Original Item: Only One Available. Despite the fact that the French needle fire Chassepot rifle was far superior to the needle fire Prussian Dreyse rifle, the French took a swift and decisive beating in the war of 1870-71.
In fairness to the French, the defeat was due to Napoleon III’s foolhardiness in allowing himself to get captured at the Battle of Sedan and the show was then over.
The Chassepot rifle of 1866 was a single shot bolt-action rifle and was among the best of it’s kind in 1866. It was quickly surpassed, principally by the British Martini-Henry, and was obsoleted in 1874 with the introduction of the metallic cartridge Gras Rifle that was in turn superseded in 1886 with the Lebel Rifle.
This Chassepot Rifle actually dated 1867 and may well have seen action in the Franco Prussian War and this great tragedy following. The rifle is in great display condition even retaining part of it’s needle firing pin and cleaning rod. The left side of the receiver is now unmarked indicating it to be a Prussian Capture and this rifle comes with the visible serial numbers on the receiver, bolt and barrel matching (#52174). A really nice M-1866 Chassepot rifle that may well have seen hostile action!
This is a wonderful and unique example of a rare ignition system making it a rare and sought antique rifle.
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