Khaspush (Khas-push or Khaz-push) is a 1928 Soviet Armenian B&W silent historical drama directed by Hamo Beknazarian (credited as Amo Bek-Nazaryan). It depicts the uprising of Khaspushes (impoverished peasants and townspeople) in Qajar Persia in 1891 against the tobacco monopoly, given by Nasir al-Din Shah to a British company.
The following weapons were used in the film Khaspush:
During the storming of the British embassy by the Khaspushes, several British guards are armed with Webley RIC style revolvers (the barrels are too long for compact Bulldogs).
One of the revolvers, used by the guards in the British embassy, turns out to be some Henri Pieper model, identified by the swing-out cylinder in combination with the rib over the barrel and the massive hammer. The exact model hardly can be identified but very possibly this is not an original Belgian gun but a Spanish clone, maybe one of the revolvers, produced during the WWI under French and Romanian contracts. Original Pieper M1889 and M1893 revolvers have raised rear part of the frame while the screen gun seems to have a flat top.
Most Persian soldiers, both infantry and cavalry, are armed with Berdan No.2 rifles. In reality the Persian military of late 19th century was equipped with a mix of Martini-Henry, Snider-Enfield and Chassepot 1866 rifles, of those bolt-action Chassepot looks many similar to Berdan.
Error creating thumbnail: File missingRussian Berdan No.2 (M1870) Infantry rifle - 10.67x58mm RError creating thumbnail: File missingA soldier carries a Berdan rifle on the bazaar of Tehran.Error creating thumbnail: File missingA soldier, carrying a Berdan rifle, confronts a mullah who calls for defiance of the Shah's decree.Error creating thumbnail: File missingSoldiers carry a body of an executed man, dressed as a Persian officer in an attempt to accuse Khaspushes in unprovoked murder. Note that the rifle sling is tied to the buttstock grip, probably because the swivel on the rifle is broken.Error creating thumbnail: File missingAnother view of a soldier carrying a Berdan rifle in the same scene.Error creating thumbnail: File missingA Khaspush attacks a soldier during the storming of the prison. Note two cartridges in the soldier's belt bandolier.Error creating thumbnail: File missingKhaspushes brandish sticks, swords and several rifles, captured from soldiers.Error creating thumbnail: File missingA Khaspush in center aims a Berdan rifle. Note that he holds two cartridges in fingers on the hand that grasps the handguard. This was a real practice of seasoned shooters for single-shot rifles that allowed to load the rifle faster that with taking each cartridge from bandolier.Error creating thumbnail: File missingCavalrymen with Berdan rifles attack the rebels.
Berdan No.2 Dragoon
A Berdan No.2 Dragoon rifle is seen in hands of a Khaspush in the final scene.
Probably due to insufficient number of avaiable Berdan rifles, some Mosin Nagant M1891 rifles are also used in the movie, carried by the Persian soldiers and Khaspushes. Most if not all of these rifles are Infantry model.
