Author Topic: How did I do? 1907_15 Berthier  (Read 2951 times)

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Offline jeepguy

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How did I do? 1907_15 Berthier
« on: September 02, 2017, 09:22:44 PM »
I stopped in the LGS to pick up some shotgun shells and saw this rifle on the rack.  The tag said WW1 Lebel and it was unmatching and missing a few parts but for $119 I didn't think I could go wrong.  It was traded in today from a descendant  of the original owner who was said to have brought it back from WW1.  I knew nothing about it when I was at the store but after reading up later if the story was true the chamber should not have been converted post war.  It doesn't need much, front stock band, both recoil lugs and the trigger guard plate are missing but I can source them all online.









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Offline Phosphorus32

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Re: How did I do? 1907_15 Berthier
« Reply #1 on: September 02, 2017, 11:02:02 PM »
Nice!  thumb1  After acquiring the needed parts you should be into it for less than it's $250-350 value. It needs the stacking hook part of the upper barrel band as well, but hopefully that will be included with the barrel band (as it should). I don't think this version needs a floor plate as most (all?) 3-round versions never had one. This is a true M1907_15, not a M1907_15 modifie 1916, which took the five shot "chargeur" (en bloc clip). Mismatched parts is the rule rather than the exception with these French rifles since most were rebuilt many times during or after the carnage of WWI. 

If it has the N on the barrel, then it'll take modern produced (PPU) ammo, which is based on the Modèle 1932N cartridge, if not you'll have to reload for it. I assume it is N marked based on your dismissal of the seller's story, and you'd be correct in dismissing it. That was a 1932, or shortly thereafter, modification. Many were imported before 1968 so no import mark is no guarantee that it was brought back from WWI. It seems very unlikely that a US vet would have been allowed to bring back a weapon used by one of the US allies.

Offline jeepguy

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Re: How did I do? 1907_15 Berthier
« Reply #2 on: September 24, 2017, 09:16:59 PM »
Well first a belated thanks for the reply! I got it out Friday and it has about a hundred years of crud in it. I had a hard time pushing a patch past the chamber at first.  It looks better now but still needs more work.  It is not stamped wth the N either.


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I don't know if that lends credence to the bringback story or not but I have been doing some reading on these and they were issued to some US troops as well so it is possible I suppose.

I also picked up my first South American, a M1908 Brazilian Mauser.