The Lebel Model 1886 Rifle, or known officially as Fusil Modèle 1886, is a French 8mm bolt action rifle which has the distinction of being the first military rifle designed to use smokeless powder cartridges. It incorporated some of the latest advances in rifle design at the time. A bolt head with two opposed front locking lugs that locked into the receiver and cammed surface on the rear of the receiver bridge providing positive extraction. The Lebel rifle was adopted in April 1887 and remained in service in the French Army until World War II, although its tube magazine had long become an obsolete feature. In 1893, the slightly improved Fusil Modèle 1886-M93 was introduced and nearly all earlier rifles were upgraded to the new standard. The Lebel Model 1886 rifle had a 8+2-round capacity and also mounted a spike bayonet. It was manufactured beginning in 1887 until May 1920. The total number of Lebel rifles manufactured at 2,880,000 units.
Due to the lack of unconverted examples and the fact that the M93 version is visually indistinguishable, most if not all film and television appearances of the Lebel rifle are the 1886-M93 version.
Specifications
Fusil Modèle 1886-M93 Rilfe.
Caliber: 8x50mmR
Length: 51.36 inches (130.45 cm)
Barrel Length: 31.44 inches (79.85 cm)
Capacity: 10 rounds (8 in the under barrel tube-magazine, 1 in the transporter, and 1 in the chamber. Though French Army doctorate was to only load it with 8 rounds.)
Weight: 9.73 pounds (4.41 kg)
Muzzle Velocity: 2,000 - 2,300 feet per second (609 - 701 meters per second)
Maximum Range: 3,500 - 4,500 yards (3200 - 4100 meters)
The Lebel 1886 and variants can be seen in the following films, television series, video games, and anime used by the following actors:
The Ribeyrolles, Sutter and Chauchat (R.S.C.) Model 1917 Semi-automatic Rifle, also known as the Fusil Automatique (F.A.) Model 1917, was a variant of the Lebel 1886 produced during World War I to give the French soldier an edge on the battlefield. Although 85,000 rifles were produced during the war, it was criticized for being too heavy and too long, and it was accused of being too difficult to maintain in a trench enviroment. It also needed a special five-round clip. An improved version, the R.S.C. M1918, was shorter, and used the standard five-round clip of the Berthier rifle. This variant proved itself during the Rif War.
