526:
modification to the inside of the receiver involved removing material at the back of the clip channel and adding it at the front. It is possible, to file down the back of a Mle 1917 charger channel to accept a
Berthier charger clip, but the clip will not be supported at the front leading to movement of the cartridges inside the channel which negatively impacts reliability. The Mle 1918 modification to the Mle 1917 receiver supports Berthier clips both in the front and back, allowing for reliable use, but does not fully support the charger clip as the Mle 1917 does with its original charger.
661:
36:
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shorter and lighter than the Mle 1917 RSC and corrected basically all of the Mle 1917 RSC drawbacks. One of the primary complaints from French soldiers regarding the Mle 1917 RSC was its excessive length at 1330mm (52"). The Mle 1918 RSC was shortened to an overall length of 1100mm (43.3"). The Mle 1918 RSC used modified Mle 1917 RSC receivers; the Mle 1918 RSC marking will have an "8" overstamped on top of the "7" in "Mle 1917." Among the changes were:
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carbines by cutting down the barrels, discarding the upper portion of the handguard, and modifying the internal magazine to accept the
Berthier clips used by the Mle 1918. These conversions are identifiable as they retain the rifle sights and handguard as well as the Mle 1917 style of butt plate. These conversions were made and used in the
580:
giving the rifles to French
Colonial or reserve troops who were less trusted. It has also been suggested that this was done in the name of preventing ammo waste, a relatively common theme in late 19th and early 20th century military thinking. Remaining semi-automatic examples are reported to have been in use by the
501:
clips. This is perhaps, the most significant change as it allowed for ammo sharing between soldiers carrying the Mle 1918 and the bolt action
Berthier rifles. Despite both rifles having been developed at the same time with the backing of the French Army and Government, the design teams do not appear
546:
An experimental Mle 1917 carbine was tested late in the war but never went into production. An even shorter (17.7 in (450 mm) barrel) "Mle 1917 Mousqueton" model was also tested and similarly not put into production. During the 1920s, an unknown number of Mle 1917 models were converted to
422:
rifle. The Mle 1917 was widely distributed among French infantrymen during 1918, but the troops did not like it as they found it too heavy, too long and too difficult to maintain in the trenches. The weak point of the rifle was the very small internal diameter of the gas port, which tended to foul
579:
and the 1920s, many Mle 1917 and 1918 rifles and carbines continued to see use and upgrades and modifications. In 1935, a large number of the weapons had their gas ports blocked off by armorers, rendering the weapon into a straight-pull bolt action. This seems to have been done in conjunction with
517:
to be issued to marksmen in those units which were otherwise armed with either
Berthiers or older Lebels (in which case replacement by Berthiers was intended). The ammunition for both rifles was issued already loaded onto charger clips which were intended to be disposable. As such, the Army supply
409:
as a replacement for the Lebel rifle. Considerable delays were experienced in the final choice for the ammunition, which ended up being a powerful rimless proprietary 7×56.95mm round. Only 1,013 Meunier rifles had been manufactured by 1916 and about 300 were sent for field trials in the trenches.
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in both units of issue, complicating supply. Although an Mle 1917 carrying soldier could save his disposable clips and reload them from downloaded
Berthier clips or vice versa, loaded clips could not be shared as needed on the battlefield between soldiers armed with the two different rifles. The
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Following as a substantial improvement, the Mle 1918 RSC was adopted in 1918 as a rifle planned to replace all other rifles beginning in 1919. Production began in
November 1918 just as the war was ending. No Mle 1918 RSC rifles are known to have been used in WWI. The Mle 1918 was significantly
413:
The M1917 RSC (Ribeyrolles, Sutter and
Chauchat - the weapon's designers) was formally adopted in May 1916. The M1917 was being mass-produced by April 1917, and was less expensive to manufacture than the Meunier rifle since it used standard Lebel rifle components, notably the barrel, stock,
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2nd pattern upgraded bolt handle design which was an upgraded replacement part for both the Mle 1917 and Mle 1918 models. This upgrade greatly simplified weapon takedown for cleaning or maintenance. It involved replacement of the bolt handle and replacement or modification to the op
629:
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Version 1 was the original design and includes a bolt-hold-open which is manually raised to lock the bolt to the rear with a button to release the bolt forward, it did not lock the bolt to the rear when the last round in the magazine was
414:
handguard, barrel bands and trigger guard. Above all, it was chambered for standard 8mm Lebel ammunition, which was loaded in special five-round en-bloc clips. The Mle 1917 RSC was gas-operated, using a long-stroke piston with a rotating
386:(MAT), manufactured 86,000 RSC M1917 rifles until production ended in late November 1918. However, very few examples have survived in fully functional, semi-automatic condition and those have become highly sought-after collectibles.
427:
out (every 100 rounds or so) which could be performed after removing the large brass screw under the front end of the barrel. Furthermore, the special magazine for the Mle 1917 was not particularly strong.
