French WWI M1916 Berthier Rifle

French WWI M1916 Berthier Rifle

Caliber 8 mm Lebel, 78 cm round barrel, bore good with strong rifling, serial number "16894", matching except for the bolt, receiver side marked "St. Etienne Mle. M1916", retains ~70% blued finish, bolt finished white with age toning and spots of light rust.  Light colored wood stock has numerous dings and dents with dark stained areas, fitted with a five round capacity external magazine.  Production of the M1916 began in the summer of 1918 with finished rifles arriving in the hands of French troops during the last few months of the war.  US sales only, FFL required.  

The Model 1916 Berthier rifle represents a significant advancement over the earlier M1907/15 variant, most notably through the adoption of a five-round en-bloc magazine in place of the previous three-round system. This modification greatly improved sustained fire capability and reduced vulnerability during reloading in combat. A spring-loaded trapdoor was added to the magazine base, minimizing the ingress of trench debris. Further refinements included a short wooden upper handguard for improved handling and, on some examples, radium-painted sights to enhance night-time target acquisition. These improvements responded directly to the challenges of trench warfare and contributed to the Berthier rifle’s effectiveness in World War I service.

$200 - $300