Original French Mannlicher Berthier Mle 1892 Saddle-Ring Carbine by Saint-Étienne Serial G96793 – dated 1896 Original Items

Original Item: Only One Available. The Mannlicher-Berthier rifles and carbines were a family of bolt-action small arms in 8mm Lebel, used in the French Army from the 1890s to the beginning of World War II (1940).

The Berthier design began as the “Mousquetons Berthier” – a series of bolt-action cavalry and artillery carbines with distinctly different actions from the Mle 1886/M93 8mm Lebel rifle. For instance, the Berthier carbine’s bolt lugs lock vertically into the receiver instead of horizontally as in the Lebel rifle. Berthier carbines were first issued in 1890 and 1892, and had been designed by Emile Berthier, an engineer at the French Algerian Railways,to be used with standard 8mm Lebel ammunition.

The Berthier design was introduced as a replacement for the various aging Mle 1874 Gras single-shot carbines – still standard for French cavalry, artillery, and gendarme forces even after the introduction of the Mle 1886/M93 Lebel. Prior experiments with several carbine versions of the Lebel action proved unacceptably heavy and slow to load while on horseback. While retaining most of the action’s strong points, the Berthier carbine improved on the earlier Mle 1886 rifle by using a one-piece stock and a Mannlicher-style, charger-loaded en bloc 3 shot clip. These Berthier carbines were progressively allocated to all cavalry, artillery and gendarmerie troops during the 1890s.

The first Berthier carbine came into production as the “Carabine de Cavalerie Modèle 1890”, which was officially adopted for service on March 14, 1890. The main production facilities were the Manufacture d’Armes de St Etienne or MAS and the Manufacture d’Armes de Chatellerault or MAC. The search for a suitable small arm for mounted troops was given greater urgency by the Germans’ development of the Karabiner Modell 1888, a carbine variant of the Gewehr 1888. It was issued to essentially all French artillery and cavalry troops. As the high Command appreciated the performance of the Mle 1890 Berthier carbine, a second version was specifically produced for artillery service, the “Mousqueton Mle 1892” which could mount a short blade bayonet and thus had a re-designed forend stock. However it continued to feature the 3-round En-bloc clip of the Model 1890 carbine. During the First World War it became obvious that the 3-round clip was a handicap compared to German short weapons such as the German Kar98AZ which had a 5-round clip.

The left side of the receiver on this fine example is clearly marked with St. Étienne, and to the right MLE 1892, indicating manufacture at the government arsenal at Saint-Étienne. The rifle has arsenal proofs on most parts, and also is marked MA S 1896, the abbreviation for Manufacture d’Armes Saint-Étienne, indicating that it was produced in 1896, the fourth year of production. The carbine has serial number G 96793 on the barrel, bolt, and trigger guard, making this a “PARTIALLY MATCHING” example. This serial number also is correct for a 1896 manufactured example. The stock is non matching, and was completely replaced with an unissued example at arsenal, which explains why it is in such great condition. The carbine is fitted with a large Saddle Ring on the left side of the 17″ barrel, which has an old aluminum collection tag attached to it. The replacement stock has no provision for a cleaning rod.

This Berthier Saddle Ring carbine is in very good condition, with typical wear from years of service. The bore is in very good condition, with a bright finish showing clear lands and grooves. There is just a bit of rounding on the lands, so it did see some level of use while in service, but not a lot. Metal components show the arsenal refinishing well, with the original bright bolt having some gray on the exposed areas. The arsenal replace stock is in great shape, though there are some stress cracks along the grain, especially on the left side, so the wood may not have been dried properly before being made into a stock.

A very nice example of a hard to find carbine in very good shape, ready to display!

Specifications-

Year of Manufacture: 1896
Caliber: 8×50mmR Lebel
Cartridge Type: Centerfire Cartridge
Barrel Length: 17 Inches
Overall Length: 37 Inches
Action type: Bolt-Action
Feed System: 3-round Mannlicher-style en-bloc clip