Russian Far East, wild, wild ost … Harsh climate, inexhaustible natural resources, incredible distances, unexplored indigenous population, sometimes overshadowing the American Indians with their militancy … The development of Siberia and the Far East is a grandiose epic, our honor, pride and glory! It was a long time ago, but even at the end of the 19th century, the life of the small Russian population in these parts was difficult and everyday dangerous. These factors, as well as the proximity of America and China, together with the peculiarities of the animal world and the isolation of the marginal lands from the European part of Russia, left an imprint on the armament of the region's population.
Those who went towards the unknown, mastered these lands in the name of Russia, died from scurvy, fever, cold and arrows of the natives … Poyarkov, Khabarov, Shelikhov, Baranov, Rezanov … and many, many others - these people were true statesmen, disinterested sons of Russia, unfortunately, almost forgotten today by ungrateful descendants.
The development of Siberia and the Far East is a daunting task, brilliantly solved by a whole galaxy of military men and scientists-travelers of the Russian Empire. One of such outstanding enthusiasts, a true son of his time, was Vyacheslav Panteleimonovich Vradiy.
Born in 1871 in St. Petersburg, at a very young age, Vradiy became a famous zoologist, enthusiastically engaged in ethnography, traveled a lot, later published and edited the journal "Siberian Thought". Vyacheslav Panteleimonovich did a lot for the Amur Regional Museum of Local Lore. G. S. Novikov-Daursky, which has existed since August 16, 1891. In 1904, Vradiy published his "Information, facts and conclusions from a two-year trip to Asia", notable for its reflection of the life of the Russian population of the Far East. Of course, we are more interested in issues related to firearms and the specifics of their use, set out by scientists in their work.
Leaving St. Petersburg for the Far East and planning to do scientific research there in the field of zoology, ethnography, etc., Vyacheslav Panteleimonovich also set himself the goal of getting an exhaustive answer to the following question: what kind of weapons for hunting and self-defense should a scientist stock up on to travel through these “distant countries ? The question was far from idle - one should not forget that in those days a researcher studying the ethnography and nature of the new outlying lands risked his life in earnest and, if he wanted to live, he must have had a good command of weapons.
Accustomed to mid-lane and northern Russian hunting, Vradiy took with him a double-barreled shotgun, and for self-defense - a large-caliber 5-shot revolver. It is quite a sensible combination, however, as soon as he entered the soil of Asia, Vyacheslav realized that "by no means this kind of weapon may be of paramount importance, in terms of practicality and applicability to the conditions of this area." Leaving Vladivostok for distant and then unknown Manchuria, the traveler consulted with the builders of the East China Railway, made inquiries in the city's arms stores. As it turned out, the shotgun, according to Vradia, “can serve here, in the vicinity of Vladivostok and in the taiga of Manchuria, only, most likely, as fun, but not as a serious gun. A shotgun, of course, does not interfere with stocking up, but precisely as an additional weapon, and not the main one, as we have in central or northern Russia …"
In Vladivostok, weapon stores offered Vradia Winchesters (at that time, in the Russian Far East and in the world, models of 1892 and 1894 were mainly distributed), German Mauser rifles and even "the notorious Mauser pistol-gun" (obviously, we are talking about St. 96). Most of all traders praised the "German small-bore rifle". Probably, here we are talking about a "commission" Mauser arr. 1888
In Smith's American store, which sells American weapons (and canned food, by the way) in Vladivostok, the Russian scientist was strongly "advised to stock up on an eight or ten-round hard drive." Vradiy noted that the majority of Russians in Vladivostok and the Ussuriyskaya railway line, who have at least some idea of hunting, use Winchesters. For here, in the Ussuri region, where you can stumble upon a tiger, a red "evil wolf", and finally, a "good-natured Ussuri bear with a white collar" - you should always be ready and have with you not a shotgun, but a rifle.
Analyzing the weapons of the Russian residents of Vladivostok, Vradiy writes that they do not find weapons very often (with the exception of a revolver). But, if there is one, it will be a medium-caliber hard drive, extremely popular among the locals. As for the residents of Vladivostok's environs and Russian settlers living in “different settlements and estates,” they, at the first opportunity, will definitely have a Winchester - both for hunting a large game or sea birds, and for self-defense.
