Lebel Model 1886 Rifle - The M1886 in Service

The M1886 in Service

Following the adoption of the Lebel rifle by the French Army, most other nations switched to small-bore infantry rifles using smokeless ammunition. Germany and Austria adopted new 8mm infantry rifles in 1888; Italy and Russia in 1891; and the U.S. in 1892 with the Krag rifle. The British upgraded their .303 Lee-Metford with smokeless cartridges in 1895, resulting in the .303 Lee-Enfield.

In the early years of the twentieth century, the Lebel rifle was sold in the French overseas colonies for the protection of civilians and/or for hunting purposes. Brand new military-issue 1886 and 1886–93 Lebels could be purchased by authorized civilians and were featured on catalogs of the French mail-order firm Manufrance printed until 1939. A sporting version of the Lebel called the "Lebel-Africain" was also offered for sale by Manufrance during the pre-World War II years. It featured a shorter barrel, a turned-down bolt handle and a slimmer, better finished stock. However, it was not competitive as a hunting weapon, when compared to the bolt action Mauser and Mannlicher-Schoenauer hunting rifles that became widely available for sporting purposes, beginning in the early 1900s.