Chassepot 1866

Chassepot bolt action rifle - 11 mm.

German Modified Chassepot Carbine 1871 - 11×60mm

Chassepot 1866/74 - 11x59mmR.

Chassepot 1866 (pronounced "Shaspou") is a French bolt action single shot rifle, using paper cartridges with black powder. This rifle was used by various countries, including France, Monaco, Tokugawa shogunate (Japan) and Qajar Dynasty (Iran). French army adopted this rifle as Fusil Mle 1866 and used it as the main infantry weapon in Franco-Prussian War of 1870/1871, where it was the counterpart to the Prussian Dreyse Needle Gun. Chassepot rifles were manufactured in France by Manufacture d'armes de Saint-Étienne (MAS), Manufacture d'Armes de Châtellerault (MAC), Manufacture d'Armes de Tulle (MAT) and some other factories, and also abroad France, in England, Belgium, and Italy.

When Chassepot rifle was replaced by the Gras Mle 1874, numerous Chassepots were converted to using the 11x59R mm Gras ammunition; this model was known as Fusil Mle 1866/74. Similar convertion was made in Germany that got a lot of Chassepot captured during the Franco-Prussian war. About 150,000 rifle were converted to using 11x60R mm Mauser cartridge and shortened to carbine size. German cavalry and artillery used them until the early 1880s.

Specifications

• In service: (1867–1874)
• Weight: 10.2 lbs (4.6 kg)
• Length: 51.6 in (131 cm) (without bayonet)
  74 in (188 cm) (with bayonet)
• Caliber: 11 mm
• Action: Bolt action
• Rate of fire: 8-15 rounds/minute
• Effective range: 1,312.336 yards (1,200 m)
• Feed system: Single-shot

The Chassepot 1866 and variants can be seen in the following films, television series, video games, and anime used by the following actors:

Films

Title	Actor	Character	Note	Date
Jánošík		Soldiers	with yataghan bayonets	1921
Westfront 1918		French soldiers		1930
Hell on Earth	Georges Péclet	Charles Durand		1931
	Louis Douglas	Joe Smile
Angel and Sinner		French and Prussian soldiers		1945
Joe Kidd			on the table of broken guns	1972
The Leopard (Il gattopardo)		Garibaldi's volunteers		1963
Chitty Chitty Bang Bang		Vulgarian soldiers		1968

Video Game

Game Title	Appears as	Note	Release Date
Total War: Shogun 2 — Fall of the Samurai			2011

Gras Model 1874

Gras Mle 1874 - 11 x 59mm Gras.

Gras Mle 1874 M80 with Mle 1874 sword bayonet - 11 x 59mm Gras.

Gras Mle 1874 M80 M14 - 8x50mmR.

The Gras Mle 1874 (pronounced "Grah") rifle is an adaptation of the Chassepot rifle to a metal cartridge developed by Basile Gras. The Bavarian Werder-Gewehr M/1869 was a comparable development. In 1880 the Gras got a a slight modification of the receiver through a groove, and the cylinder head (extension of the notch in addition to the bleeding of the case) are better subjected to protect the shooter at breakage of holster and exhaust fumes. This model was designated as Gras Mle 1874 M80. The weapon gained an excellent reputation for ruggedness and ballistic efficiency during overseas expeditions this time. The Japanese Murata Rifle was inspired by the Gras rifle and the Greek army introduced the Gras Mle 1874 in 1877 and used it in all conflicts until the Second World War. It became the favorite weapon of the partisans from the revolts against the Ottoman Empire to resistance to the German occupation and gained a legendary reputation.

Reasons for the relatively quick replacement of this rifle (in France by the Lebel 1886) result in the discovery of new powder types that are superior to the black powder. But in 1914 the rifle was converted to the 8mm Lebel cartridge because of firearm shortages in World War I. These model should equip troops who were not destined to fight at the front with a weapon using standard ammunition, thus simplifying the manufacture and logistics.

Specifications

• In service: (1874–1886,1914-1918)
• Weight: 4.15 kg (9.15 lb)
• Length: 51.4 in (130.5 cm)
• Caliber: 11×59mmR, 8x50mmR
• Action: Bolt action
• Rate of fire: ?
• Effective range: ?
• Feed system: Single-shot

The Gras Model 1874 and variants can be seen in the following films, television series, video games, and anime used by the following actors:

Films

Title	Actor	Character	Note	Date
The New Babylon	Pyotr Sobolevsky	Jean	standing for Chassepot 1866	1929
		French soldiers
The Paris Commune (Zori Parizha)	Antonina Maksimova	Catherine Millard	standing for Chassepot 1866	1936
	Andrei Abrikosov	Etienne Millard
	Dmitri Dorlyak	Eugene Gorrot
	Vladimir Belokurov	Raoul Rigault
	Anatoliy Goryunov	Richet
		Communards, National Guardsmen, French Army soldiers
Gavroche		Republicans	anachronistic	1937
The Goose of Sedan	Jean Richard	Léon Riffard	standing for Chassepot 1866	1959
	Hardy Krüger	Fritz Brösicke
Mata Hari, Agent H21		French soldiers		1964
Two Mules for Sister Sara		French soldiers	standing for Chassepot 1866	1970
A Captain's Honor (L'Honneur d'un capitaine)			Converted shotgun	1982
Field of Honor	Cris Campion	Pierre Naboulet	standing for Chassepot 1866	1987
		Algerian, Turkish, French troops
The Lost City of Z	Charlie Hunnam	Percy Fawcett		2017
	Robert Pattinson	Henry Costin

Television

Title	Actor	Character	Note	Date
Data Tutashkhia	Vladimer Bregvadze	Jonjolia	Ep.5	1977