Siegmund Klein wrote of Professor Attila doing a manual of arms with a 90lb 6 foot length of steel in front of European Royalty.
(Search “15 count manual of arms” if you don’t know what this is.)
He also wrote of Clevio Massimo during WW1 doing the manual of arms using not a rifle, nor a bar, but a 135lb Private. If only this was on camera.
Using the 90lb length of steel sounds strong, but doable I’m quite confident I can do this with at least a regular 45lb olympic barbell, but how the hell was it done using a person? The guy being used as the rifle had to have stayed very rigid.
For perspective: realize a rifle weights 7-10lbs. The at the time US Army issue M1903 Springfield being 8.7lbs.
On a similar note: another old time strongman was said to have built his forearms and hand strength by twirling a heavy piece of iron as if it was a baton.
Cool stuff.
-J
References (Both from Ditillo/Dezso Ban) : 90lb steel bar manual of arms, 135 lb soldier manual of arms. I don’t have the reference for the iron “baton” twirling at present.