Anyone know anything about these old things?

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Ex

Ex

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I have a "turn of the century" Mauser coming, with ammo. Don't have rifle numbers yet but the ammo is very unusual.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/8mm_Lebel

Lebel_8mm_round.jpg

I'll repost on this when I have rifle photos, But an info on the rifles that fired these rounds or
the rounds themselves, much appreciated!!!
 
If the rifle is chambered for 8mm Lebel...

it is no sort of Mauser, but more likely a French Lebel, or a Berthier.
PRD1 - mhb - Mike
 
There are some 8mm Mauser rifles but those fire a round different from 8mm Lebel. As PRD1 said, I've never heard of an 8mm Lebel chambered Mauser. I'd say odds are you either have a non-Mauser rifle coming in 8mm Lebel or you have a Mauser rifle coming in 8mm Mauser.
 
Thanks hugely guys! I will have it on Sat and see if I can post some pics and better info on it!

Till then (tips his hat)!
 
There is a problem using pointed-bullet (spitzer) ammo, such as that illustrated, in a Lebel rifle with a tubular magazine. It's possible that the pointed bullet might set off the round ahead of it in the magazine. French military ammunition in 8 mm Lebel with spitzer bullets had special safety features to take care of this, including an annular groove around the primer (to catch the bullet point), and a double primer cover. Modern commercial 8 mm Lebel ammo doesn't have these safety features. This problem doesn't exist for the Berthier rifle with its box magazine.
 
AlexanderA said:
There is a problem using pointed-bullet (spitzer) ammo, such as that illustrated, in a Lebel rifle with a tubular magazine. It's possible that the pointed bullet might set off the round ahead of it in the magazine. French military ammunition in 8 mm Lebel with spitzer bullets had special safety features to take care of this, including an annular groove around the primer (to catch the bullet point), and a double primer cover. Modern commercial 8 mm Lebel ammo doesn't have these safety features. This problem doesn't exist for the Berthier rifle with its box magazine.
Click to expand...
Naw, that is the reason for the indention ring around the primer.............
 
Have now recieved this carbine.

It is indeed chambered for 8mm Lebel.

It is in fact an 1890 St Etienne Mannlicher.
Has original leather sling with some french
guys name and a couple of numbers on it.
Sling is in great shape.

All external surfaces are in very nice condition
with no spotting of rust anywhere. Most of the
surfaces I am guessing are a form of blued. Action
is perpfect with the bolt working smoothly. It is an
odd bolt assembly in that it appears to have a lot of
wobble in it mechanism by nature. It all locks up tight
when you close the bolt though.

Bore is very nice... except for the end 6 inches. First couple
patches though with breakfree clp cam out spotless. A
visual showed it to be dull so I ran a brass bush down the
bore. After repeated scubbings and patching, it's now
clean and I can see a bit of rust pitting in the last 4 inches
of the bore. Stock in really in pretty good shape for it's age.

IMAG0037.jpg
 
AlexanderA said:
There is a problem using pointed-bullet (spitzer) ammo, such as that illustrated, in a Lebel rifle with a tubular magazine. It's possible that the pointed bullet might set off the round ahead of it in the magazine. French military ammunition in 8 mm Lebel with spitzer bullets had special safety features to take care of this, including an annular groove around the primer (to catch the bullet point), and a double primer cover. Modern commercial 8 mm Lebel ammo doesn't have these safety features. This problem doesn't exist for the Berthier rifle with its box magazine.
Click to expand...
This Mannlicher has an attached 3 round magazine that is loaded form the top with the bolt open.
 
It is a Model 1890 Mannlicher-Berthier cavalry carbine. The Mannlidher refers to the en-bloc clip type magazine, which uses a 3-round clip. Emile Berthier redesigned the Lebel action to improve it and incorporate a vertical magazine instead of the tubular magazine of the Lebel. It is not clear why the Lebel cartridge was not redesigned at the same time, but economics as well as French Army conservatism probably played a part.

In 1916, a modified Berthier was introduced with a magazine extension to use a five-round clip. While superseded in theory by the Model 1936, Berthier rifles and carbines served up to and even through WWII.

There is considerable information here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Berthier_rifle

Jim
 
Ex said:
Have now recieved this carbine.

It is indeed chambered for 8mm Lebel.

It is in fact an 1890 St Etienne Mannlicher.
Has original leather sling with some french
guys name and a couple of numbers on it.
Sling is in great shape.

All external surfaces are in very nice condition
with no spotting of rust anywhere. Most of the
surfaces I am guessing are a form of blued. Action
is perpfect with the bolt working smoothly. It is an
odd bolt assembly in that it appears to have a lot of
wobble in it mechanism by nature. It all locks up tight
when you close the bolt though.

Bore is very nice... except for the end 6 inches. First couple
patches though with breakfree clp cam out spotless. A
visual showed it to be dull so I ran a brass bush down the
bore. After repeated scubbings and patching, it's now
clean and I can see a bit of rust pitting in the last 4 inches
of the bore. Stock in really in pretty good shape for it's age.

IMAG0037.jpg
Click to expand...
Thats nice, can we see the entire rifle ?................
 
303tom said:
Thats nice, can we see the entire rifle ?................
Click to expand...
Only full length photo is other side. Overall, wood is in great shape.
I have the bore soaking again, for a week or two then brass brush it again and see how much it cleans up. Appears to be very low mileage.

IMAG0033.jpg
 
Soaked/brushed bore 4 more times today. It's getting better. Most of it is bright... just that last 4 inches I'm concerned about.
 
Last edited:
The permanent magazine does not have anywhere for clip to stick out. The one appears too load one at a time from the top... up to three
 
Last edited:
The magazine has a hole in the bottom for the clip to drop out when it is empty. There is a trapdoor over the hole to keep dirt out when the rifle is not being fired. See the little finger cuts? Just put your thumb and finger in there and pull down to open the trapdoor.

Jim
 
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