Gewehr is the German word for a rifle. Previous to the 1840s, rifled guns were not widespread, usually muzzle-loading and termed Büchse, as they are still in German hunting jargon today. Afterwards, Gewehr became the standard term for military-type rifles. The term `Gewehr` can be encountered in the context of 19th and 20th century military his..... Found on http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gewehr