Quote Originally Posted by DocAV View Post
The M1918s ( shorter, and Standard Mle16 Chargeur) missed WW I, and were sent to Algeria and Morocco, where they were "blocked" to straight-pull only (By brazing a Block over the Gas Hole.)
If any are still to be found, it will be in Morocco, adorning a Berber Tent or a Mud-Brick House.

Some of the M1917s were rebuilt into M18s, and some M18s were built new.
As to the Original Long M17s, I don't know how many were made and survived WWI; they were definitely used by Frenchicon Infantry in 1918 (Photos exist). Field reports on usage are scarce.
I also don't know if the M17s were also "blocked" to straight-pull. Info on these in Morocco is not clear.

Doc AV
Is mine a m1917?

I ask because the description for a MLE 1918 fits mine a lot better on forgotten weapons.

"These faults were all recognized, and simply due to the very hasty conditions under which the rifle was designed and tested. A revised and much improved Mle 1918 was put into production at the very end of the war (4,000 made in November 1918) which solved many of the early rifle’s problems. The Mle 1918 had a rotating dust cover to protect the action, it used standard Berthier 5-round clips, it added a last-round bolt hold-open, and an improved gas system. The 1918 was also lighter, weighing 10.5 pounds compared to the 1917’s 11.5 pounds. A shorter carbine version of the Mle 1918 was also made in small numbers."

Mine has those features... Has a dust cover, bolt hold open, is 10.5 lbs....

But it doesn't take 5 round berthier clips.... Also it is marked 1917 as a manufacture date, but no date on the left side of the receiver like most 1917.

What exactly do I have?

Also the charging handle is different, it's not a round ball like the 1917's in pictures.

See this picture: http://www.forgottenweapons.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/3rifles.jpg

It claims the middle one is a 1918, and the top a 1917...
I definitely have the middle one, whatever it is.

Any thoughts?