Looking for French firearms

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try99

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looking for French WW1 or WW2 rifles, Lebels, Bertheir rifles and carbines and MAS 36s, cant find much going through most firearms dealers, I am hoping to start a French military reenactment.
 
They're hard to come by. I've been hunting for a Lebel to finish the collection for a couple years now.

The only ones that are remotely common are Berthiers.

The EE or gun shows are where I have the best luck.
 
Good luck ;)

Truthfully French firearms (especially the ones produced in smaller numbers) are very difficult to come by in Canada, and the USA for that matter.

Most Lebel 1886 M93 rifles are really best to hell, expect to pay a premium for a good example.

If your looking for something specific, PM me.
 
I for one applaud the French for all the Banzai charges they performed during WWI, and that they won the war, the first one at least.
 
Many French Firearms were truly Revolutionary. As much as they are overshadowed by things like the Mauser rifles, the French in many cases were the first to the draw (which is also why others could improve there ideas and beat them out). First smokeless powder cartridge and rifle, as well as the first spitzer boattail round. They were also the first nation to field a semi-automatic rifle of any quantity (the RSC M1917). Tons of history, and the firearms are truly well made (note well made doesn't mean that there wasn't better options, simply that they were excellent quality).
 
The French were never hesitant to try something conventional. Weird as they are, I find that when you do some shooting with French guns, and put them in an appropriate historical context, they start to make a lot of sense. Those big blocky sights on a Berthier may not be great on a range, but start thinking of them in terms of 1915 when they come out, when fighting was up close and personal and largely during night time trench raiding, something you can pick up quickly and make out by flare light makes a lot of sense. Similarly the MAS-36 may look awkward but once you do some shooting with it, it's a wonderfully practical little battle rifle.
 
I have a really old 1874 Gras rifle id sell. Its in rough shape though. Restoreable but worth only being a wall hanger. The Gras Rifle was the French armies first metallic cartridge bolt action rifle. It was made in response to the Mauser 1871. Many of them were recycled and used in WWI by the Russian Empire and as a Training rifle for the French army.
 
French firearms are "different". I do not personally own many for availability/cost reasons but they're very interesting for usually good and sometimes bad reasons. Gun Jesus (Ian @ forgotten weapons) agrees.
 
thanks for the advise, I was lucky enough to find a Berthier 07/15 at an estate sale a while ago for a very reasonable price, but like you guys said, French firearms are hard to come by in Canada, I'm hoping to get my hooks on a Lebel or a Berthier carbine, to add to my collection or to use in Military reenactments.
 
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