French rifle ammo

jetmek

I just got a berthier carbine stamped n on barrel is it safe to shoot surplus lebel M/G ammo(local supplier has a bunch of it) or Jacketed spitzer PPU or do I have to find the old style with the "blunt" or round nose? Found a lot of vague do's and dont's on line and don't want to damage it

rufe-snow

Nobody on the net, can tell you if it's safe to shoot. Take it out in the boonies. Stick the stock into a old tire. Secure the barrel with bungie cords. Tie a string to the trigger, and get behind a rock. If you can fire 20 shots, without it self destructing. Your in high cotton.

1BigGuy

From somewhere on the interweb a couple of years ago:

French Berthier rifles and carbines in the United States should all be tested by a competent gunsmith. Only rifles marked with a "Balle N" mark on both the receiver and the barrel should be fired with modern ammunition. Many captured WWI weapons will never have been updated - a process that occurred in the 1930s to allow 8mm ammunition designed for machine guns to be used in ordinary rifles. Historic weapons without the Balle N markings can still be valuable historical weapons. Since most Berthiers have had many lives and been rebuilt for use in two or even three conflicts, the historic value of a weapon that remains in its original Great War configuration is considerable, even if it is no longer able to be safely fired.

Does that help? I'd shoot it. I've shot mine.

jetmek

Yes it helps clarify what ive been reading...thanks