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Original French Gras rifles have finally arrived from Africa!
The rifles and carbines are in fair condition. Metal has some patina and/or minor rust pitting. Most of the finish is worn on these rifles. The wood is will have the typical dings, dents, scratches, etc of military used firearms. The stocks may be cracked in some spots such as the wrist area, but generally they can be repaired with some effort and time. Don’t miss this chance to get a Gras carbine at a huge discount! Please look at detailed pictures and the video below.
Please note: the rear sight may missing on the standard price Gras carbines.
The firearms are considered an Antique and no FFL is required. Photo ID required for age verification.
Thank you for your business!
We do offer a Hand-Select fee for $200 to get the most intact rear sight assembly we have available.
Bolts are all functioning and trigger mechanism works as well. These rifles are about 130 to 140 years old.
If you would like to see an in depth restoration of one of our Gras Cavalry Carbines, check out this video from Surplus Restoration!
If you would to see this video as a condensed version, check this video out as well!
Visit our friends at Milsurp Munitions, they make correct new production ammunition for C&R and Antique Firearms.
See items related to this product.
22 reviews for Mle 1874 Fusil Gras Cavalry Carbine
Nils B –
I felt like I was taking a chance with these being listed as fair to good with the possibility of missing the rear sight. The gamble paid off and I could not be more pleased with not only have the rear sight intact but the condition of the Carbine was in good to very good. Thank you RTI!
Chris –
What an interesting rifle with so much history, I am very happy I got one and would recommend highly to others! Thank you for bringing these in!
Garry Lycos –
Would have been nice to get a cleaning rod with it. Besides that, rifling is pretty good for a change, and not to bad for the age.
Carlos –
Mine is a Chasspot Cavalry Carbine without a rear sight. The wood is of course dinged but it cleaned up so nicely, revealing a red-brown beautiful color. The brass bands also cleaned up and make this rifle look so special. No finish left but im looking for history. Has a cleaning rod. The French and chet markings are clear. Love this piece, and the videos that provide the background. Keep the pictures of the Ethiopan arsenal coming, great stuff.
Todd T –
Finally found ammo after purchasing in 2020 from Buffalo Arms in ID. Took it in to my gun shop and turned into a history lesson with a couple employees in there as they took turns firing. Beautiful rifle after some TLC, only problem with mine is failure to extract due to improper barrel spacing not worth shimming as the cleaning rod pops them out.
Love it, thank you RTI for all the great customer support over the years.
Will –
I’ve always wanted a chassepot; when I purchased this, it was the only version they had available ( they’ve since added more.) I wasn’t expecting it to be shootable, I just wanted one. I was pleasantly surprised, when it arrived, to find that after an intensive cleaning it is ready to shoot; now I just have to find/make the ammo! The bolt action is butter. Only downside is the rear side ladder was broken partially off. Beautiful gun, splendid history, excellent purchase.
Dan M –
received an 1866-74 chasspot gras. Excellent rifle. 100% Complete and working order minus cleaning rod. good bore. rifling extends to the muzzle crown. even has the rear sight slider! Just one crack in the upper hand guard which can be fixed. Wasnt very dirty at all. cleaned up in no time at all. rust was very minimal. Overall i was quite happy and glad I bought it. i will buy again. now if i can just get the dies so i can load for it. havent shot it yet but it looks like it should work ok. very lightweight and handy.
Dan –
Rifle arrived very well packed. It cleaned up exceptionally well. Finish, along with most original French date/proof markings. were wire-wheeled off (which is common for these Ethiopian rifles). Rifle originally was a long rifle and cut down at some point. The only reason I did not give 5 stars is that it did not come with rear sight or cleaning rod, which in fairness to RTI. are not guaranteed
Brad –
Recieved a 1876 gras Calvary carbine shows heavy use an has Ethiopian trench art
Solomon Johnson –
Verry satisfied with this purchase. The fireing pin is strong and the gun is in overall good condition. It even has some sick trench art on the stock. Verry cool thanks RTI
Gabriel P –
I want to write this review so you can make an informed decision! Please pay attention.
