African Entrepreneurship Record

Inside Heixinggen Arsenal in Berlin.

The factory director, Mein, was demonstrating the performance of two rifles to Ernst, with the Dreyse Rifle of the Prussian Army and the Chassepot Rifle captured from the battlefield laid out on the table.

Mein picked up the Chassepot Rifle and explained to Ernst: "The Chassepot Rifle used by the French borrows many successful practices from the Dreyse Rifle. It's also a bolt-action, needle-firing, paper cartridge system, but it's slightly superior. For instance, the locking system; the Dreyse Rifle has an issue with being unsealed and leaking gas, which greatly affects the powder's efficacy and, consequently, the bullet's initial velocity."

"The Chassepot Rifle was improved to address this issue by replacing the Dreyse's hollow bolt with a solid one, and adding a rubber seal on top of the bolt. When the bullet is fired, the high temperature from the burning powder causes the rubber to expand, sealing the entire chamber well. Improved sealing enhances initial velocity and range. Additionally, the primer of the Dreyse bullet is mid-bullet, requiring a very fine and long firing pin, whereas the Chassepot's primer is at the bullet's base, requiring a shorter pin and greatly reducing malfunctions."

"The various performances of the Dreyse Rifle in the war have shown that it is completely outdated. We originally planned to retire a production line after the war, but this can only be done after Prussia determines its new model of rifle." Mein, the director of Heixinggen Arsenal in Berlin, said to Ernst who came for inspection.

"Hmm, then retire this Dreyse production line! You now have a new task, which is to focus your efforts on developing new firearms. This time, I've found a collaborator for you." Ernst said directly after listening.

Ernst planned to transport the obsolete Dreyse Rifle production line to East Africa; although outdated, it still had a market in Africa.

Mein curiously asked, "May I know which of our peers you've contacted as a collaborator, Your Highness?"

"Have you heard of the Mauser Brothers from the Kingdom of Württemberg?" Ernst asked with a hint of curiosity.

"So it's them! I do know them, mainly because I used to communicate with their father, Anders Mauser, at The Royal Arsenal of Aubendorf-Wurttemberg. Anders Mauser was a famous firearms maker, but he had many children." Mein said, "I heard his two youngest sons did follow in their father's footsteps, but, Your Highness, I don't believe these young men can achieve much. Recently, they seemed to have been kicked out by their partner; weren't they just deceiving you?"

This story had to be traced back to the Mauser Brothers' family. Coming from a firearms family, the Mauser Brothers should have had a decent life, but their family was unusual; old Mauser had thirteen sons, so they lived very frugally.

In their youth, the Mauser Brothers had to work as errand boys at Württemberg Arsenal in Oldorf, barely making ends meet. However, the Mauser Brothers were truly bold and daring. Before the Franco-Prussian War, they attempted some improvements on the Dreyse Rifle, but a few years ago, the Württemberg Arsenal closed down.

The unemployed Mauser Brothers were forced to work at the Norris Factory. At the Norris Factory, there was a "big figure" named Samuel Norris, the European representative of the American famous gun company—Remington Company. At the Norris Factory, Samuel and the Mauser Brothers felt a deep connection at first sight. They based themselves on the Chassepot Rifle, incorporated some improvements by the Mauser Brothers on the Dreyse Rifle, and jointly designed the "Mauser-Norris Rifle," applying for a U.S. patent. Just when the Mauser Brothers felt they were basking in glory, Samuel tore up the cooperation agreement and kicked the Mauser Brothers out, leaving them to return home and set up a small workshop.

Although the Americans caused trouble, it ended up benefiting Ernst. Just when the Mauser Brothers were down and out, Ernst found their small workshop in Oldorf of Württemberg after inquiring through various sources and proposed a collaboration.

The Mauser Brothers naturally had no reason to refuse an invitation from a crown prince. They agreed to cooperate with Heixinggen Arsenal, but insisted that the name of their small workshop, "Mauser Factory," must be retained. This was their last insistence.

Ernst didn't mind this at all. After all, the future of Heixinggen Arsenal in Berlin would be the center for firearms development in the German region, so renaming it to "Berlin-Mauser Arsenal" was fine.

As for East Africa, hmm, lacking the capability for R&D. Frankly speaking, if Heixinggen Arsenal were to move entirely to East Africa, it would be ruined. The production line is fine; it just needs workers to operate. Without a good European research environment and talent reserves, firearm R&D simply wouldn't be feasible.

Therefore, East Africa can at most continue to be a manufacturing site. R&D still needs to be placed in Germany. Only in the future, when education in East Africa develops, can the R&D function be moved back to East Africa's own land.

Simultaneously, Ernst couldn't abandon the Prussian arms market. Therefore, the new "Berlin-Mauser Arsenal" still needs to continue producing equipment for the German Army.

"Mein, don't say that. In fact, young people always have their own ideas, and I feel the Mauser Brothers' 'Mauser-Norris' is quite good. Let them refine it further, and I think the new model of rifle will be quite good. Now, we just need to give those young people a chance." Ernst said, "Moreover, we don't have the capability for firearm R&D. That's a fact, Heixinggen Arsenal is just a contractor, while the two Mauser brothers have mature plans. After all, their earlier achievements almost got adopted by the Austria-Hungary Empire."

Before the development of the "Mauser-Norris Rifle," the improvements made by the Mauser Brothers on the Dreyse Rifle had caught the attention of the Austria-Hungary War Department, but in the end, it wasn't adopted by them.

Mein said: "Alright, Your Highness, if you truly think so, I won't oppose it. However, firearm R&D is something that needs to be handled with care. If we take the wrong path, the market won't wait for us."

"Ha ha ha, don't worry! Even if the market doesn't recognize it, it doesn't matter. The Kingdom of East Africa can underwrite the new rifle. Even if no other countries order it, we will order it ourselves." Ernst said.

Actually, the reason Ernst was confident was that the firearm design of the Mauser Brothers was already mature. They had completed the preliminary design for the Mauser M1871 Rifle in 1869. Now, with a more advanced and improved work environment, they can make the final improvements on the Mauser M1871 Rifle.

How good is the performance of this gun? It's basically certain that it won't be too bad, so after the development, even if East Africa places orders, it wouldn't be a disaster.

"Since that's the case, I have nothing more to say, but Your Highness! Do you understand firearms?" Mein curiously asked.

"Of course, I don't." Ernst said: "I just rely on intuition."