French 1914 rolling block

[Cowboyhelltown]

Hello all I'm have a french contract 1914 remington rolling block action is great shiny bore. Included pictures what is it worth approximately?

 

[SteyrM69]

Hello all I'm have a french contract 1914 remington rolling block action is great shiny bore. Included pictures what is it worth approximately?

Very useful photos. I'd say for sure more than $50

 

[Eaglelord17]

Is it a ‘full wood’ i.e. intact example? The only thing I really got from your photo is it has received the Balle ‘N’ modification which means it was in French service post 1932.

Valuewise it is hard to say, these are pretty rare rolling blocks. I could easily see 1500$+ if it is all intact.

 

[Cowboyhelltown]

My bad all photos didn't attach i can picture whatever views will help too. Everything is intact.

 

[jamesharrison]

bore condition?

 

[Cowboyhelltown]

Very good to excellent

 

[Blastattack]

Is it a ‘full wood’ i.e. intact example? The only thing I really got from your photo is it has received the Balle ‘N’ modification which means it was in French service post 1932.

Valuewise it is hard to say, these are pretty rare rolling blocks. I could easily see 1500$+ if it is all intact.

That's about what I paid for my 7mm. Mine's a little better condition though.

 

[Claven2]

Neat rifle.

 

[LemonPie]

That's a nice rifle. As someone who loves rolling block rifles and has a Lebel, 1907-15 Berthier and an M14 Gras. I need to get me one of these to finish off my French WW1 rifles.

 

[CottonSlims]

That's a nice looking rifle

 

[MiG25]

I like it. I looked for one years back and never found one.

To paraphrase John Keegan, being amongst the Victors of WWI concealed how backwards France really was.

 

[Eaglelord17]

By the end of the war France wasn’t too bad technically, the M16 Berthier was a good military rifle design for the era.

They did start 100% on the wrong foot with the 1886/93 Lebel which was obsolescent when the war began.

The 1914 Rolling Block wasn’t intended for front line usage, rather to free up Lebels and Berthiers to the front (same with the Gras 8mm Lebel conversions). Britain did similar things with lever actions and Martinis. Italy did the same with the Vetterli conversions and earlier Vetterlis. Germany did it with Gewehr 88/05s, Gewehr 71/84s, and Gewehr 71s. Etc.

I ended up getting this particular example, should probably have it at the range in a week or two once the snow melts. Curious to see how it shoots and how that 400m minimum sight setting holds at 200m.

 

[Claven2]

By the end of the war France wasn’t too bad technically, the M16 Berthier was a good military rifle design for the era.

They did start 100% on the wrong foot with the 1886/93 Lebel which was obsolescent when the war began.

The 1914 Rolling Block wasn’t intended for front line usage, rather to free up Lebels and Berthiers to the front (same with the Gras 8mm Lebel conversions). Britain did similar things with lever actions and Martinis. Italy did the same with the Vetterli conversions and earlier Vetterlis. Germany did it with Gewehr 88/05s, Gewehr 71/84s, and Gewehr 71s. Etc.

I ended up getting this particular example, should probably have it at the range in a week or two once the snow melts. Curious to see how it shoots and how that 400m minimum sight setting holds at 200m.

I would argue the Gew 88/05 and Gew 88/14 was a German front line weapon until 1916 when they had enough G98's to relegate it to second line. When they were mostly gifted to Turkey in late 1916, it again was a front line weapon.

The 88/05 was every bit as good as the 07/15 - perhaps even better.

 

[Eaglelord17]

I would argue the Gew 88/05 and Gew 88/14 was a German front line weapon until 1916 when they had enough G98's to relegate it to second line. When they were mostly gifted to Turkey in late 1916, it again was a front line weapon.

The 88/05 was every bit as good as the 07/15 - perhaps even better.

100%, times and usage will vary with each country and the arms available by year. General point was just that ‘substitute’ standard firearms kept getting relegated to the rear/alternative service to free up more ‘modern’ arms.

I would agree the 88/05 was better than the 07/15. 5rd instead of 3rd capacity, no open magazine bottom, can be disassembled without a screwdriver, better cartridge which is more compact in webbing, the barrel jacket will protect your hands from the hot barrel well the 07/15 lacks a handguard, and the rear sight on the 88/05 is better and less prone to damage (where the battle sight on a 07/15 is a very vulnerable position).

I would even go so far as to say I would rather a 88/05 over a Gewehr 98 just due to the minimum sight setting on the G98 being at 400m which is impractical for the ranges it was actually used at.