Mannlicher-Berthier Mle 1892/16 Carbine

[MauserKar98k]

Hey everyone,
I noticed that there has been a lack of French guns on this forum. I'm not complaining, I'm a fan of German guns myself. Anyway, since I havn't seen any of these on this forum yet, I took this opportunity to post pics of the only firearm in my tiny collection; my Mannlicher-Berthier Mle 1892/16. This gun, serial number H23543, was made at the arsenal in St. Etienne. At some point someone, most likely an American GI, gave this gun's stock a "duffel cut", to make the stock short enough to stuff in a duffel bag, and it was taken to the US. This gun sat in my Grandpa's gun cabinet for many years, and as long as I can remember the gun was there. When I asked him what kind of gun it was, he said he didn't know. He figured it was a '30-.30. He was too young to serve in WWII and he didn't even remember how he got it. It was only when I did a little research that I discovered what this gun really was, a French carbine dating back to WWI. I asked if I could have it and he said I could. It was a good thing I liberated it because he said he had thought about throwing it away!



Anyway, there is still a lot about this gun that I still don't know. My main question is; why does this gun have the 5 round magazine when it is stamped Mle1892, not Mle1892/16? The Mle1892s have internal, 3 round magazines. Could this gun have been redone by the arsenal and not have been restamped?

More pictures to follow.

[Bill Grist]

Mas44

Here is a MAS 44............BILL

[Bill Grist]

2

[Bill Grist]

Tracer ammo in 5 shot stripper clips.......

[MikeW]

When I went to a estate sale of my Great Uncle, I was going to buy the M/16 but decided not to. Same as yours, but it had a "A" carved into the stock.

[MauserKar98k]

Wow, an "A"! That one was probably in one of the first batches out to the factory, you should have bought it Mike. These are nice little guns. I'd shoot mine but it has been deactivated. Someone literally cut off the end if the firing pin.

Close up of the bolt and receiver.

[MauserKar98k]

Markings. Notice it says Mle 1892, not Mle 1892/16.

[MikeW]

$26.80 for a firing pin

http://www.e-gunparts.com/products.a...l=6940z1916&MC=

[Chris Boonzaier]

If you take off the front metal band for the sholder strap, you can then take off the top wooden panel, under it, on the right hand side, you can see the exact date it was made (WW1 or 2)

I think ammunition for these is impossible to find....

[MikeW]

Caliber should be 8mm Lebel. I wouldn't be surprised if a white flag popped out of the muzzle if you pulled the trigger. JK about that.

[MauserKar98k]

Top of reciever

[MauserKar98k]

Caliber should be 8mm Lebel. I wouldn't be surprised if a white flag popped out of the muzzle if you pulled the trigger. JK about that.

Yeah, I wouldn't have been suprised if it would have either. It is in rough shape but, there is a good chance it has seen action. How hard is it to get 8mm Lebel ammo?

[MauserKar98k]

Serial number on the stock; H23543

[MikeW]

Yeah, I wouldn't have been suprised if it would have either. It is in rough shape but, there is a good chance it has seen action. How hard is it to get 8mm Lebel ammo?

I think either Western Scrounger or Red Star has it according to Guns and Ammo

[MikeW]

Western Scrounger doesnt have it. I remember an old issue of guns and ammo said where to get 8mm Lebel.

There must be something such as Red Star that you get ammo from.

You could buy brass and bullets and have somebody load them for you.

I wouldn't really shoot old stuff since its corrosive.