Original French Model 1866 Chassepot Needle Fire Rifle Converted to Gras in 1874 Crimean War The belt has an original

The belt has an original Royal Naval officer brass buckle featuring the King's Crown over a fouled anchor surrounded by a laurel wreath

This highly efficient conversion system prolonged the active life of the P-1853 rifles up until 1871 when the Martini System was adopted

He died in 1804

Leather grip with leather cross guard buffer (the leather buffer was only attached through the tang

Original French Model 1866 Chassepot Needle Fire Rifle Converted to Gras in 1874 Crimean War The belt has an originalOriginal Item: Only One Available. Despite the fact that the French needle fire Chassepot rifle was far superior to the needle fire Prussian Dreyse rifle, the French took a swift and decisive beating in the war of 1870 71. In fairness to the French, the defeat was due to Napoleon III's foolhardiness in allowing himself to get captured at the Battle of Sedan and the show was then over. No sooner had the defeat occurred the French started fighting among