I am very pleased with the overall condition of the rifle I received. The bore is amazing! Bore is shiny and new. I would rate it 9/10. The stock has a small crack probably from the cleaning rod pushed in too deep. The crack is easy to fix with some JB weld brand wood patch. Mine sample did not have a rear sight and is rounded almost like it was meant not to have a rear sight. Perhaps it was not fully converted. It is like the one pictured above with 3 brass bands. Green stuff underneath and in the brass bands. The stock also has many dents. The circle in the stock is missing whatever was there which I will fill in with the wood weld product I purchased. The crack should not affect the performance. THE BOLT HANDLE IS THE ONLY LOCKUP TO THE BREACH! Please understand this and reload accordingly.
The rear sight is non-existent and there is only one example of this rifle I have seen that was on Forgotten Arms. Definitely an interesting piece! The rear sight does not seem to have a place to mount so I am perplexed. I may fire this like a shotgun front bead only. Most of the examples shown only have 2 bands. I understand that these maybe converted from full size rifles. That does not mean cut down! The modifications are professionally done presumably at an armorer adding to the history and provenance.
A word of caution: ammo is NOT available for this rifle! you absolutely must be a reloader to shoot this rifle. The dies are expense and the one source for brass sells them for $5 a piece! Not a poor mans gun if you want to shoot it.
That being said the .348 Winchester brass can be converted to 11x59mmr fairly easily. Simply anneal the neck and load a dummy charge (blank) and fire. The brass will form to the chamber and you will have something to work with. The dies are a bit pricy through RCBS. I was able to find an obsolete LEE die set in England that will be shipped to me.
This is all theoretically as I have not tried it yet. The bullets must be cast and are in limited supply. Cast bullets are available from 1 seller I found. Molds are readily available and are also pricy. Again not a poor mans rifle.
After seeing the bore I had to source the components to shoot it! It should be loaded with Black powder or similar propellant. There are reports that some use smokeless such as trail boss to run reduced smokeless charges. This rifle also has some beautiful Ethiopian writing that makes it look amazing and adds to it’s provenance. Load data is limited as well. The challenge and joy of bring back a “dead” cartridge is a plus for me though. YMMV If you are looking for something with more ammo availability I would suggest the Carcano carbine. The Carcano will need an Enbloc clip which can be purchased here (best price on the internet with shipping calculated).
Information on how to disassemble the bolt is nonexistent. Very little information is documented on the internet. However it is possible to figure out. A hint is the firing pin must be pushed in AFTER the bolt face is easily removed. The extractor is a simple design and can also be removed from the bolt.
Again not a cheap shooter but a ton of fun with an amazing amount of history. I find it to be a true pleasure and the crown jewel of my vintage collection.
Kevin –
The Good: The bore has good rifling and the barrel has very few dings or dents. The firing pin is in good shape and hits hard. The markings are clear and visible and the brass is nice.
The bad: The clearing rod is broken and the rear sight is missing, but the add doesn’t promise either so no real issue. The crown of the barrel is damaged but should still shoot. The stock is cracked bad at 2 places on the wrist and many places at the butt plate, time will tell if I can stabilize it. The extractor is missing.
All in all, given the age and sale price, it’s still worth picking up, worst case scenario, you get good parts, but you could get a great rifle for a steak. I would recommend.
Shane –
I purchased one of these during the flash sale. It was missing the rear sight and cleaning rod, which I expected. Bore I would definitely give it a solid 8/10. Metal was all good and had roughly 50 percent of bluing left. The bad to this is it appears to have a cut down rifle stock. And the stock is so worn worse then I have ever seen a stock. There was so much wood missing that the channel for the cleaning rod was almost completely worn away. It’s honestly probably missing 30% of the wood from wear forward of the rear barrel band. I’d give it 5 stars for the metal parts but definitely not for the condition of the wood. But I can’t really complain too much. I’ve bought 10 rifles from here and out of 10 this is only really the second one that was real bad.
Julian T –
I bought this during the labor day sale. Rear sight is missing, non-matching. The metal is in good condition as is the bore. Cleaning rod is missing, and there appears to be broken wood as if someone pushed the cleaning rod in too deep. The wood is in rough shape and very dirty. Cool Ethiopian stamps on the receiver, and an etched cross on the bolt which is neat. Overall for the price I am satisfied and would recommend.
