Danish Krag, a rifle fit for a King

[snowhunter]

The Danish language booklet in regards to the 300 years anniversary of the "Ammunitionsarsenalet", mentions on page 37 that special 8 x 58R hunting cartridges with Mannlicher bullets were made by the "Ammunitionsarsenalet" for the then Danish King Christian X (10), Danish Krag hunting rifle.

I did some search in trying to locate a picture of King Christian X, Danish Krag hunting rifle in 8 x 58R, but came up negative. There are just no public pictures of King Christian X holding or for that matter, owning any gun ?

It could be interesting to have a look at this Royal Danish Krag, and the special hunting cartridges made for it with the Mannlicher bullets.

Any suggestion of how to find more information about the King Christian X , Danish Krag hunting rifle ?

[Carcano]

Yes. Here:
http://kongehuset.dk/english/Menu/Contact

You might wish to address the Master of The Royal Hunt, Forest Supervisor Jens Bjerregaard Christensen, via the Office of the Lord Chamberlain.

Carcano

[Amore2]

Hello Snowhunter

Just seems to be the wrong places, you have searched :-)

Don't know about King Christian, but his son, the later King Frederik was given an Engineercarbine in 1942 by the Danish Shooting Association (DDGS&I)) as a gift.

You can see it on this link from Tøjhusmuseet: http://www.thm-online.dk/genstande/46-b4292/

Regards

Niels

[snowhunter]

Niels, I did, among others, search the Toejhus Museum weeb site for King Christian X, Danish Krag hunting rifle, and come up negative.

However, Carcano suggested that I drop the Royal Danish Household a line, in regards to get pictures and further history of King Christian X Danish Krag hunting rifle, which I just did, and are looking forward to get a reply from the Royal Danish Household, which I will share with you, in these fine pages.

Best,

Snowhunter

[jbw]

There should be a gun collection in Jaegerspris casle too, will go the when I get the time.
Other subject. do you know this site: http://www.schultz-larsenrifleclub.dk/index.htm#Model

[snowhunter]

Thank you again jbw for more fascinating info about Danish military and police weapons manufactored or improved and modified by Schultz & Larsen, prior, during and after WW2.

I was in particular taken by the story about the S&L model (19)42, a militarized version of the S&L Model (19)38. The S&L Model 42 was made for the Danish "Rigspolitiet" (Danish National Police), which abbriviation "RPLT" was stamped on the action, in the 8 x 58R caliber, with a five round magazine, loaded through a gate at the bottom.

This article mentions that S&L Model 42, was due to wartime shortages of proper gun metal, is made of inferior metals, which required that the actions were hardened especially hard, which sometimes resulted in cracked action, during firing. A total of 1200 S&L Model were made for Danish Police, Coast Watch units and Rail Road Security Guards.

The reasons for S&L Model 42 were made and supplied to various Danish Police Units during WW2, "Was because Danish Krag's had been sent to German Luftwaffe Units, and thus created a shortage of Danish Krag's in Denmark".

However, these S&L Model 42 were never issued to Danish Police Forces, taking over the guard duties of the Royal family and Palace, after the Royal Guard were, after several firefights with the Germans, then by the German's disbanded after August 29, 1943. Danish Police officers, who had previously served as members of the Royal Guard, were then chosen to guard the Royal family and Palace. Eventually, German soldiers toke over the guard duties of the Royal family and Palace.

S&L had a very close working relationship with the German arms maker Bergmann, in which S&L, among others, put the finishing touches on the Bergmann submachine guns, then also supplied to the Danish Police. S&L also developed a cartridge, 7 x 37, for Bergmann's entry of a new assault rifle forthe German military during WW2.

Cartridges made by S&L were stamped "DA", abbriviation for "Dansk Ammunitionsfabrik", Otterup, Denmark.

S&L has indeed a very colorful history. Thanks again for sharing.

