Jacob Smith Jarmann
Encyclopedia
Jacob Smith Jarmann was a Norwegian
firearms designer and inventor of the Jarmann rifle.
, in Oppland
County, Norway
. He developed an interest in firearms at an early age, and he designed his first rifle—a breech loading rifle
firing cardboard cartridges—in 1838, but this was turned down by the armed forces at the time. The logic was that a rifle capable of firing 13 shots a minute would be impossible to supply with enough ammunition.
In the 1870's he stepped down from the daily running of his workshop to work on his newly invented bolt action rifle. This rifle, the Jarmann
, was adopted by the Norwegian Army
in 1884. The weapon was produced at the Kongsberg Weapon Factory
(Kongsberg Våpenfabrikk). Jarmann was appointed a Knight of the Order of St. Olav and made a member of the Order of Vasa
It was, perhaps, fitting that he died in 1894, the same year his rifle was phased out of the service and replaced with the Krag-Jørgensen
. After the Jarmann was phased out of military use some of the weapons were converted into whaling harpoons
.
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
firearms designer and inventor of the Jarmann rifle.
Biography
Jarmann was born in Gudbrandsdalen at Nord-FronNord-Fron
Nord-Fron is a municipality in Oppland county, Norway. It is part of the traditional region of Gudbrandsdal. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Vinstra. The old municipality of Fron was divided into Nord-Fron and Sør-Fron in 1851...
, in Oppland
Oppland
is a county in Norway, bordering Sør-Trøndelag, Møre og Romsdal, Sogn og Fjordane, Buskerud, Akershus, Oslo and Hedmark. The county administration is in Lillehammer. Oppland is, together with Hedmark, one of the only two landlocked counties of Norway....
County, Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
. He developed an interest in firearms at an early age, and he designed his first rifle—a breech loading rifle
Rifle
A rifle is a firearm designed to be fired from the shoulder, with a barrel that has a helical groove or pattern of grooves cut into the barrel walls. The raised areas of the rifling are called "lands," which make contact with the projectile , imparting spin around an axis corresponding to the...
firing cardboard cartridges—in 1838, but this was turned down by the armed forces at the time. The logic was that a rifle capable of firing 13 shots a minute would be impossible to supply with enough ammunition.
In the 1870's he stepped down from the daily running of his workshop to work on his newly invented bolt action rifle. This rifle, the Jarmann
Jarmann M1884
The Norwegian Jarmann M1884 was among the first bolt action repeating rifles to be adopted in the Western world. Its adoption, and subsequent modifications, turned the Norwegian Army from a fighting force armed with single-shot black powder weapons into a force armed with modern repeating weapons...
, was adopted by the Norwegian Army
Norwegian Army
Norway achieved full independence in 1905, and in the first century of its short life has contributed to two major conflicts, the Cold War and the War on Terror. The Norwegian Army currently operates in the north of Norway and in Afghanistan as well as in Eastern Europe. The Army is the oldest of...
in 1884. The weapon was produced at the Kongsberg Weapon Factory
Kongsberg Gruppen
Kongsberg Gruppen is Norway's major defence contractor and maritime automation supplier, located in Kongsberg, a former mining town....
(Kongsberg Våpenfabrikk). Jarmann was appointed a Knight of the Order of St. Olav and made a member of the Order of Vasa
Order of Vasa
The Royal Order of Vasa was a Swedish Royal order of chivalry, awarded to citizens of Sweden for service to state and society especially in the fields of agriculture, mining and commerce. It was instituted on 29 May 1772 by King Gustav III of Sweden...
It was, perhaps, fitting that he died in 1894, the same year his rifle was phased out of the service and replaced with the Krag-Jørgensen
Krag-Jørgensen
The Krag-Jørgensen is a repeating bolt action rifle designed by the Norwegians Ole Herman Johannes Krag and Erik Jørgensen in the late 19th century. It was adopted as a standard arm by Denmark, the United States of America and Norway...
. After the Jarmann was phased out of military use some of the weapons were converted into whaling harpoons
Harpoon
A harpoon is a long spear-like instrument used in fishing to catch fish or large marine mammals such as whales. It accomplishes this task by impaling the target animal, allowing the fishermen to use a rope or chain attached to the butt of the projectile to catch the animal...
.
Sources
- Hanevik, Karl Egil (1998) Norske militærgeværer etter 1867 (Hanevik våpen) ISBN 978-82-993143-1-2
- Hanevik, Karl Egil Kongsberg-Colten (Hanevik våpen) ISBN 978-82-993143-2-9