Got a hankerin' for a Berthier?

Dark Alley Dan

Dark Alley Dan

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I was in Calgary yesterday and stopped by Shoulder to Shoulder Militaria. Neat little shop. The Berthier is on the wall behind the counter by the door. It's in VERY nice shape all things considered, and comes with a great long nasty knitting needle bayo and sheath. The whole package is longer than I am tall, and extremely French. Two potential issues:

1) The gentleman I spoke with insisted it's a Lebel. He is, of course, wrong, but it's rude to press that point in the man's own shop.

2) He wants $1200.00

I assumed this was somewhat excessive. Am I correct? Didn't check the bore - the bayo was in the way, and I don't have that kinda money to throw at esoteric old French boche-blasters just now...
 
Dark Alley Dan said:
I was in Calgary yesterday and stopped by Shoulder to Shoulder Militaria. Neat little shop. The Berthier is on the wall behind the counter by the door. It's in VERY nice shape all things considered, and comes with a great long nasty knitting needle bayo and sheath. The whole package is longer than I am tall, and extremely French. Two potential issues:

1) The gentleman I spoke with insisted it's a Lebel. He is, of course, wrong, but it's rude to press that point in the man's own shop.

2) He wants $1200.00

I assumed this was somewhat excessive. Am I correct? Didn't check the bore - the bayo was in the way, and I don't have that kinda money to throw at esoteric old French boche-blasters just now...
Click to expand...

I've handled it a couple of times popping into that shop. It's been on the wall for years, I have a suspicion the price is set at "I'm only kind of interested in selling it, and mostly keeping it on the wall" levels.

It is in good shape. The bore has reasonable rifling left, and not much pitting, IIRC. But who knows if the receiver is still up to live rounds. I'm pretty sure it's been on the wall there for at least 10 years.
 
JP (on this forum) has CLIPS.

TRADE-EX has BRASS.

Mine sat on the rack for over 40 years and still handled full-house loads with no trouble.

Best materials, best workmanship, wonky design, ugly as sin but elegant in their own way; an acquired taste, one might say, but they work.
 
$1200 is way too much. I have three French rifles. A Lebel , actually has matching numbers, I paid a total of $475 at auction last year. I have a berthier which cost $225 at a gun show and another auction buy for $275 maybe a year and a half ago. I know prices on milsurps have gone up but not that much. Also a bayonet at a show for $ 75 , no frog though. I have found ammo the odd time at the shows , sometimes it works. I`m not in to reloading yet so it`s worth the gamble. Anyways THERE IS a better deal out there, keep looking .Good luck
 
Safe to say then that, as Brother Grelmar put it, he doesn't really want to sell it... :)

Damn shame. She should be shot. It's her purpose, and with the centennial underway, it seems a shame to leave her there, mute on the the wall.
 
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