Original French Fusil Modèle 1866 Chassepot Needle Fire Rifle by St-Étienne dated 1873 - Serial Q 4716 Martini-Henry Rifles The first was made up

The first was made up of ¾-inch ropes

and the fact that it was continued from its inception until the early years of World War II with only an alteration in the shape of the crown bears mute evidence of its utility

It retains much of the original crossgrain and is still sharp

There is just the usual D

Original French Fusil Modèle 1866 Chassepot Needle Fire Rifle by St-Étienne dated 1873 - Serial Q 4716 Martini-Henry Rifles The first was made upOriginal 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 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. The Chassepot rifle of 1866 was a single shot bolt action rifle and