The Mylonas Rifle, usually referred as the Greek Mylonas M1872 is a Greek-designed

falling-block A falling-block action (also known as a sliding-block or dropping-block action) is a single-shot firearm action in which a solid metal breechblock slides vertically in grooves cut into the breech of the weapon and is actuated by a lever. Descri ...

black powder Gunpowder, also commonly known as black powder to distinguish it from modern smokeless powder, is the earliest known chemical explosive. It consists of a mixture of sulfur, carbon (in the form of charcoal) and potassium nitrate (saltpeter). Th ...

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 ...

. It was designed and developed in 1872 by

Greek Greek may refer to: Greece Anything of, from, or related to Greece, a country in Southern Europe: *Greeks, an ethnic group. *Greek language, a branch of the Indo-European language family. **Proto-Greek language, the assumed last common ancestor ...

Artillery Major Efstathios Mylonas (Ευστάθιος Μυλωνάς), while working in the Athens technical facility of the Greek Military Material Authority ("Eforeia Ylikou Polemou", EYP). The 11-mm caliber rifle was a modification of the

M1870 Belgian Comblain The M1870 Belgian Comblain was a falling-block A falling-block action (also known as a sliding-block or dropping-block action) is a single-shot firearm action in which a solid metal breechblock slides vertically in grooves cut into the breec ...

but with a larger protruding hammer and uniquely styled actuating lever. It was adopted by the

Greek Army The Hellenic Army ( el, Ελληνικός Στρατός, Ellinikós Stratós, sometimes abbreviated as ΕΣ), formed in 1828, is the land force of Greece. The term ''Hellenic'' is the endogenous synonym for ''Greek''. The Hellenic Army is the ...

and, as there was no facility in the country able to produce quantities with the required rate, its construction was ordered to ''Emile et Leon Nagant'' of

Liège Liège ( , , ; wa, Lîdje ; nl, Luik ; german: Lüttich ) is a major city and municipality of Wallonia and the capital of the Belgian province of Liège. The city is situated in the valley of the Meuse, in the east of Belgium, not far from b ...

Belgium Belgium, ; french: Belgique ; german: Belgien officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a country in Northwestern Europe. The country is bordered by the Netherlands to the north, Germany to the east, Luxembourg to the southeast, France to th ...

. Thus, only the prototype was built in Greece. The Mylonas was shortly replaced by the M1874 French ''Gras'' rifle considered superior by the Greek Army. The ''Gras'' used the same chambering as the Mylonas, though it was introduced two years later, leading to speculation that the Gras's cartridge was based on the Mylonas's. The Mylonas rifle was used during the Thessaly campaign of 1878 and as a reserve in later conflicts, while some equipped police units. Due to its early replacement, a total of only approximately 8500 were built. Today Mylonas rifles are considered collectible items.

References

*Christos Sazanidis, "Ta opla ton Ellinon (The weapons of the Greeks)", Maiandros, Thessaloniki, 1995.

External links

Military Rifles - Mylonas
Falling-block rifles Early rifles Rifles of Greece