Ethiopian Cut Down French 1886 M93 Lebel Rifle

Just in from Africa! We now have original Model 1886 Lebel rifles in stock! These rifles were the first standard issue smokeless powder rifle ever issued to a large scale military and served the French military from the late 1800's and during the First World War. These rifles are incredibly rare and in 100% functional condition.

These particular rifles were modified by the Ethiopians at some point during their service use. The overall length varies, but most have been shortened anywhere from about 6-12 inches. Due to the shortened barrel, the magazine tubes have also been shortened from 8 rounds to roughly 3-7 rounds of 8mm Lebel. All the rifles are 100% functional and a very interesting piece of history. Masy be missing some small parts such as small screws and may have some cracks in the stock. Rear sight may be loose, incomplete, or missing. These are the last of what we have available. Don't forget to check Ian McCollum's video on Forgotten Weapons about these specific Lebels!

We have C&R rifles available and Antique rifles are available for an extra surcharge (see pricing below). C&R rifles (guns manufactured after 1898) need to ship to an FFL or C&R, while antique rifles (manufactured before 1899) do not and can be shipped to a home or business address (Note: Antique rifles are not standard and cost an additional surcharge). Please email any C&R or FFL licenses to ffl@rtifirearms.com.

If you a purchasing an Antique rifle, please send in a photo ID, such as a drivers license, to ffl@rtifirearms.com.

Please note, if you are wanting to purchase an antique Lebel, please call us and we will be able to process that order for you. Thank you for your business!

Very limited quantity available!

A Basic History of these Rifles:

The Lebel Model 1886 Rifle, commonly known as the Fusil Modele 1886 M93, was a standard service rifle introduced by the French in 1886 and then modified in 1893 to lead to the version we see today. These rifles are chambered in the standard 8mm Lebel cartridge, which was the first smokeless powder cartridge produced on a mass scale at the time. This technology created a revolution in small arms development which sparked an incredible increase in small arms development at the time and has affected almost every firearm to this day. To be able to withstand the pressure of this new cartridge, the French developed the Lebel to have 2 front locking lugs to increase the overall strength of the action. This led to outstanding long range performance and accuracy. The Lebel feeds from an eight round tube magazine housed underneath the barrel based off of the Kropatschek system. This rifle remained in standard service with the French military for many years after its development and throughout World War I, although some of its features such as the tube magazine had become obsolete by this time. Despite this, the Lebel was appreciated by many and its contribution to small arms development cannot be understated.