I know an excellent video that might answer your question here:
Forgotten Weapons with Ian McCollum:
“There are three kinds of men. The ones that learn by readin’. The few who learn by observation.
The rest of them have to pee on the electric fence for themselves.” - Will Rogers
rare colour photograph of French colonial (Senegalese) troops. They are keeping their Berthiers (or Lebels) clean with a sock with the toe cut off, and some sort of muzzle cover too. Just on the edge of the shot is a Chauchat machine rifle, with its action cover in place. Alsace, June 6th 1917.