Nevertheless, the Berthier was initially passed on until the limitations of the long Lebel form were rediscovered. This prompted a Berthier Rifle to be reworked by engineers at the Puteaux Arsenal for the cavalry carbine role during 1890, this becoming the "Modele 1890 Berthier". The gun was given a turned-down bolt handle and sling rings and lacked the handguard and bayonet mounting. Overall length was 945mm with a weight of 3kg.
Another, more specialized version (with bayonet support), was issued to Cuirassier armored cavalry units featuring a leather-covered butt-plate - this became the "Modele 1890 Cuirassiers Carbine". A similar form - the "Modele 1890 Gendarmerie Carbine" - followed to Gendarmerie military police units. French artillery personnel were also issued a carbine variant as the "Modele 1892 Artillery Short Rifle".
The full-length rifle guns followed and issuance was to colonial troops of the French Empire. Specialized marksmen variants were later developed and these given to sniper elements in Indochina and Senegal as the "Modele 1902 Rifle, Indochina" and the "Modele 1907 Rifle, Senegal" respectively. From 1901 onwards, a new cartridge type (the mle 86 "D") forced the guns to have their sights regraduated.
In practice, Berthier Rifles were found to be strong, somewhat heavy, guns but accurate and reliable. Despite these qualities, the Lebel remained the standard French service rifle heading into World War 1 (1914-1918) while the Berthier saw life as a supplemental service gun for select forces. Limitations of the Lebel design did not go unnoticed for the Modele 1907 Rifle, Senegal formed the basis for a frontline service rifle variant for the French Army - this as the "Modele 1907/15". Production of this mark was from both French and American factories (Remington Arms).
By this time, the limitation of the Berthier's three-round magazine against the German 5-round Mauser rifles became too much to bear. Even the hated British used Enfield rifles with an 8-round magazine store and the Americans centered on the M1903 Springfield with its 5-round capacity. Come 1916, the Modele 1915 was evolved to become the new "Modele 1916" which introduced with a five-round magazine while all other functions of the gun remained faithful to earlier marks. A carbine version with five-round clip support emerged as the "Modele 1916 Short Rifle".
In the post-war years, earlier models were refurbished to take advantage of the new magazine design producing the "Modele 1892/27 Short Rifle" designation of 1927. These lacked an over-barrel handguard section of wood. The Modele 1916 Short Rifle carbines became the "Modele 1916/27" after the changes to the new standard.
Berthier guns held a tenure that went throughout the interwar years and it was not until 1934 that the rifle underwent its final notable alteration: a rechambering to the 7.5x54mm Mle 29 cartridge. The magazines were appropriately revised for the new rounds and the original Mannlicher approach was dropped in favor of a staggered Mauser charger-stripping system. The new guns were marked as "Modele 1934" and continued in service throughout World War 2 (1939-1945) and into the 1950s and 1960s before being given up for good. The carbine model became the "Modele 1934 Cavalry Carbine".
Berthier Rifle production surpassed and amazing 2 million guns by the end of it all - a hefty total for a rifle not considered for standardization in frontline duty by a world military power like France.
Content ©MilitaryFactory.com; No Reproduction Permitted.