Identifying WWII Sniper Rifle...
Hi there,
My Grandfather brought back a rifle and some other German articles from his time in Europe. He was a Naval Higgins Boat driver and was stranded in France for a month when his boat was destroyed during a landing attempt. I've always been curious about the origins of the rifle. It appears to be French because of the inscriptions but it was probably last used by a German soldier as he brought back a German helmet, goggles and Nazi belt buckle. The inscription includes St. Etienne M LE (underscored) M16, PK 79500. It is a long rifle, bolt action and long range sighting system, it had a cartridge in the chamber with a wooden shell supposedly saturated with poison to disable allied troops. I'd love to find out more about this rifle that he found in the months following D-Day as well as it's value even though I think it'll stay in the family... Thanks, Josh in Champaign, IL jdmac44@yahoo.com
My Grandfather brought back a rifle and some other German articles from his time in Europe. He was a Naval Higgins Boat driver and was stranded in France for a month when his boat was destroyed during a landing attempt. I've always been curious about the origins of the rifle. It appears to be French because of the inscriptions but it was probably last used by a German soldier as he brought back a German helmet, goggles and Nazi belt buckle. The inscription includes St. Etienne M LE (underscored) M16, PK 79500. It is a long rifle, bolt action and long range sighting system, it had a cartridge in the chamber with a wooden shell supposedly saturated with poison to disable allied troops. I'd love to find out more about this rifle that he found in the months following D-Day as well as it's value even though I think it'll stay in the family... Thanks, Josh in Champaign, IL jdmac44@yahoo.com
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Without being able to see a photo or to lay hands on it for close examination, it is nigh impossible to say one way or the other.
The poison bullet story is bunk. The wooden bullet is a blank (or close range vampire work!)[:p]
Cruelty was a rare thing in the war. Fireside folks who talk about war and read about it, they figure it's cruel more often than not, but it simply isn't so... You kill in war to survive, and not because of any desire to kill.
Many men avoid battle not from cowardice but from fear of cowardice, fear that when the moment of truth comes they will not have the courage to face up to it. L'Amour0 -
Just found pics on gunsworld.com it's a...
BERTHIER MODEL 1916 INFANTRY RIFLE CAL. 8 mm Lebel.
http://www.gunsworld.com/french/bert_leb/bert_ga4_us.html
yeah, I was just thinking about the wooden bullet and the fact that it would shatter and spray a few yards - lol - don't know why I didn't think of that before *thumping forehead*0 -
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By the way...It is'nt a Sniper Rifle....
Captain Kirk, Tech Staff0 -
CAPTKIRK is correct, its not a sniper rifle. while i am aware of a limited number of BERTHIER-LEBEL rifles being scoped for "sniper-expediant" use by the fench and turks, this particuler rifle (the one pictured and described) is not equiped with "glass" or "turrets". the "long range sights" are typical of the marshalll / military long arms of the period, when most mil-spec issue rifles had BBL lengths in excess of 24", many over 30" in length. the french utilized the LEBEL MODEL 1886 / M93 RIFLE as a sniper / counter sniper / designated marksman arm, and the scope mount was on the left of the reciever.
i own several LEBEL / BERTHIER LEBEL rifles and carbines, and they are nice guns. best regards, mike.
What other dungeon is so dark as ones own heart, what jailer so inexorable as ones own mind.
contact me at the shop at waltsgun@aol.com best regards, mike.0
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