Original French Fusil Gras Modèle 1874 M80 Infantry Rifle by Tulle – Dated 1883 Original Items

Original item: Only One Available. The Fusil Gras Modèle 1874 M80 was a French service rifle of the 19th century. The Gras used by the French Army was an adaptation to metallic cartridge of the Chassepot breech-loading rifle by Colonel Basile Gras.

This is a fine example with an excellent bright bore with clear lands and grooves. The received is marked M-1874 MANUFACTURE DES ARMES, Tulle over M80. The rifle has an issue date stamped into the barrel of T.1883. It comes with all original steel mounts and cleaning rod. Most fittings bear the correct government proof marks, though some are worn. The stock has traces of the usual round cartouche, however it is very faint, and the central plug has been replaced. Offered in good overall condition the rifle has unmatched serial numbers, indicating a long service life. The serial number on the receiver is 10752.

This rifle had a caliber of 11mm and used black powder centerfire cartridges that weighed 25 grams. It was a robust and hard-hitting weapon, but it had no magazine and so could only fire one shot after loading. It also had a triangular-shaped sword bayonet, known as the Model 1874 “Gras” sword bayonet. It was replaced by the Lebel rifle in 1886, the first rifle to use smokeless gunpowder. In the meantime, about 400,000 Gras rifles had been manufactured.

The metallic-cartridge Gras was manufactured in response to the development of the metallic cartridge designed by Colonel Boxer in 1866 (Boxer cartridge), and the British 1870 Martini-Henry rifle. Those were soon emulated by the Germans with the 1871 Mauser.

The Hellenic Army adopted the Gras in 1877, and it was used in all conflicts up until the Second World War. It became the favourite weapon of Greek guerrilla fighters, from the various revolts against the Ottoman Empire to the resistance against the Axis, acquiring legendary status. The name entered the Greek language, and grades (γκράδες) was a term colloquially applied to all rifles during the first half of the 20th century. It was manufactured by various arms factories in France, though most of the rifles sent to Greece were made by the ŒWG Austrian Arms Factory at Steyr.

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