Showing off my berthier

[vintage hunter]

There is lots of unique and weird features to these rifles that just aren't found anywhere else (like the straight triggers).

And NO bloomin' safety!

[Eaglelord17]

And NO bloomin' safety!

My safety has always been my finger... especially after I saw a guy discharge into his car with his safety on. Personally I see it more as a advantage than a disadvantage since your gun is either loaded and ready to go or the chamber is empty with a full magazine (or empty magazine). Some people place too much faith in the safety, the French placed none in it.

[vintage hunter]

Personally I see it more as a advantage than a disadvantage

Kinda like viewing abstract art I reckon, everybody sees it differently. As I see it the lack of a safety is an accident waiting to happen.

I saw a guy discharge into his car with his safety on.

He obviously isn't a very responsible gun owner. Otherwise he would've ensured the safety was in proper working order prior to using the gun and he wouldn't have pointed a loaded gun at anything he didn't intend to shoot. JMO.

[waltsfastz]

The no safety is no big deal to me. Its not like it is a gun I would take out and shoot for hours, If I ever shoot it at all.

[Eaglelord17]

Kinda like viewing abstract art I reckon, everybody sees it differently. As I see it the lack of a safety is an accident waiting to happen.
He obviously isn't a very responsible gun owner. Otherwise he would've ensured the safety was in proper working order prior to using the gun and he wouldn't have pointed a loaded gun at anything he didn't intend to shoot. JMO.

The idea is you don't rely on it. You leave the chamber empty until you are ready to shoot, at which time you cycle the bolt. It is safer as there is 100% no chance of a accidental discharge due to safety failure or someone thinking the safety is on and accidentally pulling the trigger. In regards to the other gun owner, that was a wake up call, and he learnt a very valuable lesson there. He has been significantly better since.

[bob q]

This is a popular misconception. The 1932N cartridge has a heavier bullet(232gr vs 198), powder charge and produces higher chamber pressures than the Balle D but maximum bullet diameters are the same, .328''. Besides weight and construction the biggest differenct between the two bullets is the location of their maximum diameters, The solid copper lathe turned Balle D bullet has it's max diameter located above the crimp groove and the lead core cupro-nickel jacketed 1932N bullet has it's below the crimp groove. This location causes the 1932N cartridge to have a larger neck diameter than the Balle D.
This is what makes it dangerous to fire 1932N cartridges in unconverted rifles. The neck portion of an unconverted rifles chamber isn't large enough to allow the N cartridges case neck to expand sufficiently enough to release the bullet and will produce chamber pressures higher than normal.
Since we're showing off our Berthier's here's my unconverted M1916 St. Etienne carbine made in 1918. It's all matching and appears to have escaped all of the post WWI mods/upgrades.

Another popular misconception is that the case neck needs to expand to release the bullet . Just use common sense , if you pull the bullet out with pliers or a plastic bullet puller , the case does not magically expand . There is no force to make it expand and the bullet is the same size . It does not take much force to pull the bullet by hand , around 50 to 100 fp's , which is nothing compared to the 40,000 + psi made by firing . So why would another 50 or so make a difference ? All the N stamp means is the rifle was checked to make sure it would chamber the new round .

[oldpaul]

The Mle 1932 D and the Mle 1932 N cartridges both had .327" as their largest diameter. However, the .327" on the 1898 D was in front of the crimping groove and outside the neck, and the .327" diameter on the 1932 N was located inside the case neck thus necessitating enlarging the chamber at the neck. The N was then marked on the barrel and receiver to denote the modification. Tom

[vintage hunter]

Bob, you need to take your own advise and use common sense.