| elopment | | | | hand, brand new military-issue 1886 and 188693 |
| The Lebel rifle was developed as a result of the | | | | Lebels are featured on catalogs of the French |
| first successful smokeless gunpowder, invented | | | | mail-order firm Manufrance printed until 1939. A |
| by French chemist Paul Vieille in 1884. The | | | | sporting version of the Lebel called the |
| nitrocellulose-based Poudre B (Powder B) was | | | | "Lebel-Africain" was also offered for sale by |
| three times more powerful than black powder for | | | | Manufrance during the pre-World War II years. |
| the same weight and left very little residue after | | | | This sporter featured a shorter barrel, a |
| firing. At about the same time in 1883, a Major | | | | turned-down bolt handle and a slimmer, better |
| Eduard Rubin of the Swiss Army had invented | | | | finished stock. Finally a Belgian firm even |
| copper jacketed lead cored bullets that could be | | | | transformed surplus Lebel rifles into shotguns |
| fired at very high velocities without melting in a | | | | under the brand name of "Centaur". |
| rifle's bore. To put matters in historic perspective, | | | | Service use |
| the Lebel rifle was developed at the same time | | | | The Lebel was a reliable and sturdy, if rather long |
| as the first practical gasoline powered automobile | | | | and heavy, service rifle assembled from oversized |
| invented in 1885 by Karl Benz. It would take | | | | parts showing a high degree of finish. The Lebel's |
| another 17 years following the Lebel's adoption | | | | durability served as a pretext to keep it in service |
| before the Wright brothers performed their first | | | | far too long, well into the late 1930s. During World |
| flight at Kitty Hawk in 1903. | | | | War I, it equipped most of French infantry |
| Shortly thereafter, in January 1886, the French | | | | whereas the Berthier rifle was issued mostly to |
| War Minister, General Boulanger, requested the | | | | colonial troops. Furthermore, due to its massive |
| urgent application of these breakthroughs to the | | | | construction, the Lebel became the weapon of |
| design of a new infantry rifle. He put General | | | | choice for discharging rifle grenades with the V-B |
| Tramond in charge of completing the project | | | | (Viven-Bessieres) grenade launcher. The Lebel rifle |
| within less than a year. It was decided to redesign | | | | was also quite accurate at long distances with the |
| the Gras cartridge case into an 8mm case, a | | | | standard Balle D boat-tail bullet ammunition. |
| transformation Captain Desaleux carried out. The | | | | Consequently, APX Mle 1916 and Mle 1917 |
| bolt was designed by Col. Bonnet to include dual | | | | telescopic sights were issued for the Lebel rifles |
| opposed front locking lugs. The base of the bolt | | | | (one for each infantry squad), during the latter |
| handle also functioned as an additional third lug. | | | | part of World War I. Those telescopic sights were |
| The overall appearance and design of the new | | | | 3 X magnification and adjustable to a maximum |
| rifle was proposed by Col. Gras but most of the | | | | range of 800 meters. The Lebel's iron sights, while |
| mechanical details, such as the magazine cutoff, | | | | adequate for target practice, were too small too |
| were designed by Controllers Albert Close and | | | | low and too narrowly notched for combat |
| Louis Verdin at the Chatellerault arsenal. The 8mm | | | | situations demanding rapid fire. The ladder sight |
| full metal jacket flat nosed projectile ("Balle M") | | | | was rarely used and could easily become loose. |
| for the new cartridge was designed by Lt. Colonel | | | | The top of the barrel was not covered by a hand |
| Nicolas Lebel, who led the infantry's marksmanship | | | | guard and thus could burn the shooter's hands. |
| school, and after whom the rifle (and the calibre) | | | | Above all else, the Lebel's tube magazine was too |
| are named. Contrary to popular belief, Col.Lebel did | | | | slow to reload. Consequently, in terms of |
| not lead the team responsible for the formulation | | | | sustained rapid-fire capability in combat, the Lebel |
