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Mauser Selbstlader M1916
The Mauser Selbstlader M1916 (Selbstlader is German for autoloader), also known as the Mauser Selbstlader M1915, is an early German semi-automatic rifle, developed from the mechanisms of the experimental Mauser Model 1906/08 pistol. A rare weapon with only 1000 ever produced, it was adopted in limited numbers by the Imperial German Army during the First World War. It was officially designated Selbstlader-Karabiner Mauser M 1916 by the Ballon-und-Zeppelin-Truppe, and Fliegerkarabine 15 by the German Air Force.
The rifle was trialed at the start of First World War. It performed well, but was very sensitive to field conditions, as the rounds had to be lubricated in grease. It was rejected by the German Army, but was adopted by the German Air Corps and the Ballon-und-Zeppelin-Truppe, both of whom do not face the dirty troubles of the ground troops down below. Since aircraft-mounted machine guns were not fully developed yet, air crews and semi-automatic rifles fitted each other's needs quite nicely early on. Later, the German Air Corps replaced the Selbstlader M1916 with the cheaper Flieger-Selbstlader-Karabiner 15 Mondragon Rifle (some sources also say that it was the other way around, that the Mondragon rifle replaced the M1916). The self-loading rifles were soon phased out entirely when aircraft-mounted machine guns became commonplace.
Two variants of the rifle exist, a rifle version for infantry and a carbine version for air crews. The carbine version (pictured on the right) is noted by a much shorter forend, a small front grip just in front of the magazine, and a shorter barrel. Approximately 600 of the 1000 produced M1916s were rifles, and the rest being the carbines. Some sources specify the rifle version as the Mauser M1906/08 rifle and the carbine Mauser M1910/13.
The magazine is noted to have a strong resemblance to the magazine of the MG13. Sources disagree on whether or not they are interchangeable.
Specifications
Caliber: 7.92x57mm Mauser
Length: 45.3 in (115 cm)
Barrel Length: 23.6 in (60 cm)
Weight: 10.8 lbs (4.9 kg)
Capacity: 20 / 25 (unclear)
Country of Origin: Germany
The Mauser Selbstlader M1916 and variants can be seen in the following films, television series, video games, and anime used by the following actors:
Video Games
| Game Title | Referred as | Mods | Note | Release Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Deadfall Adventures | Selbstlader | 2013 | ||
| Battlefield 1 | Selbstlader M1916 | 2016 | ||
| Battlefield V | Selbstlader M1916 | 2018 |