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with a more advanced semi-automatic design in the years before the outbreak of the First World War. In 1913, a semi-automatic rifle was selected to be adopted as a replacement for the Lebels and
476:
Bolt-hold-open device reintroduced, this time with a last-round-bolt-hold-open feature. This is a spring loaded latch that locks the bolt to the rear once the last (5th) shot has been fired.
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Firing tests had also shown that the Mle 1918 RSC was more accurate than both the Lebel rifle and the Mle 1917 RSC. The Mle 1918 RSC's production did not begin until
November 1918 at
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New rear sight assembly which changes the battle sight zero which deleted the all the way forward position. Also has adjustments re-calibrated for shorter sight radius.
494:
Numerous changes to the overall design, with particular emphasis on the gas system, which simplified production, takedown, cleaning, and maintenance of the rifle.
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Additional latch on the clip cover for added security in holding the clip cover closed. This latch is visible and actuated on the right side of the receiver.
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which created logistical and tactical difficulties. The French Army had issued out the Mle 1917 across the force, intending to give 16 rifles to each line
940:
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17:
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588:. During the German occupation, the weapons were type classified as Selbstlade-Gewehr 310(f) and used by Vichy and Volksturm elements.
531:
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204:
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Version 3 of the rifle removed the bolt hold open device and introduced a sliding dust cover as well as additional receiver markings.
382:
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to have made any attempt at commonality of feeding device between the two designs. This meant that, although they shared the same
621:
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The design of the weapon continued to be updated through the 1920s with production ending in 1921. Notable upgrade kits include:
534:(Manufacture d'Armes de Saint-Etienne). Only ~4,000 were made, most of them in 1919, and many were tested in combat during the
581:
446:
Version 2 added an upper handguard, simplified the bolt-hold open/release (still manually operated) minor production upgrades.
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New, Berthier-style stacking rod intended to alleviate the issue of the old stacking rod catching on vegetation and the like.
1152:
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Last Round Bolt Hold Open (LRBHO) retrofit. This was the LRBHO assembly from the Mle 1918 retrofitted onto Mle 1917's
79:
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50:
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with repeated firings, thus leading to weaker and weaker bolt cycling with prolonged use. The gas port required
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all display excellent specimens of the Mle 1917 RSC. The rarer Mle 1918 RSC is currently only displayed at the
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Barrel shortened from 800mm (31.5") to 580mm (22.8") with corresponding changes in the wooden handguards.
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The adoption of the Modèle 1917 can be traced to early attempts by the French Army to replace its
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They were well-received, but the requirement for the special ammunition was a major handicap.
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348:
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418:; the gas port was located underneath the barrel near the muzzle as in the later American
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in the army's inventory. In 1910 the army tentatively adopted the semi-automatic
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and may have been done as early as late 1918 during the closing months of
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Forgotten
Weapons - Shooting the RSC-1918 and RSC-1917 French Autoloaders
898:
Forgotten Weapons - France's Ultimate WW1 Selfloading Rifle: The RSC-1918
741:
613:
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356:
352:
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160:
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616:(1914–1918) arms, uniforms and equipments exhibits. Within the US, the
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weapons of the time. In total, the French national armories, primarily
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Simplified butt plate design allowing for faster, cheaper production.
419:
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Some versions were equipped with front sights drilled to accept a
1101:
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Desperate Measures: The Last-Ditch Weapons of the Nazi Volkssturm
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535:
164:
864:
Small Arms of the World: The Basic Manual of Military Small Arms
538:
of 1921–26 in Morocco, where "they gave complete satisfaction".
707:
653:
127:
994:
605:
805:. Alexandria, Virginia: Ironside International Publishers.
797:, National Armament Archives Center, Chatellerault, France.
948:
887:
Forgotten Weapons - RSC 1917: France's WW1 Semiauto Rifle
822:
Proud Promise: French Autoloading Rifles, 1898-1979
506:cartridge, they had completely different 5 round
482:Sliding dust cover from the 3rd pattern Mle 1917.
1134:
764:
339:("Model 1917 Automatic Rifle"), also called the
737:Kennblätter fremden Geräts - Heft 1: Handwaffen
317:5-round capacity clip-fed internal box magazine
934:
694:- Pre-World War I French semi-automatic rifle
769:. Collector Grade Publications. p. 61.
226:~85,333 for Mle 1917 and 4,000 for Mle 1918.
941:
927:
803:Military Rifle and Machine Gun Cartridges
704:- Contemporaneous bolt action development
80:Learn how and when to remove this message
43:This article includes a list of general
608:displays both the Mle 1917 RSC and the
558:
436:
14:
1135:
634:Manufacture Nationale d'Armes de Tulle
383:Manufacture Nationale d'Armes de Tulle
201:Manufacture Nationale d'Armes de Tulle
1168:Trial and research firearms of France
922:
861:
847:] (in French). Editions Barnett.
