Original Item: Only One Available. This is an original Dutch Beaumont-Vitali Model 1871/88 11mm infantry rifle manufactured by P. Stevens of Maastricht, originally as a single shot Beaumont and subsequently converted to the four round Vitali magazine system. The barrel and stock are dated 1875, the butt plate is dated 1890, and serial number 2152 appears on the barrel and butt plate. The rifle has been cleaned and restored in the past and is accompanied by an aged leather sling of uncertain origin.

This is an antique black powder firearm manufactured before 1899. Under federal law, it may generally be owned within the United States without a special license or permit and does not require transfer through a Federal Firearms Licensee. However, state and local laws may vary. This firearm is sold solely as a historical collector’s item and has not been test fired or inspected for firing safety by a professional gunsmith. Any mechanical or bore observations provided below describe only its present condition and should not be interpreted as confirmation that the firearm is safe to load or fire. The purchaser is solely responsible for complying with all applicable federal, state, and local laws.

The Dutch Model 1871 Beaumont was originally a single shot bolt action service rifle chambered for a large 11mm black powder cartridge. As repeating rifles became increasingly important during the 1880s, the Netherlands adopted a conversion based on Major Giuseppe Vitali's magazine system. The resulting Model 1871/88 used a four round box magazine, along with other modifications to the original Beaumont action. The conversion program began in the late 1880s and continued into the 1890s.

The receiver is faintly marked:

P. STEVENS
MAASTRICHT

P. Stevens of Maastricht was one of the manufacturers involved in production of the original Dutch Beaumont rifles. The barrel on this example is dated:

1875

while the butt plate is marked:

1890

The latter date is consistent with the period in which Beaumont rifles were being converted or reworked into the Vitali magazine configuration.

Serial number:

2152

appears on the barrel and butt plate. The bolt components, receiver above the chamber, and magazine floorplate are instead marked:

Q / 802

The mixed numbers are consistent with a rifle that underwent substantial arsenal conversion and reassembly when adapted to the magazine system.

The right side of the butt retains a clear Maastricht stock cartouche dated:

MAASTRICHT
1875

with a CROWN / W device in the center associated with King William III of the Netherlands.

The metalwork is in very good service used condition and has been cleaned extensively in the past. Most surfaces now display a matte gray patina from repeated cleaning of light oxidation, while the Vitali magazine retains considerably stronger blued finish. No extensive deep pitting or advanced rust damage is apparent.

The bolt cycles crisply with some movement from wear, and the firing mechanism releases during manual inspection. However, both the extractor and ejector are missing from the bolt. Because of the missing extractor and related bolt retention arrangement, the bolt can come completely out of the receiver when drawn fully rearward. The magazine cutoff remains present and functional, though somewhat stiff. Magazine feeding has not been tested, and with the missing bolt components no claim is made regarding its ability to feed or extract cartridges.

The bore retains strong visible rifling, though only a few areas remain bright. Much of the interior is dark with old fouling and oxidation. These observations describe only the rifle's present condition and should not be interpreted as confirmation that it is safe to load or fire.

The wood stock has an attractive dark red brown color and shows the expected dents, dings, scratches, and handling wear of a military rifle with long service. An old repair addresses a substantial split running from the rear left wrist, through the magazine inlet, and toward the front right side of the receiver. The repair appears stable, but remains an important part of the rifle's condition.

Both sling swivels remain present and move, though each is somewhat stiff. The original cleaning rod is missing. An aged leather sling approximately 25mm, or 1", wide is included. It resembles some U.S. military sling patterns but is narrower than a standard Model 1903 sling, and there is no documentation establishing it as original to this rifle. The leather shows finish wear, dryness, and cracking from age.

One of the more unusual engineering features of the Beaumont system is its mainspring arrangement within the bolt handle, reflecting the rapid experimentation in military breech loading rifle design during the late 19th century. The Vitali conversion extended the service life of these earlier single shot rifles until newer small bore repeating systems replaced them.

