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Martini-Henry, and was obsoleted in 1874 with the introduction of the metallic cartridge Gras Rifle that was in turn superseded in 1886 with the Lebel Rifle.
Our example here is dated 1872, was manufactured at St. Etienne Arsenal, and is in fine condition with a polished steel finish, un-blued, as it was originally issued. The rifle comes complete with cleaning rod and with at least ¼ inch of the original “needle” firing pin in the bolt head still present that is unusual.
The rifle is serial numbered P466 with a matching numbered bolt!
This fine rifle has a 1870 dated saber bayonet also manufactured at St. Etienne with rare wartime date of June 1870 found on the back of the blade. The bayonet’s serial number is E69248 and has a matching E69248 scabbard.
This is a wonderful example of a rare ignition system with matching serial making it a rare and sought antique rifle.