Dessauer M1881
| Gevær Dessauer, Modell 1881 | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Type | Bolt action rifle |
| Place of origin |  Acrea |
| Service history | |
| In service | 1881-1920 |
| Used by | Acrea |
| Production history | |
| Designer | Johannes Michiel Dessauer |
| Designed | 1879-1881 |
| Manufacturer | Stuhr Arsenal |
| Specifications | |
| Weight | 4.5 kg |
| Length | 1350 mm |
| Cartridge | 6.8x65mm |
| Action | Bolt Action |
The Dessauer M1881, officially the Gevær Dessauer, Modell 1881, was an Acrean military breech-loading rifle which replaced the Dessauer-Stuhr M1860 in 1881 as the Acrean Army's standard infantry rifle. Design of the rifle is considered to have originally begun around 1875, to develop an eventual replacement for the M1868-pattern rifle. The invention of hvittpulver smokeless powder in 1879 immediately changed design priorities; placed on a time crunch, Dessauer and his sons were forced to redesign the rifle to accomodate this new technology, including the development of a new cartridge. While the cartridge proved to be excellent, the rifle left much to be desired by troops due to the rushed nature of its development. Nonetheless, the rifle was considered a success and gave Acrean soldiers an important headstart in the adoption of smokeless powder. It served as the Acrean Army's frontline rifle until it was replaced by the Stuhr M1888.