Original French Tabatière Breech Loading Rifle Converted to Shotgun and Marked to Talequah Indian Police c.1880 Original Items

Original Item: One of a Kind. This is a truly interesting item just found in an attic, originating as a French breech loading military rifle withdrawn from service and then converted to a 12 gauge shotgun carbine intended for the third World market. These conversions usually took place in Liège, Belgium, however all markings on the metalwork have been worn away.

Instead of ending up in Africa however, this example ended up in the United States, apparently saw serviced with the Indian Police in Talequah, Oklahoma. Fitted with a 21″ smooth bore barrel, this shotgun almost looks to follow the lines of most all Civil War Carbines. There is a white metal star on the right buttstock stamped with :-

INDIAN POLICE
TALEQUAH
I.T.

Next to this is another STANDING ROCK / INDIAN AGENCY marking. Additionally, the butt stock has the Butt plate area surrounded by 40 brass headed tacks, in a double line, as well as 8 brass headed tacks running down the fore end on each side, for 16 in total.

The condition is as shown, and is rather rough. The firing pin is absent, and the breech is quite loose. There is also a crack clear through the receiver tang. The butt is decorated with multiple brass tacks and on the left side with a silver eagle badge in South Western style having a large oval piece of turquoise to center. The wrist and forend both have rawhide wraps and there is a third near the muzzle decorated with beads and two suspended feathers.

Offered in “attic found” condition, this has had a wipe over but that’s it. Presents well, ready to display!

More on the French Tabatière Rifle:

The U.S. Civil War was a time for invention: hundreds of new better types of firearms were developed. In addition conversions of older weapons to work with new technology resulted in many brilliant ideas. The Americans, the British, and many other countries throughout Europe took full advantage of these changes.

The British, with a large Empire to protect, developed the SNIDER Breech loading Rifle, although Jacob Snider was an American. The French developed the “Tabatière Rifle”, called that because the new breech resembled a “Snuff Box” (tabatière literally means “snuff” in French). The Tabatière breech loading system was first designed in 1857. It was adopted in 1864 but conversions were slow to start.

At the same time, the French flirted with the Chassepot Needle Fire Model of 1866. By 1870, the Tabatière was considered inferior to the Chassepot and was abandoned. The French had converted 358,000 Rifled Muskets from Percussion to breech loading, leaving an amazing 1.4 Million in their original percussion state. In the 1880s the French Government disposed of most all of their Tabatière Rifles, mostly to Belgium for conversion into half stocked 12 gauge shotguns for the African Native trade in the Belgian Congo. Original military Tabatière Rifles are very rare and command serious prices.

Most of the Tabatière Rifles were converted from the 1857 French back action Percussion Rifle and were designated the Model of 1857/1869. A much smaller quantity were converted from the original French Modèle 1822 Flintlock smooth bore muskets, which had been converted themselves into percussion in the 1840s, and had been fitted with RIFLED Barrels.

Specifications: 

Years of Manufacture: circa 1830 – converted later
Caliber:  about 18.5 mm – 12 gauge
Ammunition Type: Centerfire Cartridge
Barrel Length: 21 inches
Overall Length: 38 1/2 inches
Action: Side Action
Feed System: Single Shot hinged Breech block.

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