Low serial number from first year of manufacturing in 1891. Schmidt-Rubin 1889 in very good condition with 85% original finish. Stock and handguard matching serial numbers. Bolt matching serial number. Magazine matching serial number. Mild pitting in part of the bore. Furniture has some handling wear with a few rough.
Lot 356: Swiss Schmidt-Rubin Model 1889 Straight Pull Bolt Action Rifle Auction Date: December 29, 2020.

Schmidt Rubin 1889 Serial Nos Chart
Schmidt Rubin 1889 Serial Nos 1
Schmidt Rubin 1889 Serial Nos 5
Schmidt Rubin 1889 Value
Schmidt Rubin Serial Numbers

Schmidt- Rubin 1889 Description: Schmidt-Rubin model 1889 infantry rifle, manufactured in 1891, chambered for 7.5 X 53.5 Swiss. All metel in very nice condition all matching serial numbers all markings sharp and clear. The wood is in good shape not many dings. The bore is good with good rifling. Over all a very nice rifle in excelent shape. Schmidt-Rubin G1911 7.5x55 Swiss Description: Built from improvements made to the original 1889, the G1911 from Schmidt-Rubin is a testament to Swiss manufacturing. Its unique straight pull bolt action makes these rifles stand out from the pack. Low serial number from first year of manufacturing in 1891. Excellent condition antique Swiss Model 1889 Schmidt Rubin rifle in 7.5 x 53.5mm caliber that is serial number 2xxx, which dates it to manufacture in 1891, the first year of manufacture. Rifle is NOT import marked and has all matching serial numbers. Metal finish is excellent original blue. Bore is bright and excellent with strong rifling.

Manufacture Dates of Swiss Schmidt-Rubin Rifles

Last updated: 06/25/2000

Swiss Schmidt-Rubin rifles do not have the date of manufacture stampedon any of the rifle parts, so determining when the rifle (and mismatchedparts, if any) were manufactured must be determined from the serial numbers.The definitive work on this subject, and Schmidt-Rubin rifles in general,is Die Repetiergewehre der Schweiz, Die Systeme Vetterli und Schmidt-Rubin,by Reinhart, Sallaz, and am Rhyn (ISBN 3-7276-7102-5, copyright 1991 byVerlag Stocker-Schmid AG, Dietikon-Zuerich, Schweiz), from which the tablesgiven here are adapted. The notes about the various models of Schmidt-Rubinrifles are pilfered almost verbatim from Rifles of the World, 2ndedition, by John Walter (ISBN 0-87349-202-1, copyright 1998, publishedby Krause Publications, 700 E. StateStreet, Iola, WI 54990-0001, USA). The rifle photographs are from SamcoGlobal Arms, and are used with permission.

Below is a short description of the various models of Swiss Schmidt-Rubinrifles, and then the tables that are necessary to determine when a particularrifle was manufactured (given the model and serial number).

Contents

Introduction

Eduard Rubin (1846-1920) developed the first successful small-calibercopper-jacketed bullets that could withstand velocities higher than werenormal in the 1880s. Rubin cartridges with a caliber of 8.1-9.6 mm weretested against an 8.6 mm Hebler pattern in Switzerland in 1882. The Heblercartridge, which had a paper-mache core, attained a prodigious velocitybut the Rubin pattern proved to be far more accurate.

In 1884, Schweizerische Industrie-Gesellschaft converted 130 Vetterlirifles to fire 7.5 mm and 8 mm Rubin cartridges. Most were adapted fromobsolete infantry weapons, but a few had been trial guns of 1873-75; thesehad a distinctive bolt-support guide extending back above the wrist ofthe butt.

Also chambered for Rubin ammunition, Rudolf Schmidt's first straight-pullbolt mechanism of 1885 relied on an actuating rod, set in a channel onthe right side of the breach, to rotate the bolt through a helical channelcut in the bolt sleeve. Twin lugs were provided midway along the bolt sleeve,locking into the receiver directly above the trigger.

