M1 Theimer

M1 Theimer
Service history
In service	1938-1969
Used by	Gallia-Bruhl
Wars	Second Europan War War of Lorican Aggression
Production history
Manufacturer	Theimer Works
Produced	1938-1969
No. built	6.25 million
Variants	M1C, M1D
Specifications
Weight	9.5 lb (4.31 kg) to 11.6 lb (5.3 kg)
Length	43.5 in (1,100 mm)
Barrel length	24 in (609.6 mm)
Cartridge	.30-06 Theimer (7.62×63mm)
Action	Gas-operated, rotating bolt
Rate of fire	40−50 rounds/min
Muzzle velocity	2,800 ft/s (853 m/s)
Effective firing range	500 yd (457 m)
Feed system	8-round en-bloc clip, internal magazine
Sights	•Rear: adjustable aperture •front: wing protected post

The M1 Theimer is a .30 caliber semi-automatic rifle that was the standard Gallian service rifle during the Second Europan War and the War of Lorican Aggression. It was intended to replace the Galliagewehr 35 rifle, which was much more prone to jamming. Most M1 rifles were issued to Gallian forces, though many hundreds of thousands were also provided as foreign aid to Gallian allies. The Theimer is still used by drill teams and military honor guards.

It is named after its designer, Wolfgang Theimer or simply known as Theimer, who experienced the hardships of the Galliagewehr 35. Compared to the Lucian Lee-Enfield, it was more prone to jamming and less reliable that some soldiers refused to trade in their Lee-Enfield for the latter. When the M1 was introduced, the Gallian Army started to replace their Galliangewehr's with the M1 whilst retaining the Lee-Enfields, most of which were added with a scope for sniper usage.

History

Following the First Europan War, the Gallian Army used a wide variety of rifles, including the proven and tested M1903 GSR rifle, Lena-Elfield rifle, and the notorious Galliagewehr 35. In 1924, Gallian engineer, Wolfgang Theimer presented his idea of a new semi-automatic rifle to replace the latter. Theimer hoped to match the same ammo capacity as the existing Galliagewehr 35 but with a more reliable action and less prone to jamming. Early tests on Theimer's rifle, called as the M1924, showed that it jammed more than the exising GG35, hence Theimer was forced to redesign his rifle. The faulty itself was found when Theimer had designed his rifle the same way as the GG35, hence he changed its magazine system from a magazine-fed to a clip-fed system. The new rifle, dubbed as the M1927, featured an enbloc-clip containing 8 rounds. Later on, Theimer's rifle was on trial against 4 other companies, including the existing GG35. In trials, Theimer's rifle didn't suffer a single jam, hence Theimer's reputation further increased and was awarded the contract.

In 1931, however, the Gallian Army attempted to change the design to make it further simpler. This enraged Theimer, who was threatening to sell the design to the Lucis Army. Lucian General Harry Tachibana was eager to have their existing Lena-Elfield rifles replaced by Theimer's rifle but in stress tests, it was later found that the Lena-Elfield, despite being bolt-action, was far superior to Theimer's rifle. But the conflicting problems for Theimer eventually allowed Tachibana to interfere in the Gallian Army's affairs, hence he refused any change in Theimer's design. The following year, Theimer's rifles began to be produced at the Randgriz Armoury. It was eventually given its formal name as the Gallia-Bruhl Rifle, M1, .30-06 Theimer or its more common name, the M1 Theimer. It was standardised in 1935 just a month before the outbreak of the Second Europan War. The Theimer itself attracted numerous buyers, including Concordia, in which the Concordian Army became the M1 Theimer's biggest buyer. Deliveries reached to a whopping 1,500,000 by 1940. Theimer would later open his factory in Springfield, and work on the M1 Theimer for the Concordian Army was resumed there.

By 1940, the M1 Theimer was used by every Commonwealth country as both a second-line and frontline issue.

Users

Ai Chi
Alteria
Bactieu and the Adelaidines
Concordia and the Soryu: Standard issue from 1937 to 1968
Dalmasca and Nabradia
Erebonian Empire: rarely issued
Esthar and Balamb
Gallia-Bruhl
Jutland-Gimli
Lestallum
Quenmin: Standard issue from 1945 to 1971
Rubrum
Tamau
Taoyuan: captured from Quenminese stocks
United Kingdom: rarely issued
Zanarkand: rarely issued