Swiss Model 1889 Schmidt Rubin Straight Pull, Bolt Action, Repeating Rifle, Serial Number 136506, Caliber 7.5 mm Swiss

Technical Description: Swiss model 1889 Schmidt Rubin straight pull, bolt action, repeating rifle, serial number 136506, caliber 7.5 mm Swiss. Standard military configuration rifle with original sling. The front sight is an inverted V. The rear sight has a pivoting leaf which is adjusted for elevation by grooves in the large wings on each side of the leaf. The sight is graduated to 2000 meters. The left side of the barrel just forward of the receiver is marked with the Swiss cross and 136506. The receiver is marked on the left side 136506. The receiver top is marked with a small Swiss cross.
The bright finished bolt is marked 136506 and a Swiss cross. Major components of the rifle are marked 506. The stock is walnut. The blue finish is thinning and appears to have been sanded in some areas. The rifle bore is excellent. Historical Significance: The Swiss adopted their first cal. 7.5 mm. Service rifle in 1889. Designated Swiss Repeating Rifle Model 1889, it was chambered for the Model 90 rimless bottleneck cartridge. The Model 90 cartridge was loaded with 211-gr., paperpatched,
steel-capped, hollow-base lead bullet and a compressed charge of semismokeless powder. Muzzle velocity was 1968 feet per second (f.p.s.) This cartridge was designed by Col. Eduard Rubin, who was Director of the Swiss Federal Ammunition Factory.
Col. Rudolph Schmidt, director of the Federal Arms Factory, was responsible for design of the rifle, which followed the then accepted ideas of what a military rifle should be. It had a straight pull action which afforded greater rapidity of fire than was possible with turn bolt action designs then current. It has a magazine cut off so that it could be fired by single loading, with the full magazine of 12 rounds held in reserve. When the cut off is in down position, the magazine is lowered free of the bolt; in the up position, the cartridges will feed from the magazine. Aside from representing finest workmanship and materials, the Model 1889 Schmidt-
Rubin has little to recommend it. The system is unlike any other straight-pull design and is by far the longest and clumsiest. The receiver is about 1 1/3 times as long as that of the Mauser Model 98. The safety mechanism is positive, but awkward to operate.
The Model 1889 rifle with 30.7 inch barrel is long and unwieldy. It is not surprising that it underwent a series of design changes in 1896, 1911, and 1931, resulting in a much more compact and effective arm. The original Model 90 ball cartridge was also subjected to much improvement, resulting in the still standard Model 1911 ball cartridge with 174- gr. Pointed boattail bullet driven at 2640 f.p.s.