Berdan rifle The Berdan rifle ( " винтовка Бердана " / " vintovka Berdana " in Russian ) is a Russia n rifle created by famous American firearms expert and inventor Hiram Berdan in 1868 . Standard issue in the Russian army from 1870 to 1891 , the Berdan was replaced by the Mosin – Nagant rifle . Widely used in Russia as a hunting weapon , sporting variants , including shotguns , were produced until the mid - 1930s . The " Russian " Berdan I ( M1868 ) and Berdan II ( M1870 ) rifles of . 42 caliber are distinct from the " Spanish " Berdan 15mm ( . 58 + cal ) conversion rifles adopted by Spain as the M1857 / 67 Berdan ( and related engineer , artillery & short rifles ) . Berdan I . Two different versions of the later single - shot Berdan rifle were adopted as service weapons by Imperial Russia . The first version , manufactured by Colt in the USA , is known as the model of 1868 , or Berdan I . It is a hammerless " trapdoor " breechblock design , and was manufactured in limited numbers ( the contract stipulated 30 , 000 ) as a full length infantry rifle . Colt also manufactured a few half - stock Berdan I cavalry carbine prototypes , but these were never adopted for Russian service . Colt even produced a few target rifles based on the Berdan I . Berdan II . The model of 1870 , or Berdan II , is a single shot bolt action with a distinctive short , pear - shaped , bolt handle . The bolt handle serves as the only locking lug for the action , and when closed , points upwards at a 30 degree angle , rather than horizontally . The Berdan II was produced in four variants : an infantry rifle , the lighter and slightly shorter dragoon rifle , a Cossack rifle with a button trigger and no trigger guard , and a cavalry carbine . Infantry and dragoon rifles were issued with quadrangular socket bayonets . Initial production of the Berdan II was at Birmingham Small Arms in England . The rifles were later manufactured in large numbers by Russian factories at Tula , Izhevsk , and Sestroretsk . Estimated total production of all models is over 3 million . The rifle was known for its accuracy , simplicity and reliability . Cartridge . The 10 . 7×58mmR cartridge used in the Berdan was also invented by Hiram Berdan , with assistance of Russian Colonel Gorloff . It was the subject of many patents in both the USA and United Kingdom . The bottleneck cartridge case used the Berdan primer , its first use in a small arms cartridge . Cartridges were issued in blue paper packets of six rounds each . In addition to the regular cartridge for rifles , a special cartridge was manufactured for use in the cavalry carbine . It consisted of the same cartridge case and bullet , but with a lighter powder charge of only 4 . 5 grams , and was issued in six round pink paper packets . At the time of its use , the 10 . 75x58r ( 4 . 2 line ) cartridge was known for its power and accuracy . Usage . Both the Berdan I and Berdan II were used by Guard units in the Russian Army during the Russo - Turkish War of 1877 – 78 . Russian forces , although ultimately victorious , were badly mauled by the very long range fire from Turk Peabody - Martini rifles at battles like Pleven . After the war a long - range auxiliary sight was adopted and retrofitted to the Berdan II infantry rifle . The Swiss military bought 8900 in 1869 , but were replaced in favour of the Vetterli soon after . The Berdanka , as it was called , continued on in Russian service even after the adoption of the Mosin – Nagant . Many Russian troops had Berdan rifles in the Russo - Japanese war of 1905 . During World War I , some Russian second line , training and service units were armed with the Berdan II . It is common to see Berdan rifles in photos of street fighting taken during the Russian Revolution of 1917 . The Berdan II saw service , though by then very limited , in Finland as late as World War II . In the Finnish Civil War of 1918 , troops stationed in Finland still had Berdan rifles warehoused and some 2nd line troops continued to employ the Berdan II . During this conflict , newer rifles were not always available in needed numbers , so Berdans saw limited use on both sides . As the Finnish military was not interested in the obsolete Berdan , in 1919 some 2 , 500 were issued to Suojeluskunta General HQ . When Suojeluskunta obtained modern rifles , the Berdans were returned to Finnish Army stores . About 3 , 000 Berdan rifles were issued to Finnish troops at the initial stages of the 1939 Winter War because of great lack of modern infantry weapons . These rifles were replaced by more modern rifles as soon as it was possible . It appears that the Finns retained the Berdan rifles in store until scrapping them started at 1945 . In 1955 the remaining 1 , 029 were sold abroad , mostly in the U . S . through surplus arms dealers . The Berdan II was also adopted by Bulgaria . The Kingdom of Serbia received around 75 , 000 rifles as military aid at the turn of the 20th century . It saw service in the Balkan Wars and the First World War in the hands of Serbian soldiers of the 3rd class ( men over 50 years old ) . The Korean Empire used this rifle after the Korea royal refuge at the Russian legation incident – commonly called " Agwan Pacheon " in Korea . About 6 , 000 rifles were used by the Koreans as a main rifle , including Guard units . Later usage . No magazine - fed versions of the Berdan ever progressed beyond the prototype phase . Russian troops , however , did have various cartridge holders , such as the Krnka quick - loader , attached to their rifles to aid in reloading . By the late 1880s Russia began the process of replacing the Berdan with a magazine rifle , and this resulted in the adoption of the Mosin – Nagant . In about 1900 , a limited number of Berdan II infantry rifles , perhaps as many as 200 , 000 , were converted to 7 . 62×54mmR ( the Mosin – Nagant caliber ) for Russian service by arms makers in Belgium . These rifles have new barrels and sights , and new bolts with a front locking lug and longer bolt handle . Sporting rifles and shotguns were re - manufactured in Russia from surplus rifles after the Mosin – Nagant was adopted into service . These firearms can be found as ornately engraved , well fit and finished custom sporting rifles , intended for the Russian ruling class , or can be just simple unadorned shotguns . Markings . Markings on the Berdan rifle usually consist of the Imperial Russian double - headed eagle cypher on the top receiver flat . The manufacturer ' s name in Cyrillic , date of manufacture , and rifle serial number , are on the top of the barrel . Some rifles also show a date of manufacture on the receiver . The serial number was also applied to the bolt . Additional proof marks and property markings are found on the receiver and barrel . There is a factory cartouche on the right side of the buttstock .