Hans Stamm developed a series of firearms in Switzerland in the early 1900s, and today we are looking at a second-pattern Model 1913 semiauto rifle. This was developed while Stamm was working for the Saurer company, where he headed its small arms division. Stamm’s Model 1907 straight pull rifle failed to win military adopted, and so in 1910 he began working on a quite complex long recoil system. The first prototype was finished in 1912, and by 1913 another seven examples were made.
These are sent to the Swiss and Belgian militaries for consideration, but neither are interested – and the outbreak of World War One ends possibilities for other adoption.
Previous Stamm designs:
1902 Gas-Operated Semiauto: https://youtu.be/LFJJBu4a5Lo
1907 Straight-Pull: https://youtu.be/gc8k4uv1gMk
Many thanks to the Swiss Shooting Museum in Bern for giving me access to these two very rare rifles to film for you! The museum is free to the public, and definitely worth visiting if you are in Bern – although it is closed for renovation until autumn 2025:
https://www.schuetzenmuseum.ch/en/
I’m sure you know this, but just in case- you can demonstrate long recoil (or short recoil) operation by putting a rod down the barrel to bear against the breech face and then pushing back.
Obviously the rod has to be stiff and the closer to bore diameter the better. It’s most easily done if either the gun or the rod is set up solidly in a vise and pushed against. Much easier with a 1911 than an auto 5!
You DO NOT strip that rifle anywhere but in a clean, well-lighted tool room. But heck, it’s a beautiful prototype, meant to impress major generals, not major sergeants.
I dunno… It impresses me, but mostly as a work of machinist’s art.
Something I’d want to train others on, and maintain? Oh, hell no…
It’s LMG level of complex machinery. The Remington Model 8 was equally complicate to field strip, BUT it was at least a lot easier to manufacture AND it had a shorter receiver.
I’d categorically reject any LMG or, for that matter, any other weapon displaying this level of complexity and “fussy”. Just on general principle.
This, my friends, is “mechanical fidget toy”-level machining and engineering complexity; something you’d buy and keep on your desk to relax with when you’re overstressed and needing to be soothed by taking things apart and just enjoying the sheer mechanical shiny smoothness of it all…
I mean, that’s how I’d use it. Maybe I’m weird…?
LMGs of that time, and for many years later, were like that. The BREN was not that different as complexity of machining.
German WWII Tank Engineering added the British Craftsman form of production versus Colt and Ford designs for factory large-scale production with easily interchangeable parts and repair. Hmmm.
I think he’s done a great job there, that is the pinnacle of long recoil rifles perhaps. So well made, and such a tidy, well thought out “Package” but would semi auto rifles have delivered what the Garand developers hoped for in WW2… Maybe I.e. A war not entrenched so much. Just thinking back to Dunkirk, had the U.S not rescued the U.K; pax Americana… Would us “The U.K” say at Dunkirk fared any better, with these semi autos; say we spent all our cash on them from say 1929 till 1939, knowing “Krauts not happy” something is likely to kick off again.
“(…)pinnacle of long recoil rifles(…)”
I found your lack of praise for Farquhar-Hill https://modernfirearms.net/en/military-rifles/self-loading-rifles/great-britain-self-loading-rifles/farquhar-hill-eng/ puzzling.
What a lovely gun. I think everyone can see why, it just is; all things considered. Had the British adopted this prior to Dunkirk, say it was in mass production “I know, but imagine.” Anyone think semi auto fire power would have had an effect? Like say the Garand, was supposed to have – Later. And overall, I think it probably did “Later” I.e. A Kraut is one Kraut but ten is… Ten, might have helped? Bang, bang! The developers of the Garand/U.S Army seemed to think so. Just saying 1913 is 1913, looks a good gun that to me, 1939 is 1939… Would it have mattered though? @ Say Dunkirk…
“(…)@ Say Dunkirk…”
To my understanding outcome of Bataille de Dunkerque https://codenames.info/operation/battle-of-dunkirk/ was decided by so-called Halt Order so decision undertaken by attacking side.
Yeah, yeah and if Hitler had developed the Nazi Death Ray… History cannot profitably be written in the subjunctive mood. If we admit one counterfactual we have to admit them all.I got that out of my system at 2nd grade recess. “Oh yeah? Well if the Japs had had A-bombs at Pearl Harbor…”
Counterfactuals are not all the same.
Provided that the interest of a counterfactual is the one the proponent gives it (so, if one is interested in “what if the ancient Egyptians developed the steam engine”, good for him) an alternate course of history that depended on a single (or few), decision of a single (or few) man is different from one that needs thousands of people involved in developing scientific theories and technologies ahead of their time.
“What if the US Army adopted the .276 Pedersen in 1932” is not the same as “What if the Japanese adopted the A bomb in 1932”. The .276 Pedersen was an existing cartridge that had been rejected due to the decision of a single man.
Latest’ish drone news, apparently if you want to penetrate forests; seemingly you have to “Milan rocket it” fire a cable out the back (Fibre or some shit) because of tree interferances… Progress apparently over a couple of (maria theresa thaler’s) a Roth Steyr and a sword; some folk would go home, argument settled. But no, moon based lasers.
Annoys me that; you can’t even have a kip in some trees anymore. Drones, it does make me think about about “massive” via individual wee 51mm mortar type round, fuel air explosions to prevent them… Buzzing around; in essence we have to explode the air. Great – Progress eh, In stahlgewittern book cover; happy scene… Not.
I love that dust cover safety, in fact I just really like that rifle.
“(…) happy scene… Not.”
If you wish to do not have drones hovering about your forest AND do not have place to build complete aerodrome then use https://www.skydefensellc.com/cobrajet/