The French milsurp rifle #### thread!

[lavoltiges]

a small part of the collection of the gentleman that I have often seen on French websites
it is a museum

if he continues to post
we will be Disgusted

 

[handofzeus]

Just picked it up. MAS 1936-51 with grenade launcher. Made in november 1958. Excellent condition. Sling seems original and looks brand new. (Forgive the mess but I call it the 'junk' room for a reason!)

 

[twincamharley]

......

 

[westrifle_sks]

Looks very similar to Mosin Nagant

 

[TimC]

Just picked it up. MAS 1936-51 with grenade launcher. Made in november 1958. Excellent condition. Sling seems original and looks brand new. (Forgive the mess but I call it the 'junk' room for a reason!)

A lot of the phosphate finish MAS rifles are arsenal rebuilds, when you finish making a screw driver you can remove the wood and find the rebarrel dates under the barrel. My MAS 36 was arsenal refurbished in the 1980's and I bought it looking new in 1996.
edted to add that some were done with newer post war parts and some like mine were done with older pre war parts so looked fairly original.

 

[RangeRover]

New Lebel 1886 M93

My second example, and much improved over the first one I was able to find. I think I've got a gooder here.

St. Etienne manufacture, 1894-dated and all numbers matching down to the bolt head. There is no "N" marking on the barrel.



Rifle is complete but, sadly, as you'll see in the photos, it came with only remnants of a sling.

 

[TimC]

Very nice

 

[Nabs]

Nice, crisp markings .

 

[Eaglelord17]

I have really seen the Lebel as a beautiful rifle before those pictures. Really nice example you have.

 

[larrysmith]

Frnch #### I thought this was going to be chicks with hairy pits holding French guns

 

[dang77]

My French girls! 2 of the nicest Lebels I've ever seen

 

[mkrnel]

All I have to add is some pics of a crappy old Gras 1874 used by the 1st. Montreal Papal Zouaves and a 1940 French Resistance made up MAS 36 without a receiver serial number and any arsenal proof marks, at least they both have excellent bores -

"Cote de la Montagne" in Quebec City.

 

[Eaglelord17]

Just joined the French Rifle club. I have to share a Lebel-Berthier 1907/15 manufactured in 1916. All matching metal except for the bolt head, and the stock is mismatched (though dated 1916 as well). It was also still in the cosmoline until just a couple hours ago (and I am shocked at how much cosmoline they managed to fit into it, I thought the Russians used a lot of this stuff but the French clearly had them beat). I am extremely impressed with how smooth the bolt is, and the bore is pretty much mint. After taking this rifle down to the bare bones it has a lot surprising amount of neat features about it.

Quick question for all you guys that shoot these, I know where to find brass and the dies but for bullets do you guys use a .323 or a .330 bullet. I ask as I will be reloading 8x56r soon as well so I will have .330 bullets available. Well here are some photos

 

[sail32]

Some interesting web sites on French weapons and ammunition.

http://dkleinwca.tripod.com/mle92-27/mle92-27round.html

http://milpas.cc/rifles/ZFiles/French Rifles/French Lebel Rifle/French Model 1886 Lebel Rifle.htm

http://www.virdea.net/french/berthier.html

http://www.virdea.net/french/8.html

Ammunition

http://milpas.cc/rifles/ZFiles/French Rifles/The 8mm Lebel Cartridge/lebel_cart_us.html

 

[GoodDoomguy]

Just joined you guys in the French milsurp rifle family: Received my Berthier 1907/15 two days ago, an early Christmas for me hohoho! Will post pics this weekend; promised my wife to play with my rifles AFTER I get all the chores done.

One question though, can you guys please tell me if you have a spare stacking pin front band for sale? I actually only need the pin as it is missing (front band is fine) but don't know if I can just buy the pin itself, so figured I'd buy the whole piece.

Have a good day guys, will post a review this weekend, cheers!

 

[Eaglelord17]

P&S Militaria has some stacking pins. They are reproductions and are about 25$ each.

 

[GoodDoomguy]

P&S Militaria has some stacking pins. They are reproductions and are about 25$ each.

Thank you kind sir! That's $50 less than where I looked (although they sell authentic ones) thank you!!

 

[donor]

Eaglelord17-Try first Lee boolit marked for 8x56R.That boolit is .329 in 2 molds I have.It is wrong size for 8x56R but it's great in my Gras.
On one of my molds I cut down GC shank to have PB boolit-I will be shooting it in spring (way to windy and cold now to cast outside).

 

[Eaglelord17]

Eaglelord17-Try first Lee boolit marked for 8x56R.That boolit is .329 in 2 molds I have.It is wrong size for 8x56R but it's great in my Gras.
On one of my molds I cut down GC shank to have PB boolit-I will be shooting it in spring (way to windy and cold now to cast outside).

I ended up just using .323 diameter 198grn FMJ Boat-tails from PPU, and they worked great. I also managed to get some pulled surplus .326dia 235grn fmj boat tails. Here is the results.




(this three shot group was a really lucky group)

 

[GoodDoomguy]

Just did my little review on my newest acquisition, the Fusil Mle Berthier 1907/15, cheers! Sorry don't know how to post pictures so here's a link to the thread:

http://www.canadiangunnutz.com/foru...-Mle-Berthier-1907-15?p=12106906#post12106906

Glad to join the club!