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No idea other than to keep it simple for production and or cost.

If you look at all early French rifle designs, they are all very similar. Chassepot, Gras, Lebel and Berthier look nearly the...

I don't know if the Marlin spring would work or not. Hard to see why it wouldn't, it's held in place on both ends.

Ammo is not exactly easy. It is out there but you have to look pretty hard for...

I believe Numrich has them for $7.

Might be possible but no reason to do it. Plus it would be altering the originality of the rifle. A risk might be changing the diameter of the tube could change the way the cartridges line up...

Probably just age cracks, not much pressure from that spring, even fully compressed. I've seen worse pitting, I own worse pitting.

The spring shouldn't be a big issue. There are repro/replacements out there and easy to get. Your call on calling the seller. I bought an old rifle that I felt was not listed accurately. I didn't...

Here's the one I got last fall. I don't remember exactly what I paid but I'm thinking it was around $525. I probably posted the price on here somewhere but I can't find it.

French Lebel 1886/93...

Yes, that one is a $600+ in all likelihood.

Without paperwork, it's just another Lebel. I haven't heard about these coming back from Afghanistan, mostly Martini's from there. The French were...

Price for the condition is a bit high for Gunbroker. They keep going up however so you didn't really do badly. They are getting hard to find in any condition. I spent about 3 years actively...