Modèle 1886 Lebel

rifle

Written by

The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Last updated

June 30, 2026

Quick Summary

The Modèle 1886 Lebel was the first small-bore, high-velocity repeating rifle issued by France. It fired an 8-mm round using smokeless powder. This rifle featured a tubular magazine, which was an early design that was soon replaced by box magazines. These box magazines, introduced by Ferdinand Mannlicher, were loaded using clips and were easily integrated with the bolt-action mechanism. This innovation allowed for a much faster rate of fire compared to earlier muzzle-loading rifles. The Lebel rifle marked a significant advancement in military small arms technology at the time.12

Summary created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.

2 Britannica Sources

Ask Britannica AI about this topic

Britannica doesn't have a full article on this topic, so we've curated a list of our relevant coverage.

small arm
Magazine repeaters
…small-bore high-velocity repeating rifle, the Modèle 1886 Lebel, which fired an 8-mm smokeless powder round. The tubular magazine of this rifle soon became obsolete, however. In 1885 Ferdinand Mannlicher of Austria had introduced a boxlike magazine fitted into the bottom of the rifle in front of the trigger guard. This…
Read More
…small-bore high-velocity repeating rifle, the Modèle 1886 Lebel, which fired an 8-mm smokeless powder round. The tubular magazine of this rifle soon became obsolete, however. In 1885 Ferdinand Mannlicher of Austria had introduced a boxlike magazine fitted into the bottom of the rifle in front of the trigger guard. This…
Read More