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710:- A later French semi-automatic rifle
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259:110 cm (43.3 in) (Mle 1918)
838:
819:
800:
377:Manufacture d'armes de Saint-Étienne
272:58 cm (22.8 in) (Mle 1918)
205:Manufacture d'armes de Saint-Étienne
29:
1158:World War I French infantry weapons
866:. Harrisburg, PA: Stackpole Books.
673:units. The German designation was
582:Groupes Franc Motorisé de Cavalerie
249:4.8 kg (11 lb) (Mle 1918)
24:
1163:World War II semi-automatic rifles
618:United States Army Ordnance Museum
591:
49:it lacks sufficient corresponding
25:
1179:
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795:Centre des Archives de l'Armement
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824:. Collector Grade Publications.
744:: Books on Demand. p. 117.
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646:
102:
34:
1143:Semi-automatic rifles of France
758:
727:
389:
309:701 m/s (2,300 ft/s)
220:
96:Fusil Automatique Modèle 1917
13:
1:
787:
716:- A later French battle rifle
518:system was required to issue
336:Fusil Automatique Modèle 1917
184:Ribeyrolles, Sutter, Chauchat
18:Fusil Automatique Modele 1917
841:Les fusils d'assaut français
497:Receiver modified to accept
7:
1153:Products introduced in 1917
685:
612:as a part of the permanent
431:
351:placed into service by the
299:gas operated, rotating bolt
247:5.25 kg (11.6 lb)
27:French semi-automatic rifle
10:
1184:
622:US Military Academy museum
370:used in other French Army
355:during the latter part of
257:133 cm (52.4 in)
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765:W. Darrin Weaver (2005).
456:insert for low light use.
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124:Place of origin
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734:Heber, Thorsten (2008).
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639:
626:National Firearms Museum
1148:Sniper rifles of France
624:at West Point, and the
64:more precise citations.
1003:Lebel Model 1886 rifle
359:. It was chambered in
1018:Winchester Model 1907
862:Smith, W.H.B (1955).
845:French assault rifles
1107:11mm French Ordnance
1036:St. Étienne Mle 1907
985:Modèle 1892 revolver
952:infantry weapons of
559:Further developments
437:Versions 1, 2, and 3
404:long recoil-operated
349:semi-automatic rifle
305:Muzzle velocity
203:(MAT) for Mle 1917.
118:Semi-automatic rifle
1117:8mm French Ordnance
839:Huon, Jean (1998).
820:Huon, Jean (1995).
801:Huon, Jean (1988).
630:Musée de l'Armement
207:(MAS) for Mle 1918.
542:Model 1917 Carbine
176:Production history
1130:
1129:
980:MAS 1873 revolver
751:978-3-8370-4042-5
675:Selbstlade-Gewehr
499:Mle 1916 Berthier
491:Shortened Bayonet
425:frequent cleaning
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16:(Redirected from
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586:Battle of France
454:photoluminescent
314:Feed system
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108:Mle. 1917 rifle.
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60:this article by
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139:In service
134:Service history
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740:(in German).
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669:: Issued to
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396:Lebel rifles
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345:gas-operated
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267: length
197:Manufacturer
169:World War II
147:Used by
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70:January 2011
67:
48:
970:Ruby pistol
954:World War I
742:Norderstedt
614:World War I
584:during the
575:During the
553:World War I
390:Development
357:World War I
353:French Army
326:Iron Sights
223: built
161:World War I
151:French Army
62:introducing
1137:Categories
1089:Cartridges
1079:Sauterelle
788:References
776:0889353727
671:Volkssturm
523:ammunition
380:(MAS) and
45:references
1097:8mm Lebel
1013:RSC M1917
520:8mm Lebel
504:8mm Lebel
420:M1 Garand
400:Berthiers
368:cartridge
361:8mm Lebel
341:RSC M1917
283:Cartridge
215:1917–1918
171:(limited)
142:1917–1945
1122:.351 WSL
1061:Grenades
1051:Chauchat
962:Sidearms
686:See also
512:Infantry
432:Variants
372:infantry
343:, was a
234:Mle 1918
231:Variants
212:Produced
189:Designed
181:Designer
1102:.32 ACP
914:YouTube
903:YouTube
892:YouTube
872:3773343
793:C.A.A.
702:Carbine
577:Rif War
549:Rif War
536:Rif War
515:Company
165:Rif War
58:improve
995:Rifles
950:French
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851:
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773:
748:
708:MAS-49
664:
654:France
651:
632:de la
620:, the
443:fired.
365:rimmed
363:, the
322:Sights
295:Action
265:Barrel
254:Length
128:France
47:, but
843:[
721:Notes
640:Users
606:Paris
868:OCLC
849:ISBN
826:ISBN
807:ISBN
771:ISBN
746:ISBN
700:and
677:310(
596:The
568:rod.
416:bolt
333:The
244:Mass
192:1917
157:Wars
114:Type
912:on
901:on
890:on
532:MAS
221:No.
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604:,
600:,
555:.
347:,
942:e
935:t
928:v
874:.
857:.
834:.
815:.
779:.
754:.
679:f
83:)
77:(
72:)
68:(
54:.
20:)
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