Darren –
I bought mine during the sale, and I was overall very satisfied with what I got. Absolutely no cracks, minimal wear and tear (fixable with a little TLC), no loose parts, mechanically functions with snap caps. No looseness in any of the remaining components. Operates smooth as butter.
The only missing parts were the cleaning rod and the rear sight, as expected. The bore is… not great not terrible, but exceeded what I was expecting for such an old piece. Fun collector’s item, highly recommend, especially during a sale.
JimBo –
I am stoked! I received a very nice example with no cracks in the wood. The metal is in the white, no pitting or rust, good rifling and a shiny bore!. Everything seems to function fine. I wish I could find some ammo! Great peice of History! Has Ethiopian markings on the barrel and receiver. No cleaning rod or rear sight as expected. Non matching numbers. Worth the $350.00 price tag! Ships to your home, no ffl needed.
Kevin –
This was my first major conservation project purchase from RTI. The metal cleaned up well and no parts were missing. Some stock repair was needed, but accomplished without issue. Rifling and chamber are in good condition and has proven to be a decent shooter. The only thing missing was the roundel which had fallen out prior to me receiving it. As a conservation project and fun range shooter, I would recommend.
Christopher –
I got a nice M1874 carbine, made in 1879 with the M80 modification. The gun had surface rust but no major pitting, bore was rusty, cleaned up to be okay, not great. The stock, action and bolt have matching numbers. I have no rear sight at all. There is a nice small crucifix carved into the buttstock, its very clean looking 1/2″x5/8″ and 3/8″ deep. I’m pretty happy with my purchase.
WilliamOBrien –
Well when i received the rifle there was no denying that it was stored in a goat shed. after some cleaning and converting a good loooking piece of history emerged. It’s missing the rear site and cleaning rod and not having much luck finding either. Suprisingly it still has rifling and I’m kind of curious of its accuracy. It turned out to be a nice peice of history. Maybe on day I’ll get into reloading and put it to paper.
Harvey Hanna (verified owner) –
Received mine today, I was pleasantly surprised.
Came with rear sight, bore will be good after cleaning, appears to be complete.
All it really needs is a good cleaning.
Would give 6 stars if possible.
greatnorthernbruno (verified owner) –
Got mine yesterday. No rear sight as expected, but did have a cleaning rod which is basically holding the nose cap band on since the retainer spring is missing. But that’s the only part of the rifle other than the sight that is missing. I cleaned up the stock with hot water and dish soap, no cracks at all. I hit the bolt and action with brake cleaner before getting in there for a proper cleaning. I filled the barrel up with kroil and let it set for a bit before brushing it. Rifling is strong enough for a BP rifle of this age. The barrel bands were loose, but not a problem, simply shimmed the stock beneath the barrel and tightened everything up. Strong striker, decent overall condition. I suggest taking your rifle out of the stock and removing the surface rust on the bottom of the barrel, only place i really saw that. It’ll make a decent shooter.
MAD PROPS TO CUSTOMER SERVICE!!!! A very special Thank You to Candice with RTI customer support. The website had crashed as i was making my order. After a few days i emailed RTI and explained that my order wasn’t showing up on my account. Candice was wonderful and helpful in clearing it up and made sure that my rifle was shipped the next day.
If you’re wondering if these old rifles are worth it, just remember that once the rest of us buy them up, you’ll be seeing them listed for ridiculous prices on gunbroker or other such sites, so yes, it’s probably as cheap as they’ll ever be again.
Bernard Garcia (verified owner) –
I will give the bad first and then the good. The bolt stop screw was broke off in the receiver. The barrel crown was non existent, and the cleaning rod was missing. Now for the good: It had the rear sight and good rifling. The stock did not have any major cracks , and the bolt was all there. I used an easy out to remove the broken bolt stop screw and fashioned a new one from a M6-1.00 metric screw. I gave all the metal and wood a very thorough cleaning. I did the refinishing with cold blue and linseed oil. My friend did a great job recrowning the barrel. I ended up with a darn good looking old rifle that is a joy to shoot 410 shells using the Proteus adaptor. I only wish I could post a pic of it here.