Shooting the Mle 1866 Chassepot

Published on September 14, 2019
Duration: 4:33

This guide details the operation and shooting experience of the Mle 1866 Chassepot rifle, as demonstrated by Ian McCollum of Forgotten Weapons. It covers the manual of arms, the impact of black powder fouling on the bolt action, and the nature of its paper, caseless ammunition. The information is presented with high authority, drawing on expert knowledge of historical firearms.

Quick Summary

The Mle 1866 Chassepot is a needle-fire bolt-action rifle that fires 11mm paper, caseless cartridges. Black powder fouling significantly impacts its operation, making the bolt difficult to close after repeated firing. A key manual of arms step is manually cocking the action before opening the bolt.

Chapters

  1. 00:00Introduction & Loading
  2. 00:45Shooting Experience & Recoil
  3. 01:30Fouling & Caseless Ammunition
  4. 02:04Bayonet Interaction
  5. 03:09Fouling Endurance Test

Frequently Asked Questions

How does black powder fouling affect the Mle 1866 Chassepot's operation?

Black powder fouling rapidly accumulates in the chamber and action of the Mle 1866 Chassepot, making the bolt increasingly difficult to close. After approximately 20 rounds without cleaning, significant force is required, though the rifle may remain functional for short engagements.

What is unique about the Mle 1866 Chassepot's ammunition?

The Mle 1866 Chassepot uses 11mm paper, caseless cartridges. This means the paper casing is consumed or blown out during firing, and fragments can sometimes be found lodged on parts of the rifle, like a bayonet.

What is the manual of arms for the Mle 1866 Chassepot?

A key aspect of the Mle 1866 Chassepot's manual of arms is that the action must be manually cocked before the bolt can be opened, a distinct feature of its needle-fire bolt-action system.

What were the bullet weights for the Mle 1866 Chassepot?

During testing, a 405-grain bullet was used for the Mle 1866 Chassepot. The original military specification for the bullet weight was 386 grains.

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