Bolt Action Rifles. Wayne Zwoll

end of the firing pin. On top of the cocking piece there is a heavy lug which fits the slot in the receiver bridge. Below this lug is a cocking cam matching a notch in the bolt body. The action is cocked on lifting the bolt handle.

      The Berthier action has no safety, no magazine cut-off, nor any separate bolt-stop. The bolt stops when the locking lugs contact the ends of the lug raceways in the bridge. The ejector is merely a small projection on top of the housing on the trigger guard which protrudes into a groove in the bolt body and head.

      Top view of the Berthier action.

      French Model 1916 Berthier rifle chambered for the 8mm Lebel cartridge.

      Operation

      To load, raise the bolt handle and pull the bolt back. Insert a fully- or partially-loaded clip into the opened action, pressing the cartridges down until the clip latch has engaged the clip. Pushing the bolt forward moves the top cartridge out of the clip into the chamber, allowing the follower to raise the next cartridge in the clip against the bolt. Turning the bolt handle down locks the cartridge in the chamber and the action is cocked. Pulling the trigger releases the firing mechanism, discharging the cartridge. On raising the bolt handle, the striker is cocked and the fired case is cammed back when the front of the bolt guide rib moves over the inclined surface of the receiver ring. Pulling the bolt back draws the case from the chamber, ejecting it up and to the right. When the last cartridge is fed from the clip, the clip is free to drop of its own weight, either falling from the magazine or when the hinged cover plate is opened. To unload a full- or partially-loaded clip, open the bolt and slightly depress the cartridges and clip while pressing the clip latch in the trigger guard. Releasing the pressure on the cartridges allows the clip to rise and be pulled from the action.

      Takedown and Assembly

      To remove the bolt, raise the bolt handle and pull the bolt about halfway back. With a large screwdriver remove the large-headed screw from the bolt guide rib lug. Move the bolt until the bolt head can be turned free from the bolt body, then pull the bolt to the rear and lift out the bolt head. Reassemble in reverse order.

      To disassemble the firing mechanism, remove the bolt from the action and rotate the cocking piece counterclockwise so it falls against the bolt body. Turn the firing pin button so its slot aligns with the notch in the thumbpiece on the cocking piece. Grasp the bolt and cocking piece firmly and, placing the firing pin tip on a hard surface, press down on the bolt until the firing pin button clears the cocking piece and can be slipped off. The firing pin and mainspring can then be pulled from the bolt. Reassemble in reverse order.

      To remove barrel and action from the stock, remove the barrel bands from the forend. Remove the screw from the right of the receiver bridge and the screw from the rear of the trigger guard, grasp the trigger guard and pull it out of the stock. Remove the tang screw and lift the action and barrel from the stock. All other parts can then be removed by turning out various screws and driving pins from the receiver and magazine units. Reassemble in reverse order. The barrel should not be unthreaded from the receiver unless absolutely necessary, and then only if the proper tools are available.

      Comments

      The French Berthier rifles (there are many models and variations) were rugged and serviceable military weapons and their long use has proved this. The action is strong and safe enough for the 8mm Lebel cartridge. The rifles, provided the bore is in excellent condition, are generally quite accurate. Feeding, ignition, extraction and ejection are positive and reliable.

      All action parts are well made, generally, well-finished and smooth. No doubt good steels were used in the manufacture and heat-treated where needed. All in all, Berthier rifles are good.

      However, the Berthier action has a number of faults and undesirable features. The worst feature is that a special clip must be used to fire the rifle as a repeater. Requiring the bolt to be separated before it can be removed is also bad. The lack of a safety may also be highly undesirable. The five-shot magazine projecting so far below the stock is never liked, and the belly of the three-shot magazine is often disliked.

      Berthier Markings

      Usually the place of manufacture and the model designation are stamped on the left side of the receiver, such as: St Etienne Mle 1892.

      Since many Berthiers were “transformed” to another model at a later date, the original model designation may not always be correct. The serial number is stamped at the base of the bolt handle and breech end of the barrel. The date of manufacture (year) is usually stamped on the breech end of the barrel as well, along with an assortment of inspector’s, arsenal and proof marks. Sometimes there are two dates stamped on the barrel; the earliest date probably indicating when the rifle was made originally and the later date perhaps showing the year of “transformation.” The letters MAC, MAS or MAT are often stamped on the barrel. These indicate the French arsenal where the rifle or barrel was made, or where it was rebuilt or transformed. In each case, the letters MA stand for “Manufacture d’Armes,” and the last letter—C, S or T—indicates the arsenal located at Chatellerault, St. Etienne or Tulle.

       French Berthier Model 1890 (and later)

       (Uses 8mm Lebel cartridges)

      General Specifications

      Type . . . . . . . . .Turnbolt repeater.

      Receiver . . . . . .One-piece machined steel forging, slotted bridge. One-piece stock.

      Bolt . . . . . . . . . .Two-piece, dual-opposed forward locking lugs on separate bolt head. Base of the bolt handle is safety lug.

      Ignition . . . . . . . .One-piece firing pin powered by coil mainspring. Cocks on opening bolt.

      Magazine . . . . .Single-column non-detachable box magazine. Special clip required. Three- or five-shot capacity.

      Trigger . . . . . . .Non-adjustable, double-stage military pull.

      Safety . . . . . . . .None provided.

      Extractor . . . . . .One-piece spring type mortised into bolt head.

      Magazine cutoff None provided.

      Bolt-stop . . . . . .No separate bolt-stop; see text.

      Ejector . . . . . . .Stud type, made as integral part of trigge

      The 8mm Lebel Cartridge

      This cartridge was the first relatively small-bore smokeless powder rifle cartridge to be adopted by a world power. In doing so, France led other countries by about two years. The 8mm Lebel cartridge is based on a rimmed, bottlenecked case, with the case body having a double taper. Although originally loaded with a full-jacketed flat-nosed bullet, for use in the tubular magazine Lebel rifle, in 1898 it became the first military cartridge loaded with a spitzer-point boattail bullet.

      During WW I, Remington contracted with France to make both rifles and ammunition. As a result of contract cancellations after the war, a great many of these rifles remained in the United States and were sold on the commercial market. Remington then loaded sporting ammunition for these rifles until about 1964. Remington loaded 8mm Lebel sporting ammo with a 170-grain softpoint bullet to a muzzle velocity of 2640 fps. At 200 yards the velocity is 1960 fps, remaining energy 1450 foot pounds, while midrange trajectory over this range is 3.4”. This compares favorably with such more popular cartridges as 30-40, 303 British,