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The Rarest Chassepot: Rifle for the African Cavalry (ad-free)
🕑 Added 2023-07-14 12:00:02 +0000 UTC"Chassepot to FAMAS: French Military Rifles 1866-2016" is in stock and shipping now:
https://www.headstamppublishing.com/purchase
The rarest pattern of factory-made Chassepot is the fusil modèle 1866 pour la cavalerie d'afrique - the Model 1866 rifle for African cavalry. Just 12,000 of these were made by St Etienne in the spring of 1869, as a way to equip the mounted French troops in Algeria with the new needlefire rifle that the rest of the Army had. After some field testing with standard Mle 1866 Chassepot rifles, it was determined that really all they needed was a change in sling position, so that riders could carry the weapon slung diagonally across the back. To do this, a number of changes were made to the rifle. The stock was strengthened, reinforced at the trigger guard, the rear sling swivel moved to the trigger guard, and a wider third barrel band added with the front sling swivel.
After the Mle 1866 cavalry carbine went into production in 1870, the need for these specialized rifles disappeared. No more were made, and as they were worn out they were rebuilt into standard configuration Mle 1866 infantry rifles. Very, very few survive today, and I'm and very excited to have this one to show you!
Comments
Bruce Brodnax
At 1:44 -- Funny, as "the arm of decision" I would think it would have made MUCH more sense to equip the cavalry with the new tech first, esp. given that their numbers are much less than the (hordes) of infantry and it would be less co$tly to make evolutionary changes to the (limited #s) of cavalry weapons prior to launching full-scale, multiple arsenal production of the (more material intensive) full-size infantry arm. But I'm certain that's just my inner economist peeking thru... 😄 In modern context, it's like letting SOCOM specify what they'd like in a carbine & try it out before telling Colt "that's what we want in the M4" and having the regular Army adopt those changes as their new standard.
Jeff Price
Addenda pages ? :) for this African cavalry rifle? :)
Minion
Chappie would like this gun. Just saying...
