mawkie
C&R Whisperer
-Found this 1886/93 Lebel up on Gunbroker just hours after it listed and the BIN price was soooo low I couldn't say no to it. Seller thought the cartridge lifter was broken but it was what I thought: the cutoff was engaged, locking the lifter in the up position.
-The downside is that the left side of the receiver has been scrubbed, removing all the markings. Odd in my eyes as the rest of the receiver shows little pitting, just a thin finish. So I start wondering if there was another reason for this? Immediately I think of my scrubbed Polish Wz 29 Carbine, exported to Spain for the SCW. The Poles also sent Berthiers and Lebels to the Republican forces in Spain. So, could this be an ex Polish, SCW survivor? Would certainly make for a better story vs Bubba refinished!
-Anyway, she was refurbished at some point as the balle N marked barrel is a replacement (note no manuf code or date on the right side of the barrel shank as normally found on an original factory barrel). Everything but the bolt matches, not uncommon with arsenal reworks.
-No import marks so an older import or bring-back. A good chance I'll never know the back story to this one.
-The downside is that the left side of the receiver has been scrubbed, removing all the markings. Odd in my eyes as the rest of the receiver shows little pitting, just a thin finish. So I start wondering if there was another reason for this? Immediately I think of my scrubbed Polish Wz 29 Carbine, exported to Spain for the SCW. The Poles also sent Berthiers and Lebels to the Republican forces in Spain. So, could this be an ex Polish, SCW survivor? Would certainly make for a better story vs Bubba refinished!
-Anyway, she was refurbished at some point as the balle N marked barrel is a replacement (note no manuf code or date on the right side of the barrel shank as normally found on an original factory barrel). Everything but the bolt matches, not uncommon with arsenal reworks.
-No import marks so an older import or bring-back. A good chance I'll never know the back story to this one.