With its P. Stevens Maastricht marking, 1875 dated barrel, 1890 dated butt plate, Maastricht / 1875 royal stock cartouche, Vitali four round magazine conversion, serial number 2152, and accompanying period style leather sling, this is an interesting example of a Dutch Beaumont-Vitali Model 1871/88 rifle. The old stock repair, extensively cleaned metal, missing extractor and ejector, missing cleaning rod, dark oxidized bore, stiff sling swivels, and uncertain sling attribution are all fully disclosed. It would fit especially well in a Dutch military arms, Beaumont-Vitali, early bolt action rifle, black powder service rifle, or advanced European military firearms collection.

Specifications (Rifle):-

Year of Manufacture: 1875 - converted 1890
Maker: Petrus Stevens
Model: Beaumont-Vitali M1871/88 Rifle
Serial No.: 2152
Caliber: 11.3mm x 51R Dutch Beaumont
Cartridge Type: Centerfire Cartridge
Barrel Length: 32 Inches
Overall Length: 52 Inches
Action type: Bolt-Action
Feed System: 4 Round Magazine
Federal Classification: Pre-1899 Antique

History of the Beaumont:
Created in 1871 by a Dutch engineer named Messerecht, the Dutch Beaumont rifle was one of the first metallic cartridge bolt-action rifle to be adopted by any military. Firing an 11.3x50mm cartridge it was single shot only, meaning the user had to insert a new cartridge after every shot. Unlike other rifles, the mainspring of the Beaumont was located within the bolt handle, an exact copy of the Mauser Norris rifle, which would also be copied by the Japanese with the Murata rifle. This same feature, however, made it impossible to turn down the bolt on cavalry and carbine models.

While the Beaumont was state of the art for its day, by the late 1880's it was obsolete as repeating rifles became all the rage in Europe. To make up for the Beaumont's deficiency, the Dutch added a magazine to the rifle, the same type of magazine used by the Italians when they converted their single shot Vetterli rifles into repeaters. Since the Beaumont was outfitted with the Italian Vitali magazine in 1888, it was redubbed the Beaumont-Vitali Model 1871/88. The Vitali magazine held four rounds and was reloaded with an en bloc clip made of cardboard. When the clip was empty, an attached string was pulled to remove it from the magazine, no kidding.

Despite the upgrade the Beaumont-Vitali, much like the Italian Vetterli Vitali, was obsolete by the time it was introduced. By 1890 nations began to adopt smokeless powder designs which used smaller caliber high velocity cartridges firing conical shaped spitzer bullets. Eventually the Dutch phased out the Beaumont-Vitali and replaced it with the M95 Steyr-Hembrug.

NOTE: International orders of antique firearms MUST be shipped using UPS WW Services (courier). USPS Priority Mail international will not accept these. International customers should always consult their country's antique gun laws prior to ordering.

IMA considers all of our antique guns as non-firing, inoperable and/or inert. Title 18, U.S. Code, Section 921(a)(16) defines antique firearms as all guns made prior to 1899. This law exempts antique firearms from any form of gun control or special engineering because they are not legally considered firearms. No FFL, C&R or any license is required to possess, transport, sell or trade Antique guns. All rifles and muskets sold by IMA that were manufactured prior to 1899 are considered Antiques by the US BATF (United States Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco & Firearms). Therefore, all of IMA's Antique guns may be shipped to all US States and most nations around the world.

These antique guns are not sold in "live" condition, and are not tested for the the ability to feed or load any type of cartridge. They are sold as collector's items or as "wall hangers" not for use, and we make no guarantees regarding functionality aside from what is stated in the description. Any attempt at restoring an antique gun to be operational is strongly discouraged and is done so at the risk of the customer. By purchasing an antique gun from IMA you thereby release IMA, its employees and corporate officers from any and all liability associated with use of our Antique guns.

Pre-1899 Manufacture, no licenses required, allowed to ship to almost any deliverable address across the globe. Please note that for international shipping, these MUST be shipped using UPS WW Services. International customers should always consult their country's antique gun laws prior to ordering.