Berthier with a Chauchat Magazine at the Range
France
•
7m 20s
Today I am out at the range to put the first shots through a completed replica of the French Chauchat-magazine Berthier conversion. The real versions of these guns were made on Mle 1890 cavalry carbines and Mle 1907-15 long rifles, as survival rifles for pilots and observers early in World War One. This example was built up from parts and based on an M16 Carbine (with the upper handguard).
I was hoping to be able to use this in a competitive environment to compare it to a Mauser 98 or Springfield 1903 with an extended trench magazine, but it doesn't look like that will be possible, unfortunately.
Up Next in France
-
Light, Mobile, and Deadly: the French...
After World War One, the French military set up a program to modernize all of its weaponry, and that included a replacement for the Mle 1916 light infantry cannon. An anti-tank gun had not been necessary during the Great War, as Germany never fielded tanks in substantial numbers - but as a pionee...
-
Short: Inspecting an RSC 1917 Gas System
The French Model 1917 RSC rifle has a rather unusual gas system, and without some experience it can be difficult to know what one is looking at in one. So today, we're taking a quick look at how to be sure all the essential parts are in place in an RSC.
-
Bolt Action Cartridge Conversion of a...
This is a conversion of a French 1822 rifle to a single shot bolt action, using a newly manufactured receiver. It is unfortunately not marked with a patent name or date, and I have been unable to find any additional information about it. It actually seems like a pretty solid system, compared to m...
