Item Description
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. After the defeat the Prussians removed great quantities of the new French Needle fire rifles, which were a big improvement over the Dreyse Needle fire rifle, the Prussian equivalent that had been used during the war.
In short order however, the Prussians, or now more accurately the new formed State of a unified Germany introduced the revolutionary MAUSER Model 1871 self contained cartridge rifle. Not to let theses captured M-1866 Chassepot rifles the Germans converted many to shorter barrel carbines and reissued them to serve troops still as needle fires as they had immense quantities of captured French ammunition as well.
Here is an example of a typical Chassepot Model 1866 Rifle made in 1868 having French markings removed and converted to a carbine length weapon with 26" barrel and using what appears to be a Mauser 1871 Carbine Nose Cap. There is no accommodation for ramrod and the receiver has been stamped "1873" which is almost certainly the date of the conversion. Unfortunately it appears the internal needle to the bolt is broken. The front sight blade is also missing. All the steel mounts are a polished steel finish, un-blued, as originally issued, making the Carbine most attractive and ready to display
This is a wonderful and unique example of a rare ignition system making it a rare and sought antique rifle.
NOTE: International orders of antique firearms MUST be shipped using UPS WW Services (courier). USPS Priority Mail international will not accept these.
- This product is not available for shipping in US state(s): New Jersey
This product is available for international shipping.
- 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 posses, 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. They are sold as collector’s items or as wall hangers. 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.
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