Original French Fusil Modèle 1866 Chassepot Needle Fire Rifle by St. Étienne Dated 1872 with Excellent Bore - Matching Serial P 715 MG 42 Accessories was assigned to the 1st

was assigned to the 1st Parachute Brigade which also included the 2nd and 3rd Parachute Battalions

with no dents and very light surface corrosion

The whole pistol is very heavily decorated

Quite ingenious and safety minded

Original French Fusil Modèle 1866 Chassepot Needle Fire Rifle by St. Étienne Dated 1872 with Excellent Bore - Matching Serial P 715 MG 42 Accessories was assigned to the 1stOriginal Item: Only One Available. Despite the fact that the French needle fire Chassepot rifle was far superior to the needle fire Prussian Dreyse rifle, the French took a swift and decisive beating in the Franco Prussian war of 1870 71. In fairness to the French, the defeat was due to Napoleon III's foolhardiness in allowing himself to get captured at the Battle of Sedan and the show was then over. During and after the conflict, about 665,000