is the

German German(s) may refer to: * Germany (of or related to) **Germania (historical use) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law **Ger ...

word for a

rifle A rifle is a long-barreled firearm designed for accurate shooting, with a barrel that has a helical pattern of grooves ( rifling) cut into the bore wall. In keeping with their focus on accuracy, rifles are typically designed to be held with ...

. Prior to the 1840s, rifled guns were not widespread, usually muzzle-loading and termed , as they are still in German

hunting Hunting is the human activity, human practice of seeking, pursuing, capturing, or killing wildlife or feral animals. The most common reasons for humans to hunt are to harvest food (i.e. meat) and useful animal products (fur/hide (skin), hide, ...

jargon today. Afterwards, became the standard term for military-type rifles. The term "Gewehr" can be encountered in the context of 19th and 20th century

military history Military history is the study of armed conflict in the history of humanity, and its impact on the societies, cultures and economies thereof, as well as the resulting changes to local and international relationships. Professional historians norma ...

for nonspecific rifles from German-speaking countries, e.g. in arms trade, in particular for types produced before German unification in 1871. Specific types, sorted chronologically from 1841 to 1997 and with designer given, are: * Gewehr 41 (Dreyse, 1841) * Gewehr 71 (Mauser, 1871) * Gewehr 88 (state committee, 1888) * Gewehr 98 (Mauser, 1898) * T-Gewehr (Mauser, 1918) * Gewehr 41 (Walther, 1941) * Gewehr 43 (Walther, 1943) * Sturmgewehr 44 (CITEFA/Schmeisser, 1944) * Gewehr 36 (Heckler & Koch, 1997)

See also