Variations on Gras Cavalry Carbines & Conversions from Ethiopia
Ethiopia
•
11m
While I was at InterOrdnance unpacking French rifles, I took the opportunity to pull out a couple different examples of Gras Cavalry Carbines to show the differences between original French production examples and Belgian commercial conversions. What we will see today are how to recognize:
- French Mle 1874 and Mle 1866-74 Gras cavalry carbines
- French Gras infantry rifles cut down to cavalry carbine configuration
- French Gras rifles cut down and put into cavalry carbine stocks
- French Gras carbines put into cut-down infantry rifle stocks
- Totally weird oddballs
Up Next in Ethiopia
-
Ethiopian ZH-29 and Czech Experimenta...
The ZH-29 was an influential early semiautomatic military rifle, although not one that saw any significant adoption. As best I can tell, only two countries purchased them in any quantity: China and Ethiopia. This ZH-29 is an Ethiopian contract example, with an Ethiopian Lion of Judah on the recei...
-
Ethiopian Oddities: The Mo43 Mauser -...
Today's Ethiopian Oddity appears to be a factory-built Mauser short rifle, but embellished with a couple replacement parts (nosecap retainer, stock, bayonet lug) and some truly mysterious markings. The top of the receiver has been milled down flat, and hand-engraved with a quite odd crest, along ...
-
Ethiopian Oddities: Strange Smallbore...
Today's Ethiopian Oddity is a Gewehr 1871 carbine - remarkably still with its matching bolt - rechambered for a small bore, smokeless powder cartridge. It is a quite interesting example of an Ethiopian armorer's work...