| and construction of the new rifle. | | | | was thoroughly outclassed by rifles like the British |
| The 8 mm Lebel ammunition, developed in 1886, | | | | Lee-Enfield, the German Mauser of 1898, the |
| the first smokeless gunpowder cartridge to be | | | | Russian Mosin-Nagant, and the M1917 Enfield rifle, |
| made and adopted by any country. This round | | | | among others. |
| features the solid brass boat-tailed "Balle D" bullet | | | | The negative legacy of 8mm Lebel ammunition |
| introduced in 1901. | | | | was also the geometry of its rimmed |
| Colonel Lebel protested during his lifetime that | | | | bottlenecked case. It adversely affected |
| Gras bore more responsibility than he did in the | | | | functioning in vertically stacked magazine firearms |
| new rifle, but to no availis name, which was used | | | | (first the Berthier rifle and later the Chauchat |
| to designate the "Balle M" bullet (Balle Lebel), stuck | | | | machine rifle). The problem was well known to |
| to the entire weapon. Later, in 1893, the Lebel's | | | | French ordnance as early as 1900, and |
| bolt was improved for ruptured case gas venting, | | | | consequently, at the eve of the First World War, |
| and the designation of the Mle 1886 rifle was | | | | the French military was planning to replace the |
| changed to Fusil Mle 1886-M93. The Lebel followed | | | | Lebel and its ammunition by the entirely new |
| the bolt action 11mm Mle 1874 Gras and Mle 1878 | | | | semi-automatic 759mm Meunier rifle, as the Fusil |
| French Naval Kropatschek rifle designed by an | | | | A6. It was officially adopted in 1910 but its |
| Austrian, Alfred von Kropatschek, and shared the | | | | manufacture was placed on hold because of |
| latter's tubular magazine in the forend. This same | | | | impending rumors of war. Later, during World War |
| arrangement was also widely used in | | | | I, a small series (1,000 units) of the Meunier rifle |
| contemporary lever-action hunting rifles made by | | | | was manufactured in 1916 at Tulle arsenal. |
| Winchester, Marlin and others. Two transitional | | | | However, French ordnance finally chose to adopt |
| repeating infantry bolt action rifles, still chambered | | | | in 1917 a "modification" of the Lebel (actually |
| for the 11mm Gras black powder cartridge, | | | | utilizing only the stock, foregrip, trigger guard and |
| followed the Mle 1878: the Mle 1884 and the Mle | | | | barrel) into a gas operated semi-automatic rifle |
| 1885. The latter already incorporated the | | | | (not unlike the experimental conversion of the |
| two-piece stock and a massive steel receiver and | | | | Canadian Ross into the Huot). The French |
| thus closely resembles the Mle 1886 Lebel. Over | | | | semi-automatic Fusil Mle 1917 RSC (for Ribeyrolles, |
| 20,000 Mle 1884 rifles had already been issued | | | | Sutter and Chauchat), in 8mm Lebel calibre, was |
| when the decision to adopt the Mle 1886 Lebel | | | | manufactured in large numbers (85,000) during |
| rifle closed down their production line. | | | | 1918 and widely issued to select soldiers in line |
| Lebel rifle breech portion. | | | | infantry regiments. It was soon criticized by its |
| Schematic. Image #3 and #4 | | | | users for being too heavy, too long and too |
| The Lebel rifle was manufactured by three | | | | difficult to maintain by the average soldier. It also |
| government arsenals: St-Etienne, Chatellerault and | | | | needed a special five-round clip. Its improved and |
| Tulle, and featured a two-piece stock and a | | | | shortened version, the Mle 1918 RSC, which used |
| massive receiver to accommodate the higher | | | | the standard Berthier five-round clip, finally gave |
| pressures developed by the new smokeless | | | | "complete satisfaction" during the Rif War in |
| powder-based cartridges. Tulle arsenal continued | | | | Morocco. The Mle 1918 RSC's were also used in |
| to produce Lebel rifles during World War I and | | | | very limited numbers by the German Army, as |
| closed the last assembly line in May 1920. A | | | | captured weapons, during WW-2 . |
