What caliber is the Lebel?

[Guinny_Ire]

Lebel was the rifle prior to the MAS 36 right?

[Skip]

8MM

[Richard Simmons]

The 1916 Berthier preceeded the MAS 36. Before that was the 1892 Berthier and the 1886 Lebel before that. Lebels and Berthiers in one form or another were used pretty much at the same time. When the Berthier was general issue the Lebel was issued, two per company for Grenade firing and one for sniping. It was just a stronger design than the Berthier when it came to launching grenades. Remember that's 8mm Lebel which is a rimmed cartridge and has nothing in common with the 7.92 or 8x57 cartridge so common in Turkish/German/Yugo Mausers.

[Jericho]

Do you have any pics of the Lebel, I have never heard of one :confused:

[Richard Simmons]

Zoauve just did a very nice pick of the week on the Lebel a few weeks ago.

http://www.gunsnet.net/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=64678

[Skip]

http://www.geocities.com/milsurpunderground/8mmLebel.html

[Steven Mace]

http://dkleinwca.tripod.com/mle92-27/pics/8x50r-lebel-right.jpg

To get technical, it would be refered to as the 8x50Rmm Lebel (http://dkleinwca.tripod.com/mle92-27/mle92-27round.html) cartridge. Hope this helps!

Steve Mace