old mystery rifle, can you ID it?

[Dauntae]

This came home with a great uncle after WWII and has sat in my fathers basement ever since, Well needless to say it's quite dirty and needs some love and cleaning but here are some pics cobwebs and all, Hope someone can recognize it and help me figure out what this is and what it shoots, I however have NO intention of shooting it but would be cool to know.

 

[tdrizzle]

My guess?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fusil_Gras_mle_1874

Check Forgotten Weapons to be sure.

 

[Scorch]

French Gras rifle, either in 11X59mm or 8mm Lebel. Used in the Franco-Prussian Wars and other late 19th Century wars. Replaced by the Lebel and Berthier rifles in the 1890s.

 

[CP93]

My guess was going to be a Chassepot, so I guess I wasn't too far off.

 

[Famas]

This could be a Gras cadet training rifle.

 

[FrankenMauser]

That is not a Gras
It is a Berdan II.

If the receiver markings are in cyrillic and/or include a double-headed eagle, it was domestically produced in Russia. However, that rifle is early enough and has a low enough serial number that it may have been manufactured in the US by Colt and exported to Russia.

 

[Jim Watson]

Wow, you don't see many of those around here.

 

[FrankenMauser]

If made by Colt, it could be stamped (poorly and not with the usual care of Colt):
"MADE IN THE USA".

 

[emcon5]

It is a Berdan II.

Yup. Way more info than you ever wanted to know here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x0ivCTSTkzU