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 Franco-Prussian 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. During and after the conflict, about 665,000 Chassepot rifles had been captured by the German coalition that defeated France in 1871.

The Chassepot rifle of 1866 was a single shot bolt-action rifle and was among the best of its 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Martini-Henry, and was obsoleted in 1874 with the introduction of the metallic cartridge Gras Rifle that was in turn superseded in 1886 with the Lebel Rifle.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 a real treat, and definitely a very interesting example! The rifle is clearly dated S. 1867 on the nocks form, however there are no markings on the left side of the receiver. This may indicate that this rifle is one of the thousands of Chassepot rifles captured during the Franco-Prussian war of 1870-1871, as it was made during only the second year of production, and was doubtless in service at that time. It was very common for the maker markings to be removed from captured rifles.

The "S" before the date indicates that the rifle was made at Manufacture Impériale de St. Étienne (also known as Manufacture d'Armes de St. Étienne), the Imperial Arsenal at St. Étienne, located in southern France. The rifle is serial numbered F 49232 on all major parts of the rifle, including all parts of the bolt, barrel, stock, and bayonet stand. Only the cleaning rod is an unmatched replacement, very common to see. That makes this a "MOSTLY MATCHING" example, which are rare among captured rifles.

The bore is in very good condition, showing clear lands and grooves with a partly bright finish. There is some wear, and the grooves definitely show some fouling and oxidation. It looks to have only seen light use during its life. The action cycles well, and has intact leather sealing washers on the bolt, as well as an intact needle. It's very rare to find these still in this intact condition!

The rifle bears French proofs along with French military and acceptance markings. These are present on most of the metal components of the rifle, which have a lovely aged gray patina, with wear throughout. The stock is in very good condition, showing no major damage and only a few dents and dings. It has been arsenal reconditioned, which has removed just about all of the markings except for the serial number. It has a lovely dark brown color, showing great grain and even some figuring in places. The rear swing swivel is also missing, but the front swivel is intact.

This is a wonderful and unique example of a rare ignition system making it a rare and sought antique rifle. Ready to display! Ready to add to your collection and display!

Specifications-

Year of Manufacture: 1867
Caliber: 11 mm (.433 inches)
Ammunition Type: Pin-Fire Cartridge
Barrel Length: 32 Inches
Overall Length: 51.6 Inches
Action: Bolt-Action
Feed System: Single Shot

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.