Need the Polish word for.........

[piwo]

This might be an thread we could re-use for folks like me who can't find a particular word in our English/Polish dictionaries, and get help from a native speaker... Just a thought.

I need the Polish equivalent for carbine, if it exists. Firstly, the Polish word in my dictionary for rifle, is Karabin, but what do Poles call shorter rifles? In the US, a full size battle rifle is a rifle, a shortened rifle is referred to as a carbine.

Wikopedia defines carbine as: "A carbine is a firearm similar to, but shorter or weaker than, an ordinary rifle or musket of a given period. Carbines have often been derived from longer weapons....."

So, if a rifle is "Karabin" in Polish, what is a shorter rifle called? An example is the Mosin Nagant M91, used extensively in Poland (due to it's domination by Russia in the early 20th century). The M91 was a very, very long rifle indeed. The Russians re-barreled M91 and Model 91/30 actions and made made some shorter carbine models, the M44 being one such model. Poland purchased the equipment from the Russians in 1950 and began producing these M44 "carbines" in Radom 1951-1955.

Is there a name for the shorter version of rifle in Polish??

[forza]

Is there a name for the shorter version of rifle in Polish??

Probably "karabin" is used for both longer and shorter ones.
There is "karabinek" but it would be used for smaller rifle and not necessary shorter one.
the Mosin Nagant M91 - is refereed to as "karabin"

[piwo]

Thanks forza.

I actually have a small collection of Mosin Nagant rifles: three from Russia, two from Finland, and one, under restoration, from Poland. My M91 as an action built in the United States, in 1917 by Remington!

But the question came up the other day on a forum devoted to these rifles what the word for the "carbine" version was. Of course the folks there were mostly interested in the Russian word, but I'm the resident "Polish conscience" on that forum! ;D

[Pawian]

piwo said:

Is there a name for the shorter version of rifle in Polish??

Forza is right. The shorter versions of rifles and carbines are called "karabinek" in Polish.
"Karabinek" is diminutive for "karabin." That was the name used for models 91 and 44 Mosin rifles.


******Po wojnie karabiny i karabinki Mosina były produkowane, na podstawie licencji, w Polsce, Rumunii i na Węgrzech.*****

pl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karabiny_Mosin

[piwo]

forza, Pawian,
Thanks you for the great links. It's really good to get links not in English since they will have an American slant or bias in description.

From the lists provided, I own:
- Kentucky rifle (just a recreation of a historically significant one, built by your's truly )
- Mauser K98 (Russian capture rifle)
-Russian Mosin Nagant models M91, M91/30, M91/59
-Finish Mosin Nagant M28, M39
- Polish Mosin Nagant M44 (barreled action only, under restoration.

Looking for the M1 Garand, but they're pretty pricey right now, and need to find a good deal, or the right rifle.

[Jaga]

I am not an expert on guns etc but maybe this is:
strzelba
wiatrowka
or rewolwer

pistolet is a short gun

here are some pictures with Polish names:
www.allegro.pl/showcat.php?id=13921

[piwo]

Thanks Jaga.

Your link has many "hand guns", which are the pistolet and rewolwer. The pistolet wiatrowka is an intriguing name for the Walther PPK. My dictionary has wiatrowka being a "windbreaker" or "windcheater"... Sometimes small handguns are referred to as "pocket pistols", so perhaps the origin of "windbreaker", such as the pocket of a jacket. Don't really know, just a guess. Actually, pretty interesting.

[Yanc]

"Wiatrówka" is used to describe guns that propel the bullet (usually lead or steel pellet, or flechette) by the power of compressed air. Air can be provided manually - by compressing it with special lever before every shot, or from pressurized container. Typical calibre of "wiatrówka" is 4,5 mm, (or 0,177 for US folks). I believe correct word for that in english is "airgun".

Wiatrówka also means kind of a vest, but this is offtopic.

Piwo, the Walter PPK you are referring to is just a replica. Remeber - this is not US, and possessing a gun is a biiig rarity. Frankly, the only persons I know to have a real gun are my friends and family cops (about 8 of them, cop family, you know). To get permission to buy a gun you have to proof that you need it (ie. you were threaten, robbed a couple of times, travel a lot with large amounts of money), you have to pass various psychological, physical test, and after you pass you MAYBE granted a right to have a gun - but not carrying it concealed on the street. This requires another permission.

[gardenmoma]

piwo said:

Thanks forza.

I actually have a small collection of Mosin Nagant rifles: three from Russia, two from Finland, and one, under restoration, from Poland. My M91 as an action built in the United States, in 1917 by Remington!

Piwo...

In the above did you mean (1971) or truly (1917)?

GM

[Yanc]

In 1971 bolt-action rifles was almost out of manufacture. It was already Age of Automatic Weapons. It must be 1917.

[piwo]

Wiatrówka" is used to describe guns that propel the bullet (usually lead or steel pellet, or flechette) by the power of compressed air.

This thought occurred to me on my commute home from work. I recall seeing the "CO2" and thought, "wind", air pistol, maybe that's what it means. Thanks for clearing that up.

Piwo, the Walter PPK you are referring to is just a replica. Remeber - this is not US, and possessing a gun is a biiig rarity.

I discussed this with my cousin this summer, and he said exactly as you. He said the only people who could hunt were state hunters, or rich Germans. In the district he lives in, apparently some of that goes on.

Piwo...
In the above did you mean (1971) or truly (1917)?
GM

Yanc is absolutely correct. It is a Czarist 1917 "Peter the Great" model M91. Built by Remington in 1917 (they built them for the Czar from 1915-1918), and somewhere along the line, ended up in Bulgaria, as it has the infamous Bulgarian Pine Cones stamped into the stock.

I also have an action (receiver + bolt) built in 1905. There rifles are listed by the US Government as "Curios and Relics". With the license I poses, I can purchase them via the mail for collection purposes (not for resale). Most are relatively inexpensive, $70 - $100, but some rarer models for much more. The Fin rifles are quite expensive, as they reworked the Russian built actions, made better stocks, sights, better fit to the stock (called bedding), and created a superior rifle in all respects. They usually go for several hundred dollars a piece.

Since the movie "Enemies at the Gate", everybody wants to get one now and pretend to be Vasili Zaitsev. They drill, tap, glass bed and modify these historic rifles, ruining them forever. I leave them in their original condition as they were retired from service. I shoot them some, but not too much. I prefer to use my M28 Fin and be Simo Haya! ;D


I belong to a world class shooting facility, and so I have a fun afternoon, often with my daughters, putting little holes in paper. Quite relaxing actually.....

[Jaga]

Piwo,

there is also something which is called DUBELTOWKA
but I am sure that Yanc, Pawian and forza know more about it than me

[piwo]

I believe the DUBELTÓWKA refers to a double barrel shotgun, or at least a firearm that has two barrels.

Geez jaga, you amaze me with your knowledge of the material!

[Yanc]

Piwo you are right: dubeltówka is double barrel shotgun (most common), or gun consisting of one 12 gauge shotgun barrel, and one rifled .303 calibre barrel (rare). Barrels are usually located side by side, sometimes one above the other.