| limited-run version made by shortening surplus | | | | Replacement |
| Lebel rifles to carbines, as the Mle 1886-M93R35, | | | | Because of neglect at high levels, notably by |
| was introduced in 1935. The total number | | | | marshall Philippe Ptain who was War Minister during |
| produced between 1887 and 1920 exceeds 2.8 | | | | the 1930s, the slow pace of the French Army to |
| million units. The Chatellerault arsenal alone | | | | modernize its infantry rifles did persist after World |
| produced 906,760 Lebel rifles. The machinery | | | | War I. For instance, the bolt action 7.5x54 French |
| used for the mass production of Lebel barrels had | | | | MAS-36 was adopted a full seven years after the |
| been purchased from the British firm of | | | | official switch (in 1929) to modern rimless 7.5mm |
| Greenwood and Batley. Other specialized | | | | ammunition. Furthermore, a thoroughly tested and |
| machinery was purchased in the USA. All Lebel | | | | well-designed 7.5mm semi-automatic rifle (the |
| parts are fully interchangeable regardless of place | | | | MAS 38-40) was ready for mass production |
| and time of manufacture. All the key parts on a | | | | before the German invasion of France in June |
| Lebel rifle, including the wooden stock and forend, | | | | 1940. It should have entered infantry service in |
| bear the same serial number. | | | | 1941, but France fell under German Occupation. |
| When it first appeared, the Lebel's smokeless | | | | The MAS 38-40 semi-automatic rifle was shelved, |
| ammunition allied to its longer range and flatter | | | | but eventually returned to production at St. |
| trajectory brought a revolution in infantry | | | | Etienne immediately after World War II, albeit in a |
| armament. A soldier equipped with a Lebel could | | | | slightly modified form with a detachable 10-round |
| outrange troops with black powder rifles and could | | | | magazine. The French Navy adopted it under the |
| carry more, lighter ammunition. The early 231 gr | | | | name of MAS 44, while the French Army finally |
| (15 g) jacketed flat-nosed, lead-cored Balle M bullet | | | | adopted it as the MAS 49, which remained in |
| had a maximum range of 3,500 yards and a | | | | service with the French Army and French Foreign |
| muzzle velocity of 2,000 ft/s (610 m/s). The flat | | | | Legion until 1979. |
| nose of Balle M precluded any possibility of | | | | See also |
| accidental ignition of the preceding rounds in the | | | | Chauchat |
| tube magazine. However, the 197 gr (12.8 g) solid | | | | List of infantry weapons of World War I |
| brass spitzer, boat-tail bullet ( "Balle D" ) was | | | | Notes |
| adopted for the Lebel rifle in 1898 and placed in | | | | ^ Huon, 1988. |
| generalized service after 1901. Desaleux's Balle D | | | | References |
| had an extreme range of 4,500 yards with a | | | | French autoloading rifles. 18981979 (Proud |
| muzzle velocity of 2,300 ft/s (700 m/s) and | | | | promise), by Jean Huon, 1995, Collector Grade |
| necessitated a re-calibration of the Lebel's sights. | | | | Publications. ISBN 0-88935-186-4. This volume (in |
| It also became the first boat-tailed bullet adopted | | | | English) contains a detailed technical chapter |
| for infantry service by any army. French | | | | describing the Lebel rifle and its ammunition. This |
| government-issued 8mm Lebel ammunition has | | | | volume primarily describes all French |
| always featured mercury fulminate based primers | | | | semi-automatic rifles since 1898, notably the Mle |
| since 1886. Those are non-corrosive, hence the | | | | 1917 and Mle 1918 semi-automatic rifles, the |
| usually good bores and decent rifling found today | | | | Meunier (A6) rifle as well as the MAS 38-40 to |
| on these old guns. Mercury fulminate primers, | | | | MAS49 and 49/56 series. |
| however, are known to become inactive after | | | | La Manufacture Nationale d'Armes de Chatellerault |
| several decades of storage. | | | | (18191968), Claude Lombard, 1987, Brissaud, 162 |
| In order to avoid accidental ignition of sharply | | | | Grande Rue, Poitiers, ISBN 2-902170-55-6. This |
| pointed Balle D ammunition in the tubular | | | | illustrated volume (in French) contains the |
