These interesting snapshots are from the Austrian Bundesheer, the federal army founded in 1955, the first such force since the Germans crossed the border in 1938. Today’s force holds a number of longstanding traditions going back to the old Austro-Hungarian K.u.K. “Imperial and Royal” army of Franz Josef’s days.
These include the use of Kappenabzeichen, or cap badges, a practice that got a little out of control in the Great War.
Also, the current Feldkappe, or Kapperl, which resembles the M1908 Fieldmutze more than the bad old M43 WWII-era cap, is also used to hold the ammo draw for annual small arms quals.
This practice goes back to the Tyrolean regiments where reservists would report, hold out their alpine-style cap to receive their range ammo, then wait for their turn with the guns on the line.
More than just a folk song, the Austrian Army (Österreichs Bundesheer) Gebirgsjäger-Wettkampfes is a grueling Alpine mountaineer competition that is sort of the Olympics for mountain warfare folks.
In two days, teams cover 40 kilometers (24.85 miles) of rugged Austrian Alps terrain with up to 14,000 feet of cumulative elevation gain, completing various military tasks at 12 stations. They carry a litter with their equipment — both for challenges and in case of real casualty situations.
This year’s raid saw 22 teams from nine nations: Austria, Bulgaria, China, the Czech Republic, Germany, Poland, Romania, Switzerland, and the U.S.
Hosted by 6. Gebirgsbrigade— the Austrian home team– the event is rugged for sure.
Of interest, this year’s event also saw some trial use of the planned new Austrian Army Kampfweste, or battle-vest
U.S. National Guard Soldiers — from Vermont, home of the Army Mountain Warfare School and the 86th Infantry Brigade Combat Team (Mountain), and the Connecticut National Guard — returned to Austria this year to compete in the biennial event. This time, the 16-member U.S. team competed in two groups. Both finished; one cracked the top 10.
Sgt. 1st Class Tim McLaughlin, instructor, U.S. Army Mountain Warfare School, Vermont Army National Guard, conducts pre-marksmanship instruction for high angle shooting during the 2023 Edelweiss Raid Feb. 26, 2023, in Austria. Teams must engage 20 targets at 200 meters, shooting high to low, and receive time penalties for each missed target. 230226-Z-A3552-611. Photo By: Staff Sgt. Max Archambault
Teams in the top three this year were from Germany, Switzerland, and…China. While the first two are no surprise, the last should raise some eyebrows for the Indian Army, which has had lots of high-mountain antics with the Chinese as of late.
Official caption: “Übungsschießen mit einem Scharfschützengewehr am Schießplatz in Ferlach, 03.11.1915” (Practice shooting with a sniper rifle at the shooting range in Ferlach), showing an evidently high-ranking Austrian officer test-firing a German Gew 98 Mauser, equipped with an early scope, some 107 years ago today.
The shooter, decked out not only with his own personal poncho and goggles but also firing under an umbrella to make sure his carefully waxed mustache remains intact, is General der Kavallerie Franz Rohr, who at the time of the range session had recently returned to active service after being placed over the Hungarian Honved reserve in 1913.
Rohr, placed in charge of a scratch force along the Carinthian frontier upon Italy’s entry into the war, would go on to lead the newly-formed 10th Army, then the 11th Army, before switching to the Eastern Front in 1917 to command the prestigious old 1st Army, picking up a baron’s title and adding a “von” to his name. Made Feldmarschall Freiherr Franz Rohr von Denta in 1918, at age 64, he would go on to become the head of Hungary’s postwar army before his death in 1927.
Also, note the peculiar Austrian use of a “dress bayonet” in lieu of a sword, but still outfitted with a Portépée-style sword knot, as displayed by Rohr’s very wet ADC, who does not rate a regenschirm.
Over the past 40 years, the Austrian Army has used the same 9mm handgun. Adopted as the Pistole 80, Gaston Glock’s first firearm, a polymer-framed double stack that held 17+1 rounds at the ready, there has been no reason for the Bundesheer to replace it.
The Pistole 80 went on to morph gently into the 1st Generation Glock 17, which was first imported to the U.S. in 1986 but was short-lived on the commercial market, being replaced by the 2nd Gen G17 only two years later.
Well, Glock and Lipsey’s have teamed up to sell a commemorative Pistole 80– previously unobtainable outside of Austria– and I have to admit, it is very 1980s.
Features include:
-Gen 1 Single Pin Style Frame
-Pebble Grip Texture
-P80 Markings
-Smooth Trigger
-Polymer Front & Rear Sights
-No Front Serrations
-Flat Extractor
-“Tupperware” Peel Top Box
-Collectible Packaging
-Certificate of Authenticity
The great combined Austro-Hungarian Army of Emperor Franz Josef– as well as its two national reserve forces, the Royal Hungarian Honvéd and Imperial Austrian Landwehr–fielded the enbloc clip-fed Mannlicher M1895 rifle for the last few decades of its existence.
Chambered in 8x50mmR, some 3.5 million(ish) of these were made by FEG in Hungary and Steyr in Austria as well as by CZ/Brno (the latter just starting in 1918.)
The straight-pull bolt action typically used a 30-inch barrel to produce a very hefty 50-inch rifle.
Thus. Also, great overshoes.
However, one of the rarer variants, sniper rifles which used telescopic sights made by Reichert, Kahles, Suss, Fuess, and Oigee, saw much lower production numbers, with just 13,000 made. Luckily Austria was home to the lion-share of optics makers at the time!
An even rarer subset of these was the M95 sniper carbine. Yes, sniper carbine.
And, as the Italians took most of these for war reparations in 1919-20, which Rome subsequently scrapped, they are one of the rarest of all sniper breeds.
A WWI-era Steyr M95 sniper rifle with a 20-inch barrel and a three post-C. Reichert Wein-marked 3x optic. It carries a “Wn-18” acceptance mark. (Photos: RIA)
The optic uses a three-post European style reticle and a very…peculiar mount.
