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Lebel Rifle I.D.

1KYDSTR
Trying to help a friend on this one and hope you gents can provide some help here. This is a St. Etienne arsenal produced Mle 07-15 carbine of generally standard configuration that his father brought back from WWII while trudging up the Italian penninsula. He also returned with a Walther PP (eagle N), a P-38 and a DOU 44 Mauser laminate, and all 4 have papers to verify his pick-ups. It still uses the 3 round mannlicher clips so has not had the magazine well lengthened to take the 5 rounders like some I have seen. It is in about good to very good condition and to my eyes has not been sporterized or refitted at any time during its' life. It is, speaking generally, a lot like most others I have seen over the last few decades either at shows or at auction. Where it differs is the side reciever markings. The normal model and arsenal markings are present but in addition there is the phrase, in cursive script that apperars to have been done on the same machinery as the other markings, "La Continsouza". This is not appearing in any of the many military reference books that I have and has drawn nothing but blank stares from most collectors I have shown it to. Is it perhaps a Spanish Civil war donation by the Frogs? If so, Why would all the script and stampings be done at the same time? Most countries went the other way too and "scrubbed" their guns before sending them to the Spaniards. Truly baffled!! Any help/theories would be much appreciated!

"When I cease learning...I'm dead"(Me)
"Power corrupts...Absolute power corrupts absolutely"(Descartes?)
"History is written by winners"(Patton)
"You get a lot farther with a kind word and a gun than you do with a kind word alone!"(Al Capone)
"There is nothing lower than the human race...except the French" (Samuel Clemens)
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  • rufe-snow
    "Etablissement Continsouza a Paris" was private ccontractor who made military rifles for the Frogs during W W I.

    luger_4.jpg
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  • mrmike08075
    see the RIFLE VALUE?? post on this page, in this forum for some very helpful hints, tips, and historical info. best regards, mike.

    What other dungeon is so dark as ones own heart, what jailer so inexorable as ones own mind.
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  • 1KYDSTR
    Mike/Rufe...Thank you both very much indeed! I wondered if the whole "Spanish Civil War" thing wasn't a dead end! I generally consider myself fairly knowledgeable about Military guns in general but with the exception of the later models 36 and 49 I have little knowledge of French guns. Your posts were very helpful and instructive and I thank you both again!! Keep up the good work!!

    "When I cease learning...I'm dead"(Me)
    "Power corrupts...Absolute power corrupts absolutely"(Descartes?)
    "History is written by winners"(Patton)
    "You get a lot farther with a kind word and a gun than you do with a kind word alone!"(Al Capone)
    "There is nothing lower than the human race...except the French" (Samuel Clemens)
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