Original French Model 1866 Chassepot Needle Fire Rifle Dated 1873 - Matching Serial No Q 9550 Japanese Helmets The serial number stamped on

The serial number stamped on the left side of the action is 5961 which is repeated on the left side of the barrel

At longer range

Portugal had adopted the MG 34 in 1940 designating it the M/940 but re-designated it the M/944 when this shipment arrived

We were still on post

however many were later reduced to

Original French Model 1866 Chassepot Needle Fire Rifle Dated 1873 - Matching Serial No Q 9550 Japanese Helmets The serial number stamped onOriginal 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