I'm playing whack-a-mole in Siberia

Chapter 102 We will eventually be invincible
  Compared with single-shot rifles, magazine-type rifles consume bullets faster and the barrel wears more seriously, so the requirements for materials are very high.

George did not know how many bullets the life of the Berdan II rifle was. The Russian military had not conducted statistics in this regard, but it was estimated that replacing the dagger-type bayonet would affect the shooting accuracy. The barrel life of the Berdan II rifle was not high.

The rifle brought by George uses a rotating pull-back bolt and a detachable magazine, which can increase the speed of loading bullets. The ammunition capacity is five rounds.

This rifle has many derivatives. The short barrel is suitable for cavalry, is lighter and easier to carry.

The long barrel has a longer range and higher accuracy. After adding a bayonet, the total gun length reaches 1.7 meters, which is more conducive to stabbing and is suitable for infantry use.

There is also a sniper type with a heavy barrel. This model has very high requirements for the precision of parts and cannot be mass-produced industrially. George plans to use it as a sniper rifle.

"Sniper rifle, what is that? Is it a special equipment for snipers?" Ya San didn't quite understand the concept of sniping.

The Guards has a brigade of snipers. The "sniper" here is not a sniper, but a heavy infantryman.

"Snipers can be understood as precision shooters. They have the most accurate shooting and focus on taking care of enemy officers on the battlefield." George's explanation was slightly vague, but it did not affect Ya San's understanding of the concept of "sniper".

The concept of sniper has not yet appeared, but precision sniping has begun to play a role on the battlefield.

During the American Civil War, Northern Army General John Sedgwick reprimanded the soldiers looking for bunkers when inspecting the front line: "They can't even hit an elephant at this distance."

At that time, the front lines of the two sides were 900 meters apart.

Before he finished speaking, Sedgwick was fatally shot by a Confederate sniper, becoming the highest-ranking officer killed in action during the Civil War.

"How much does this gun cost?" Ya San was still concerned about the cost.

"It depends on whether it is purchased from outside or produced by ourselves." George couldn't calculate the cost. The average cost of each of the guns he brought was more than 1500 rubles.

If it is mass-produced by Russia's own arsenal, the cost will be much lower.

How low it is depends on the total number required. Generally speaking, production
  The greater the quantity, the lower the cost.

Ya San did some calculations and found that it was a bit unaffordable.

At present, the total strength of the Russian regular army plus local troops is approximately 130 million.

If the cost is 100 rubles per person, the cost of this part will be more than 1.3 million rubles.

This does not include the cost of modifying the factory.

If all is calculated, the cost of replacing rifles for all troops will be at least 2 million rubles.

In the Tenth Russo-Turkish War, the total compensation paid by the Ottoman Empire was only 3 million rubles.

"We can equip the troops in stages, giving priority to the replacement of the Guards. The equipment eliminated by the Guards will be transferred to the field army, and the weapons eliminated by the field army will be transferred to the local troops. The three major arsenals must be reorganized. Tula, the strongest, is fully engaged in the production of new rifles. The factory produces smokeless gunpowder, but Xie Factory has shifted its focus to artillery and heavy machine guns. All our artillery actually needs to be imported. This is too abnormal. The empire has the largest army in the world. How can it use such an important weapon as artillery? , they all rely on imports!" George has many ideas. If Asia San is fully adopted, it will undoubtedly be a big earthquake for the Russian military.

The benefits are of course obvious.

If Russia is just tinkering with things now, it will not help at all.

Drastic reforms must be carried out to change the backward situation of Russia's military industry.

Ya San remained silent. Reform is easier said than done.

As strong as Ya Er, the abolition of serfdom even caused resentment, and was eventually assassinated.

If Yasan takes advantage of the military industry, how strong will the backlash be?

"George, it's not as easy as you think-" Ya San sighed. He has never been a decisive person.

George was not surprised, because Yasan didn't know what kind of bad consequences his hesitation would lead to.

If Ya San knew that if Russia did not take action, the empire would be wiped out in 30 years, then Ya San would not hesitate to kill everyone who hindered the reform, even if that person was Ya San's brother.

The situation is obviously not that urgent now. Russia has just won the 10th Russo-Turkish War. Germany and Austria-Hungary are Russia's allies. The United States is Russia's supplier. Britain is Russia's big cousin. France is losing the Franco-Prussian War. After the war, it was in ruins. Yasan looked at the world and found that Russia had no rival at all.

Invincible!

Lonely as snow~~
  "It's not as difficult as we thought -" George knew that it was difficult for Ya San to make a decision. At this time, someone needed to push Ya San: "If you don't mind, I am willing to give you all the money I made from selling champagne. , invest in the transformation of the military industry system."

Military industry is not the same as building railways.

Private companies play a large role in Russia's railway system. If the tsar wanted to touch this area, he had to consider the interests of all parties.

The military industry is relatively simple, and private capital has not had time to get involved. This is the most precious legacy that Ya Er left to Ya San.

"My glory and status all come from the empire. I am the Yurievsky Super Duke of the empire. No one wants the empire to continue to be strong more than me. You are my brother, and Nikki is my dearest nephew. He is also my best friend, and I will fully assist him to become the greatest Tsar in history." George was emotional. If the Tsar is still not moved, George can only implement Plan B.

"George, you are also my best friend!" Nicky was moved and gave George a big hug.

Ya San looked at George with even more complicated eyes.

George did make a lot of money selling champagne.

George was not the only one making money. Although other princes and nobles did not sell champagne, they also made a lot of money.

But I don’t see any princes willing to invest their own money in industries where there is no return.

Ya San was not stupid enough, thinking that George's investment in the military industry was an attempt to control the Russian Empire's military industry.

This is impossible. Even if the First Lady claims to buy the entire Russia, the industries she invests in are concentrated in sugar and flour, and the proportions of steel and oil are not high.

Now that the internal combustion engine has not yet appeared, oil is mostly used for lighting.

The First Lady's steel factory only supplies civilian enterprises. The First Lady never gets involved in industries that are truly related to the lifeblood of the empire.

Nicholas dropped the heaviest weight on the scale.

"Dad, I am also willing to invest my money in military industry. The empire needs the most advanced weapons. We will eventually be invincible!"

(End of this chapter)