| magazine, a large circular groove was formed on | | | | production statistics for the Lebel rifle as well as |
| each case head, around the primer pocket, in | | | | complete technical accounts on the Gras, |
| order to receive the bullet tip of the cartridge | | | | Kropatschek, Lebel, and Berthier weapons and |
| that followed. The spring-loaded follower inside the | | | | how they came to be designed and |
| tube magazine was also redesigned in 1898 to | | | | manufactured. This is regarded as the |
| accommodate the new Balle D bullets. Lastly the | | | | fundamental research volume on the subject. The |
| primer itself on each Balle D round was protected | | | | author is a retired armament engineer who spent |
| against accidental percussion by a thick, convex | | | | most of his career at Chatellerault and had full |
| primer cover that was also crimped in after 1912 | | | | access to all the archives and the prototypes. |
| (Balle D "a.m.", for amorcage modifie (modified | | | | Military rifle and machine gun cartridges, Jean |
| primer)). This disposition provided in effect a | | | | Huon, 1988, Ironside International |
| double primer cup. Because of the standard | | | | Publishers,Alexandria, VA,ISBN 093555405X. This |
| double primer cup protections existing on all | | | | volume (in English) provides a detailed description |
| French military issue Lebel ammunitions, those are | | | | of all the types of 8mm Lebel ammunition,including |
| safe inside a Lebel's tube magazine. But all | | | | the Balle D (a.m.). The 7x59mm Meunier cartridge |
| ammunition other than French military issue, such | | | | (for the semi-automatic A6 Meunier rifle) is also |
| as Remington 8mm Lebel ammunition or reloads | | | | illustrated and described in detail. |
| made with commercially available Lebel brass (e.g. | | | | Standard Catalog of Military Firearms, Ned |
| Graf), are potentially dangerous in tube magazines | | | | Schwing, 2003, Krause Publications, ISBN |
| since the primers are unprotected. The last type | | | | 0-87349-525-X. Contains an informative and |
| of Lebel military issue ammunition to be | | | | detailed page dedicated to the Lebel rifle (by |
| introduced was the Cartouche Mle 1932N, using a | | | | David Fortier). |
| cupro-nickel-jacketed, lead-cored, spitzer | | | | The Chauchat Machine Rifle (Honour Bound), |
| boat-tailed bullet which was only suitable for Lebel | | | | Gerard Demaison and Yves Buffetaut, 1995, |
| and Berthier rifles marked "N" on top of the | | | | Collector Grade Publications, ISBN 0-88935-190-2. |
| receiver. Manufacture of this ammunition, originally | | | | The 10 pages illustrated appendix at the end of |
| designed to increase the range of the Hotchkiss | | | | this volume (in English) exhaustively describes all |
| machine gun, ceased in France during the late | | | | the 8mm Lebel ball ammunition, plus the less |
| 1960s. | | | | well-known blank, tracer, armor-piercing, |
| Following the adoption of the Lebel rifle by the | | | | incendiary, dummy, and proof rounds. This |
| French Army, most other nations switched to | | | | appendix was documented and authored by |
| small-bore infantry rifles using smokeless | | | | internationally-known cartridge expert Dr Ph. |
| ammunition. Germany and Austria adopted new | | | | Regenstreif. |
| 8mm infantry rifles in 1888; Italy and Russia in | | | | Bolt Action Rifles, Frank de Haas and Wayne Van |
| 1891; and the U.S. in 1892 with the Krag rifle. The | | | | Zwoll, 2003, Krause Publications, ISBN |
| British upgraded their .303 Lee-Metford with | | | | 0-87349-660-4. An illustrated chapter in this |
| smokeless cartridges in 1895, resulting in the .303 | | | | volume reviews in depth the Lebel and Berthier |
| Lee-Enfield. The Lebel was not dispersed by the | | | | rifles (and carbines). |
| French Government onto foreign surplus markets | | | | France's Wonderful Rifle; Great Performances of |
| until the old rifle was finally declassified as a | | | | the New Small Arm for Infantry, New York |
| service weapon after World War II. On the other | | | | Times, October 15, 1889, page 3. |