Euroarms Italia has many great guns for sale, which is killing me as they are in Italy and I'm not.  One gun they've had recently, and which didn't last long, is a Ferdinand Früwirth made Shutzen rifle using the Werndl system.

picture of rifle

All pictures on this post from Euroarms Italia

The Werndl was Austro-Hungary's first modern breech loading rifle. Up untill that time the Hapsburg Army was using trapdoor converted Lorenz muskets.  The final version of the Werndl fired a small, high velocity (for the period) 11mm slug and for a time could compete with the best rifles in Europe.  The shooter operated a revolving drum to load the cartridge, an 11.15 mm black powder round that by 1877 had a muzzle velocity of 1400 fps.

picture of rifle

The Werndl system was designed by Karel Holub, who worked in Josef Werndl's factory, which eventually became Steyr Mannlicher.  Früwirth's factory built many guns, and sold  to certain Gendarmarie units.   Werndl had apprenticed to Ferdinand Früwirth himself, and eventually took over his firm, among others.

picture of breech

The Werndl was not adaptable to a magazine system, but despite that had stayed in service for 20 years and later was used as a rear echelon weapon during the First World War.  Shooting them now takes a bit of work.  Cartridges can be made from 348 Winchester brass, but not easily, but some companies like Bertrams sometimes have cases for sale. Finding or making these cartidges, then shooting these old beasts are a very satisfying part of gun collecting.

picture of rifle

picture of rifle