[snowhunter]

http://www.forgottenweapons.com/subm.../bergmann-mp32

One of the Bergmann sub guns have a long barrel, with a 1915 Danish Krag pathern sword bayonet.

I know very little about the Dane, Emil Bergmann, who designed this submachine gun and sold it to the Germans, who made it at Walter factory. In Denmark, S&L produced this submachinegun.

Any info about Emil Bergmann ?

[jbw]

I know it is not nice to direct to another forum but there is something (in danish) here:
http://www.nordisk-forum.dk/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=31517

[snowhunter]

Interesting info about that the Danish Arms Producer, DISA, of the "Madsen" machine gun fame, sent in 1913-19, 130 Danes to the Russian town of Kowrow, just east of Moskow, in order to open a weapons plants for producing "Madsen" for the Czar's armed forces. All danes, along with a numbers of Russian technicians, had by 1919 left this Danish arms factory in Russian, which was nationalized by the Communist in 1917. Danish designed weapons as the Bang automatic rifle, Schousboe pistol and S&L Otterup assault rifle designs were left for the Russian arms designers, including Kalasnikov, who after WW2 became the director of this original Danish made arms factory. Quit flattering for the Danish arms designers to be connected to the AK 47 !

About 50 examples of the S&L, Otterup, assault rifle were in 1941-42 made for the Germans in the "7x36 Madsen" caliber, and mysteriously, none of them survived. However, some examples might have ended up being captured by the advancing Russian army. These S&L assault rifles featured designs borrowed from other Danish firearms designers, like Bang and Weibel automatic rifles, and had a curved "banana" clip.

This Danish made arms factory and machinery in Kowrow, has been converted to produce parts for the Russian Space Agency.

[snowhunter]

http://www.thefirearmblog.com/blog/2...ge-with-cream/

http://world.guns.ru/assault/dk/madsen-lar-e.html

http://books.google.ca/books?id=Eq2D...arbine&f=false

Some interesting readings of the S&L, Otterup/DISA assault rifles, and the Kalasnikov use of Danish firearms patent in "creating" the AK-47 ?

[snowhunter]

Jeg har fået videresendt din mail fra hofmarskallatet, og har været igennem vores arkiver uden held desværre. Museet ligger ikke inde med oplysninger eller billeder om ovennævnte rifle eller jagt patroner. Ej heller ved jeg hvor riflen er i dag, hvis den stadig eksisterer.



Håber du finder oplysninger andetsteds, da jeg desværre ikke kan hjælpe.





Med venlig hilsen




Jacob Madsen

Amalienborgmuseet

Christian VIII's Palæ, Amalienborg

1257 København K



Tlf. +45 33 12 21 86

http://www.amalienborgmuseet.dk

[snowhunter]

Jeg har fået videresendt din mail fra hofmarskallatet, og har været igennem vores arkiver uden held desværre. Museet ligger ikke inde med oplysninger eller billeder om ovennævnte rifle eller jagt patroner. Ej heller ved jeg hvor riflen er i dag, hvis den stadig eksisterer.



Håber du finder oplysninger andetsteds, da jeg desværre ikke kan hjælpe.





Med venlig hilsen




Jacob Madsen

Amalienborgmuseet

Christian VIII's Palæ, Amalienborg

1257 København K



Tlf. +45 33 12 21 86

http://www.amalienborgmuseet.dk

Unfortunately, the Royald Danish Court and The Royal Danish Museum at the Amalienborg Castle were unable to locate King Christian X, Danish Krag hunting rifle, or the Mannlicker soft point cartridges for it.

However, I have over the years looked at one beautiful specimen of a sporterized Danish Krag rifle at the "Toejhus Museum" display, and now wonders if that Danish Krag hunting rifle once belonged to the late King Christian X ?

[snowhunter]

I received reply from the Amalienborgmuseet in regards to fifteen historical and personal firearms of Danish Royalty at this museum, and have asked for images of these Royal firearms, dating from 1762 to 1880, which includes a US made Remington Roller.