Un Remington Fusil de Infanterie Modèle 1907-1915 (French Berthier 8mm Rifle)

[Aragorn243]

I did a web search and there is a lot of discussion about it but only when pointed bullets or improperly seated primers were used. I personally never questioned it. Winchester Lever actions have always in no uncertain terms have listed round nosed or flat nosed bullets and commercial loadings for these calibers are all round nosed or flat nosed to my knowledge. 30-30, 45-70, 356, 7-30 Waters, etc.

Research has shown that it can cause detonation but it will not be catastrophic. In other words, chances of injury are small, major damage to firearm is small. Bulge to tube is possible.

Lebels don't have a tube so we are talking blown apart stock, the wood is going to give a lot faster than a metal tube.

[vintage hunter]

Lebels don't have a tube??? Not sure I follow.
I've always heard the same regarding the use of pointed bullets in tube mags but have so far been unable to find any documented evidence that a detonation has ever actually happened. Remington still makes a PSP load for the .35 Rem which I believe is intended for use in model 8's and 81's but there is no obvious warnings on the box(that I've noticed) against it's use in tube fed lever actions. I've shot several boxes through a Marlin 336 with no issues but always felt a bit tense simply because I knew I wasn't supposed to do it.
My apologies to jmoore for hijacking his thread. Any further discussion of this particular subject by me will be in a separate thread.

[Aragorn243]

Lebel's have a tubular magazine but there is no tube. It's a hole through the stock The stock it thus the magazine.

[vintage hunter]

Ok that clears it all up. Only Lebel I've ever seen was 30 years ago and I knew just enough to recognize what it was. Could've owned it for $20 but it was missing the entire bolt assembly. Not overly interested in French weapons to begin with.

[jmoore]

Does anyone in forum land know of a documented case of a tube magazine explosion caused by the use of pointy bullets?

No, but i did see the results of a dropped bag of .40 S&W ammo. Somehow one case impacted the primer of another upon impact with the floor and "Boom"! Small fragments all about the place. Would suspect the same with the Lebel. Not under recoil so much, but having the butt smack the deck sharply...

But back to the Berthier.

The front sight on the French built '07-15s seems to be the wide "blade" with notch on top. The Remington has the old style front:



Too bad, I like the new style much better!

[Aragorn243]

I can't say that I'm a fan of those sights but it could be I'm simply not used to them. I guess the concept is to fill the entire block of the rear sight and set the notch on the target.