Austrian Non-Regulation Cannon
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Description
The Austrian Artillery also fielded some non-regulation pieces.
Light 1-pounder amusettes (non Regulation or 'irregular‘ ordnance fielded) used by the Grenz infantry
A- quick-firing gun of k. k. Kriegsrath Zeugslieutenant M. von Eisenstein, Austrian Artillery Arsenal and detail of drop breech block
B- quick-firing gun of k. k. Master Fitter G. Peyerl, Vienna 1750. Austrian Artillery Arsenal and detail of rotating breech block
Source: Anton Dollaczek; Geschichte der Österreichischen Artillerie von den frühesten Zeiten bis zur Gegenwart, p. 204
In 1750, the Imperial Zeugschlossermeister (master artificer) Georg Johann Peyrl invented a quick-firing, breech-loading gun and another such weapon was produced at the same time by the Imperial Zeug-Lieutenant M. von Eisenstein. Both weapons were 1-pounders, 5,2 cm calibre and cast in bronze. Both weapons had ratchet-actioned sights.
In 1757, the Grenzer regiments were equipped with such 1-pdr guns. Each of these guns had a 1 horse team.
A century later, on September 28, 1860, both these weapons – among other breech-loaders - were test-fired; both tended to jam and to fill up with powder debris.
no technical information available yet
References
Dollaczek, Anton; Geschichte der Österreichischen Artillerie von den frühesten Zeiten bis zur Gegenwart, Vienna, 1887
Grosser Generalstab Kriegsgeschichtliche Abteilung II: Die Kriege Friedrichs des Grossen, Part 3 Der siebenjährige Krieg 1756-1763, Vol. 1 Pirna und Lobositz, Berlin, 1901, pp. 141-142
Wrede, Alphons Freiherr von; Geschichte der K. U. K. Wehrmacht; Vienna and Leipzig, 1911
Acknowledgments
Digby Smith for the initial version of this article
