Guess the gun. for the know it alls.

JTF#

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i just bought this rifle from a fellow gunnutter.
i want to see if you guys know what is so special about this rifle.?
yes its a Berthier 16 but????. check the photos>













 
Offhand I'm wondering if that is a Swiss cartouche? The bayonet lug looks similar to the 1890 Calvary carbine bayonet lug. It has a straight bolt handle.
 
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Yeah, without doing any research or anything, Im also going to take a stab and say that looks like a Swiss cartouche aswell.
 
It has an interesting feature added under the barrel and very rare for this type of rifle called a beer bottle opener :cool:
img0380rd.jpg
 
I was gonna say a well used french rifle.....that's definitely unusual :)

Lol, the dings are from the first time it was dropped.

Waiting to find out the answer....

Jesus, boys - seriously?

Losses for France, WW1:

Killed in battle: 1,397,800
Civilian deaths: 300,000
Percentage of population lost: 4.29 mostly men between 16 and 40.

The French fought like bastards for all of WW1. This rifle may have been part of that. Perhaps that deserves a little more respect and fewer easy cheap shots?
 
Those guys are just regurgitating American propaganda the U.S. started when France wouldn't get into the phoney loser's Iraq invasion.
 
Nobody would dispute that France suffered horrific losses in WW1. Most of us who have studied the conflict in some depth have a problem with French leadership at the time. How many attacks planned with our "allies" went to pieces because the French units never left the start line and left Commonwealth forces with open flanks and unsupported? There is a long list of such occurrances, I can recommend some reading if you care to learn more.
 
The French got bitten BADLY in August and September 1914 due to the shortcommings of Plan 17. The idea that "Elan" and "Cran" can make up for inferiority of numbers, materiel, and most importantly artillery is just laughable. On top of that, Sir John French and his pathetic contribution 6 divisions at the outset, coupled with his and Sir Archibald Murray's steadfast refusal to give battle (with the accidental exception of Mons) had the French leadership (under Joffre) absolutely livid. Lanrezac's army was very nearly anihilated by Von Kluck due the exposed flanks left by the BEF. The only miracle of any real note at the Marne was that Franche Despere was able to patch together enough remnants of the French left wing to even show up to the battle front.

While some of the French leadership was certainly lacking throughout the war, their systematic distrust of their allies after the battle of the Frontiers was born in proven lack of commitment from those same "allies" in 1914. When viewed in that light, French actions are certainly more defensible.

In any event, the WW1 era French solider deserves as much respect as any other. They paid for victory in blood more than any other beligerent. The entire St. Cyr graduating class from 1914 failed to survive the way. 1915's class suffered about 80% casualties. Name another country to have held up to those losses in the Great War. Hint: There is none.

As for the Berthier, it is unusual in that it's a MleM16 rifle cut to carbine pattern with a non-standard nose cap and has also been fitted with M1907-15 bottom metal. The original rifle may wel lhave been a Mle1907-15 repaired with an Mle16 carbine receiver.
 
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Greek Berthier, received as war aid from France during the Great War.

wow that was fast. yes its the greek conversion. when i first seen the cross i was thinking swiss but when you look at the stamp on the stock dated 1932 it contains greek lettering. so we can guess it was converted in 1932.
the wood is beat pretty good but the metal is in good shape and its not loose. i am hopeing to find some ammo for this rifle and get to shoot it soon.

when it comes to french guns they are for sure ugly and they dident really work that grate ether but i like the history.
 
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