1886/93 Lebel

[Emdawg]

One of my newer additions. I am suprised for a rifle that millions of were made, you don't see them too much.


Anway, here is a nice Chatellerault Model 1886/M93 Fusil.

Came with the bayonet (brass-handles and scabbard), excellent bore, and the floorplate and stock match to the reciever, which is rather uncommon from what I hear.

[SanPedroShooter]

Hell yeah. I like seeing brass on a milsurp.

[knucklehead0202]

Brass is class! nice rifle.

[sfsppe]

I just got one too! Now my French collection is complete. M86/93, Berthier 07/15, Berthier M16 carbine, and MAS36.

[DennisCA]

Very nice - For once a french gun that looks to have been used!

[gun toting monkeyboy]

Remember, the French shipped these things all over their empire to equip local troops. These are scattered all over Africa and Southeast Asia. They were (and still are) used by locals until they can't find a way to reload them, or until they fall apart. Also remember that, unlike the second World War, the French actually fought hard for four years during WWI. Their battlefield losses were very high. And the cost of manufacturing Lebels was significantly higher that of Berthiers. So when Lebels were lost, they were generally replaced with the Berthiers. And while the French were noted for holding on to their surplus far longer than other countries, they didn't have as many Lebels left in their inventory when they finally sold of their bolt action rifles. I will refrain from comments about guns being made into lamps, as that usually winds the francophiles up, and they come leaping in to defend France's questionable honor... As much as I mock the French (usually correctly), I would love to have a Lebel. It is the only WWI rifle of theirs that I don't have, aside from their semi-automatic that was mostly scrapped after 1918.

-Mb

[Saigon1965]

OP - Very nice example there -

You don't see them because we are hoarding them - Not just anyone can own these -

Here's my MAS version - Also N proof but a few years older -

[Emdawg]

Nice Saigon! Now all I need is a silver handled bayonet.



I do wonder how you can tell when the reciever was produced as the many were rebarreled after the Great War, so I am guessing the date on mine right now is the post-war refurbishment.

[vivelacolo]

This is a nice Lebel!
This particular rifle originally came out of the factory of Chatellerault MAC in January 1890. I cannot tell exactly when it went back to the factory for the M93 modification. Most likely it went through the combats of WW1.
In 1925 it was rebarelled with a barrel made in the Tulle factory MAT. It was still in the French inventory just before WW2 when the chamber was adapted to the N modification (utilization of the machine gun cartridges).
The X on the barrel typically indicates a weapon used for instruction and no longer used for combat applications.
Your bayonet is a model that appeared in 1915, the earlier model with the quillon would be more appropriate



Here few Lebels.

[Saigon1965]

I love it - A friggen deck full of them -

Cheers -

[Emdawg]

[Gutz]

Nice score, you fancy mofo.

[Emdawg]

Nice score, you fancy mofo.

That is Chief Inspector Mofo to you!

[SanPedroShooter]

Holy ****

[Enfield47]

Now we know why there aren't many in the marketplace, vivelacolo has them all!