Model 1889

This rifle was officially adopted on June 26, 1889. Tooling had alreadybegun in the state factory, and so the first deliveries were surprisinglyspeedy. The M1889 was a most unusual design, with a characteristicallySwiss nose cap/bayonet lug/stacking rod assembly, and a receiver with anoticeable gap between the trigger guard and the magazine. The great lengthof the bolt weakened the Schmidt system greatly. Production ceased in 1897after 211,890 rifles and 40-50 drill rifles (Exerzierwaffen) had been delivered.

Model 1889 rifles are available from SamcoGlobal Arms.

Manufactured 1891-1897 at Eidgenoessische Waffenfabrik, Bern.

Total production: about 212,000

Model1889/96

The inherent weaknesses of the 1889-pattern Schmidt action were recognizedafter protracted experience with the standard 7.5 mm 1890-pattern cartridgehad been gained. As soon as attempts were made to increase the muzzle velocity,the problems intensified.

Testing of 50 modified rifles allowed the improved Vogelsang/Rebholzaction to be adopted on September 27, 1897. Though the 1889/96 rifle resembledits predecessor externally, the locking lugs had been moved to the frontof the bolt-sleeve. This strengthened the action by placing less of thesleeve under compressive stress, and reduced the gap between the triggerand the magazine by 0.4 inches.

The rifles were reclassified as the '[Infantrie-]Gewehr 89/96' in 1909;by November 1912, 127,050 service rifles and about 20 Exerzierwaffen hadbeen made.

Manufactured 1897-1912 at Eidgenoessische Waffenfabrik, Bern.

Total production: 127,000

Model 1897Cadet Rifle

The Kadettengewehr was adopted on July 27, 1898, after trials with gunsderived from the Mannlicher cavalry carbine and the Schmidt-system rifles.The single-shot M1897 had a special quadrant sight with differing setsof gradations for the Ordonnanzpatrone (to 1200 meters on the left side)or the reduced-charge Kadetten-Patrone (to 400 meters on the right). Inaddition to standard guns, about 40 sub-caliber trainers were also made.

Manufactured 1898-1927 at Eidgenoessische Waffenfabrik, Bern.

Total production: 7900

Model 1900Short Rifle

Adopted on April 9, 1901, the Kurzgewehr was based on the 1896-patternaction; apart from its length, the smaller magazine and reduced-range sight,it was similar to the M1889/96 infantry rifle.

Many surviving 1900-type guns were among the 26,340 carbines and shortrifles converted to '1911' standards by Eidgenoessische Waffenfabrik in1913-1920. Accepting 7.5 mm Ordonnanz 11 cartridges, they had four-grooverifling.

Manufactured 1901-1911 at Eidgenoessische Waffenfabrik, Bern.

Total production: 18,750

Model 1905Cavalry Carbine

Preceded by a handful of experimental designs - including one with afolding stock and another with a three-piece cleaning rod carried beneaththe forend - the Karabiner 05 was adopted in 1905 to replace the 1893-typeMannlicher. Stocked virtually to the muzzle, preventing the attachmentof bayonets, it had a full-length handguard and a sling-slot in the butt.

A decree signed on January 13, 1911, ordered the Eidgenoessische Waffenfabrikto modify 26,340 surviving M1900 short rifles and M1905 carbines to approximateto the 1911 pattern. The work was undertaken in Bern in 1913-1920. Theconverted guns had four-groove rifling and chambered 7.5x55 1911-type cartridges.

Manufactured 1906-1911 at Eidgenoessische Waffenfabrik, Bern.

Total production: 7900

Model1896/11

In 1913, as a result of a decree signed on January 13, 1911, conversionof 1896-type rifles to approximate to the 1911 pattern began in the EidgenoessischeWaffenfabrik. By March 1, 1920, 135,770 rifles had been altered. They hadfour-groove rifling and chambered the Ordonnanz 11 cartridge.

As might be expected, this model markedly resembled the Model 1911 Rifle,some of the differences being:

rounded buttplate on the M96/11, flat on the M11;
pistol grip worked into the stock on the M96/11, integral to the stockon the M11;
cutouts on the bottom of the receiver for older magazines on the M96/11,none on the M11 (picture);
slightly differently shaped trigger guard on the M96/11 than on the M11

Schmidt Rubin 1889 Serial Nos