Lebel Model 1886
Manufacture d'armes de Saint-Etienne · Rifle · Out Of Production · 1887
Also known as: Fusil Mle 1886, Fusil Modele 1886 M93, 8mm Lebel rifle, Fusil Lebel
Overview
The Lebel Model 1886 is a French bolt-action service rifle and the first military rifle in the world to use smokeless powder ammunition, a revolution made possible by Paul Vieille's Poudre B propellant. Chambered in 8x50mmR Lebel, it feeds from an 8-round tube magazine beneath the barrel and was named for Lt. Col. Nicolas Lebel, who developed its jacketed bullet. Adopted by the French Army in 1887, it became the standard infantry rifle of France through World War I and remained in reserve and colonial service for decades, with roughly three million produced.
Specifications
| Weight (empty) | 4180 g (147.4 oz) |
| Weight (loaded) | 4410 g (155.6 oz) |
| Overall Length | 1304 mm (51.34") |
| Barrel Length | 798 mm (31.42") |
| Action Type | Bolt Action |
| Firing Mechanism | Striker Fired |
| Trigger Type | Single Stage |
| Magazine Capacity | 8 rounds |
| Magazine Type | Tube |
| Muzzle Velocity | 700 m/s (2297 fps) |
| Muzzle Energy | 3136 J (2313 ft·lbf) |
| Effective Range | 400 m (437 yd) |
| Maximum Range | 1800 m (1968 yd) |
| Rate of Fire | 15 rpm |
| Barrel Rifling | Left Hand |
| Rifling Twist | 240 mm (9.45") |
| Number of Grooves | 4 |
| Frame Material | Steel |
| Barrel Material | Steel |
| Stock Material | Wood |
| Finish | Blued |
Calibers
- 8x50mmR Lebel · primary — also known as 8mm Lebel, Cartouche Mle 1886, 8x50R
Features
- Firing modes: Repeating
- Feed systems: Tube Magazine, Single Round Loading
- Safety mechanisms: Half Cock Notch
- Features: Tube Magazine, Magazine Cutoff, Iron Sights, Bayonet Lug, Cleaning Rod
Variants
- Fusil Mle 1886 M93 R35 — Shortened Carbine
- Fusil Mle 1886 M93 — Improved Pattern
Service history
Operators
- French Army · adopted 1887 · as Fusil Mle 1886
- Imperial Russian Army · adopted 1916
- Hellenic Army
Conflicts
- French colonial campaigns (1887-1914)
- Boxer Rebellion (1899-1901)
- World War I (1914-1918)
- World War II (1939-1945)
- First Indochina War (1946-1954)
Production
Estimated total produced: 2,880,000 · Production years: 1887-1929
Produced at French state arsenals including Chatellerault and Saint-Etienne; many later converted to the M93 R35 short rifle pattern in the 1930s.
Origin
Country of origin: France
Designer: Nicolas Lebel
Discontinued: 1929
Notes
Its smokeless 8mm Lebel cartridge gave a flatter trajectory and far greater range than the black-powder rifles of rival armies, triggering a worldwide rush to re-equip with small-bore smokeless rifles. The under-barrel tube magazine, adopted in haste, was already considered obsolete by the time of the rifle's introduction compared with box-magazine designs.
Background
The Lebel was rushed into service in deliberate secrecy: France feared that revealing its smokeless-powder breakthrough would let rival armies catch up, so early production and trials were shrouded in security even as the rifle reshaped infantry warfare for a generation.