, the research and development of Russian scholars is also at an advanced level. In 1886, Russian engineer Rudnitz developed a semi-automatic rifle model, but due to economic constraints, it failed to produce a practical gun.

The semi-automatic rifle uses the air-guided automatic principle invented by HS Maxim. It does not need to fire a shot or pull the bolt. The main purpose is to use the gunpowder gas back seat power to push the shell out, but only one trigger is pulled. Fire a bullet.

  The semi-automatic rifle launched by the Mark Xing Weapon Company was revolutionary in the history of the development of light weapons, but it was a complete commercial defeat.

At this time, the Winchester lever-fired rifle was popular in the western United States. It was a rifle commonly loved by Federal Mounted Police, law enforcement, desert gunners, Texas cowboys, and bounty hunters. The Xin semi-automatic rifle can't compete with it at all.

  The entire U.S. Army has only two cavalry divisions, and the weapons needed are extremely limited, and the Department of War cannot help.

  This has led to the huge investment in research and development that cannot be recovered, and a large number of semi-automatic rifles produced have also become unsalable products, which are difficult to sell.

  As a result, the company’s economy was in trouble, and huge conflicts arose among the company’s main shareholders.

For the survival of the company, Mr. HS Maxim reluctantly cut off the semi-automatic gun project, while Professor MacDonald Cleveland, who loves light weapons research, strongly opposed it. As a result, the two had a fierce quarrel because of the sharp opposition and contradiction in their positions. It can't be reconciled at all.

  In July 1889, Professor MacDonald-Cleveland received a heavy offer from the Azure Weapons Company and resolutely left the United States and traveled across the oceans to Australia to continue his dream.

  He vowed to develop a semi-automatic rifle with excellent performance.

"The soldier's combat environment is very harsh. It is possible to fight in forests and swamps, and it is also possible to fight in the desert. Therefore, the reliability of semi-automatic rifles must be placed first, whether it is buried in the soil or soaked in mud and water during the test. , You must be able to launch it after you plan it out."

  Li Fushou knows little about the design of light weapons. Drawing on the tidbits seen in previous lives, he put forward extremely high requirements for the design of this first semi-automatic rifle, hoping to design a classic.

   Anyway, this time the Civil War will definitely not be able to catch up, so he is not in a hurry.

  Professor McDonald-Cleveland heard such a demanding request, and exclaimed, "Oh, God, it’s impossible!"

   "Mr. Professor, there is nothing impossible in this world."

"Honorable Lord Earl, science is rigorous and realistic, without any subjective conjecture. From the design of firearms, semi-automatic rifles require more precision parts. It is completed during the process of pushing the bullet into the chamber and launching the reverse seat. A series of actions such as unlocking, ejecting the shell, sending bombs and re-locking. The entry of mud and sand will inevitably lead to mechanical jams. This is an unsolvable fate, which cannot be solved by humans. Your request is surprisingly outrageous. I am forgiving. I can not do it."

  Hearing such an answer, Li Fushou was quite disappointed.

  As far as he knows;

  Decades later, a batch of excellent semi-automatic firearms was indeed developed. The first semi-automatic rifle designed and invented by the Mexican general Mondragon was the first to equip the army. In 1907, it was first officially equipped with the Mexican army.

  In fact, the current level of technological development can completely design a fairly advanced semi-automatic rifle. It only requires sufficient funds and a little inspiration.

  So Li Fushou said regretfully;

"That's a pity. What the army needs is a reliable gun that can fight in harsh environments and continue to exert firepower. The rifle is the guardian of the soldiers' lives. It is not a beautiful lady. Such a semi-automatic rifle is absolutely Without a market, it is impossible to be accepted by the military.

Compared with the advantages of semi-automatic rifles, the military pays more attention to the reliability of rifles under harsh conditions. If this contradiction is not resolved, the semi-automatic rifles developed will have no vitality. How to convince the military to spend a lot of money to install new guns Woolen cloth?

Mr.   Professor, I admit that you have deep knowledge in firearms, but compared with the talented Mr. HS Maxim, you still lack some innovative thinking.

   Please forgive me for being outspoken, conservative thinking is not able to design a weapon that makes people eye-catching, maybe we are all wrong. "

  The implication

  No confidence in Professor MacDonald-Cleveland, disappointment was overwhelming, and he euphemistically expressed distrust.

  Under everyone's eyes

  Professor MacDonald-Cleveland's old face was flushed with shame, but he had to admit that Lord Earl made sense.

  If the semi-automatic rifle cannot solve the reliability problem, then the epoch-making firepower advantage is completely impossible to play. If it is really rainy to fight in the muddy trenches, a half of the soldiers’ guns cannot be fired, so what is the firepower advantage?

In particular, Lord Earl’s words highly respected Mr. HS Maxine, which made it difficult for Professor MacDonald-Cleveland to accept. He blushed and said; "Your Honorable Earl, I admit that what you said is very reasonable, but If anyone in this world can fulfill your strict requirements, I am definitely the best."

  "According to my request?" Li Fushou asked seriously.

   "Yes. My research team and I will do our best to fulfill your requirements and make the impossible possible. I can swear by my reputation that I will do it."

  "Great. I never believe that there are unclimbable peaks in the world. When you step on it, you will feel incredible glory."

  "Your Honorable Earl, I am looking forward to such a glorious day, and I will make all my efforts to this end. May God testify."

"I believe you can do it, Professor MacDonald." Li Fushou was very satisfied with the effect of the radical method, and he solemnly said; "I am convinced that...you will be proud of today's decision. To show yourself through continuous breakthroughs, no one would have thought that Queensland would have the prosperous and prosperous situation today, and I did it...I believe you can do it too. Constantly breaking through the limits, turning the impossible into possible...this is life The truth."

  "Thank you for your teachings, noble Lord Earl, I will humbly dedicate all my ingenuity to you, and may God bless Queensland, amen!"

"God bless you!"

  Li Fushou took a deep look at him. He estimated that this soul chicken soup should have a good effect. If this old guy dares to play tricks, hehehe... The political affairs department is not a vegetarian, and it can definitely make him want to die.

  The Americans of this era still can’t stand the flicker...

  (End of this chapter)