Reasonably following the collective experience, Vradiy acquired a ten-shot hard drive in Vladivostok, which really came in handy during a long expedition. The scientist made the first use of the new thing on the sandy shoals of the Sunguri, which then were completely covered with countless flocks of geese. As it turned out, the short-range rapid-fire rifle is great for hunting large birds. This weapon was no less useful to the traveler during skirmishes with the "wild Manchus". As Vradiy writes, "this gun is convenient in terms of the rate of fire for an emergency firefight." On the way to Manchuria, Vradiy discovered that private steamers making river voyages between Khabarovsk and Manchuria along the Sungari River were armed by the Russian Government with “a whole arsenal of military rifles of our new model, which constitute the enviable target of many Russians and foreigners who always want to have a Russian rifle personally. for yourself". Having visited the cabin of the captain of the ship, Vyacheslav Panteleimonovich saw a large number of three-line Mosin rifles, fixed in rows along the wall in special racks. The captain eagerly told the traveler that these rifles were an excellent means of countering the Manchus, who often shell Russian ships from the shore. In addition to hard drives, the "three-line" was also appreciated among the employees of the Chinese railway. One hunter, the head of one of the posts on the uninhabited coast of the Sungari, the traveler saw an unusual weapon for him - a "double-barreled shotgun, one of the barrels of which was a" choke ", and under these two barrels, i.e. - below, between them, there is a barrel for bullet shooting - a threaded fitting”. According to Vradia, “the hunters found this three-barreled gun, that is, a shotgun, in conjunction with a fitting, extremely practical for Manchu hunts. Noting that such a gun can cost several hundred rubles, Vyacheslav Panteleimonovich finds this weapon ideal for an amateur hunter who is accustomed to shooting mainly swamp game and only occasionally encounters a large and dangerous animal. However, the ideal is the ideal, but Vradiy rightly notes that "such guns are good, of course, only for expensive models …". Well, nothing has changed since then: in our time, good drilling is an expensive pleasure. During a couple of years of his Asian journey, V. P. Vradiy became an experienced hunter, who also knew how to stand up for himself in a direct confrontation with assorted bandits. The experience of active scientific activity in a troubled region made it possible to form an answer to the desired question - about the most practical weapon for a traveler in Asia. In the words of Vradia himself, “if we consider what the most utilitarian gun is suitable, in general, for the entire Far East, then we have to say that if it is one gun, then it is necessary to take with you only a Winchester or a military rapid-fire gun (a magazine rifle. Approx. Yu.. M.), Or, finally, the Mauser pistol; this latter can be recommended for a hunter with an average income."
According to Vradiy's testimony, a medium-sized hard drive in Vladivostok then cost about 40-60 rubles. and more expensive. Sometimes you could buy a good second-hand hard drive for 15-25 rubles. Then, as an addition to it, Vradiy recommends either an ordinary 20-16 caliber shotgun or a smooth-bore "Berdan", which was then popular throughout Russia. Regarding the triple-barreled single-barrel rifle, our scientist recommends it to wealthy hunters. In addition, he points out its shortcomings: a large mass and unsuitable for self-defense due to a low rate of fire (in comparison with hard drives and military magazine rifles).
For everyday excursions in the vicinity of Harbin and other Manchu cities (ordinary walks, not for hunting), Vradiy strongly recommends that you always have a reliable medium-caliber revolver with you, suitable for hidden carrying in your pocket. In extreme cases, in the absence of a compact revolver, the army Nagant is also quite acceptable for such tasks. Apparently, the reasons for such recommendations from the Russian ethnographer were very weighty … Having returned to St. Petersburg and analyzing the results of his trip, Vyacheslav Panteleimonovich comes to the final conclusion: “an ordinary hunter and, at the same time, a tourist in general, who could endanger his life The Far East (in peacetime), should have three types of weapons in itself and in Manchuria. These are: firstly (by all means!) - a Winchester or military rifle (the latter is better), secondly - an ordinary central combat shotgun or a smooth-bore Berdan gun (the second is more convenient for small ones) and, thirdly, a medium-sized American or some other - or a revolver that you can discreetly carry with you, so that it would not be embarrassing during long or short walks. And one more piece of advice: for each of the weapons mentioned, you need to have a stock of pre-prepared and serviceable cartridges, because in Manchuria there are places where you have to stock up on cartridges for almost a whole year in advance … "Well, today there are more than centuries ago are more than relevant, even if we abstract from their purely conceptual aspects. Of course, the "big Mauser" modern hunter of "average income" is unlikely to complete his expeditionary arsenal, but otherwise, nothing has changed fundamentally. The hunting traditions are painfully conservative. And the design of hunting and camping weapons, as well as the requirements for them, remained unchanged.
And our ancestors were not timid! Even the "armchair" "botanist" from the capital in the field conditions of the outskirts of the Empire quickly became a skillful hunter and fighter, possessing diplomatic skills and able to survive in any conditions. The real, full of dangers, life of the seeker of knowledge, even from the polished Petersburg dandies, immediately knocked out all human rot, quickly bringing up the character of a warrior - tough, moderately ascetic, indifferent to his suffering, blood, severe psychosomatic stress and constant threat to life.
Russian people walked along wild paths and unknown rivers not for the sake of money and fame, but for the prosperity of Russia. The officers of the army and navy, industrialists and scientists, who by their actions augmented the power of the Empire, did not put personal benefits in the first place, caring, first of all, about the state benefits. The names of the people who expanded the borders of the Russian Empire to American California, the names that should be in the first lines of the list of the best people in Russia, are now almost forgotten. Their exploits, which radically changed the map of the world and are subject to the unshakable memory of the whole people, are being replaced by a new system of values and insistent slogans about the "uselessness" of the Far East for Russia. It's time to look back and pay tribute to the ancestors. There is no other way. “He who does not remember the past has no future," said wise people. Words of wisdom. And extremely relevant today.
