Help ID Military Rifle
Hello, I need any info on this military rifle. It is a bolt action and is marked ET ts(raised with = under it) Continsouza MLE-M-16 on the receiver. I don't even know what caliber it is and all I have of the stock is from the grip forward. Any idea? Thank you.
Jax
Jax
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Not exactly sure but I'm going to go out on a limb and guess a Lebel Berthier that has been Turked.
"...hit your enemy in the belly, and kick him when he is down, and boil his prisoners in oil- if you take any- and torture his women and children. Then people will keep clear of you..." -Admiral of the Fleet Lord Fisher, speaking at the Hague Peace Conf0 -
you have a french berthier-lebel bolt action rifle. it is probably chambered in 8mm lebel. "`etablissement continsouza" made recievers only, wich were then shipped out to other arms manufacturers for final assembly.
there are about 14 different variants of this rifle pattern. its hard to differentiate even with pictures. is the magazine an internal box(flush with the bottom of the gun, holding 3 rds), or is it a fixed external box magazine(protruding from the bottom of the gun, holdind 5 rds)??? what is the bbl length???these mannlicher style magazines need a charger/clip to be used. does the magazine have a hinged trapdoor on the floorplate???this allows the charger/clip to exit the action.is there wood over the bbl(a top forearm) or is the bbl exposed on top???what is the overall length???
i have an Mle M.16 artillery carbine. it has the 5 rd fixed external mannlicher style box magazine. bbl length is 17.7". it has a severly turned down bolt handle to allow the gun to be stored in a scabbard. the bolts back end is a knurled knob with can be rotated to change the depth of the firing pins stike.
these are neat guns from a firearms development/patent point of view. i shoot mine, but i would suggest you have yours inspected by a gunsmith before firing. there are two types of ammo. the old and the new. if the bbl and reciever on your rifle are marked with "N" were they meet, then you can use both ammo types. ammo is costly. mil surplus is about $50.00 per 20 rds, and commercial ammo(remington) is rare and more expensive. a competent reloader can make 8mm lebel from .348 winchester brass, but that is not cheap either.
i enjoy my berthier-lebel, and its in great shape. it shoots well at 50 and 100 yds if you have the ammo. even in great shape they are not worth much. there are mle-16`s for sale on gbg once in a while. most are worth less then $100.00. if you get lucky and find one produced by REMINGTON then you have a piece of some value.
have it inspected, and if safe and you can find the ammo, shoot it and enjoy it. if its not your cup of tea, trade up for soething else. best regards, mike.(stocks and parts are hard to get, but try "lebel"as a key word for auction searches on gb)
What other dungeon is so dark as ones own heart, what jailer so inexorable as ones own mind.
Edited by - mrmike08075 on 12/07/2002 17:00:020 -
Thank you MrMike and Jonk for the response. MrMike-- it does have the protruding magazine, barrel is about 18", is marked with an N, has the wood over the barrel and the turned down bolt. The gun belongs to a friend so I don't have it with me but it needs a stock like I said because it is broken at the grip and the buttstock part is missing. Again, thank you ..you have been most informative.
Jax0
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