#m88

M88 // Daniele Coliva

Arguably, the most original feature of the 1888 Commission rifle, never seen before or after, was a metal barrel jacket designed by Armand Miegs. This was a separate metal sleeve around the barrel, extending from the receiver up to a centimeter or so short of the muzzle. In theory, this jacket would protect the barrel from the environment and protect the stock from heat and possible distortion during heavy use. The German government denied Miegs a patent on his barrel jacket, but instead gave him a one-time honorarium. Miegs was, however, able to obtain patents in other countries, including Austria, so that when the Steyr works obtained a contract to manufacture Gewehr 88 rifles, they found themselves obligated to pay sizable royalties to Miegs, amounting to far more than he had been paid by the German government for the original design.