POTD: Liegeoise Model 1888 Straight Pull Bolt Action Trials Rifle
Sam.S 01.13.22
Welcome to today’s Photo of the Day! Today we have a Liegeoise D’Armes Model 1888 trials rifle. These rifles were fielded in the Belgian trial for a new service rifle in the late 1880s. Little is known about how the firearm was performed or what the Belgian military thought of it since all trials reports are lost. The Liegeoise D’Armes Model 1888 rifle is a straight-pull rifle that utilizes an 8mm cartridge. Interestingly these were designed to use an en-bloc clip a lot like the Mannlicher 1895 that would beat it in trials. Eventually, the United States had a rifle with en-bloc clips in the form of the M1 Garand.
“This is an exceptional example of a Manufacture Liegeoise D’Armes Model 1888 rifle. This Model was unsuccessfully submitted for the Belgium Government trials in 1888. The rejection of the rifle led to the adoption of the Mauser Model 1889 rifle. These rifles have an unusual straight pull bolt design. The bolt handle is mounted on top of the bolt and rotates to the rear to release and pull back the bolt, and then after loading, it is being pushed back forward and then rotated forward to lock the bolt. The bolt can be easily removed by pulling slightly upward after it is pulled back. It has an integral box magazine and a rotating safety mounted on the right side of the stock wrist. The left side of the receiver is marked “MANUFACTURE LIEGEOISE D’ARMES A FEU” and “SYSTEM ENGH BREVETE MODELE 1888” on the left side. Inverted “v” front sight and folding ladder rear sight absent of any graduation markings. The top of the bolt is marked with a “*/X” and a perron proof marks. The cleaning rod (included) is housed in a channel on the left side of the forearm. There is a bayonet lug on the underside of the front barrel band and a sling swivel on the rear barrel band. Blue finish with a bright bolt assembly, and casehardened rear sight and trigger. Mounted with a multi-point checkered one piece straight grip stock with a matching hand guard. The buttstock is fitted with a sling swivel and a smooth iron buttplate.”
Lot 637: Liegeoise D Armes Bolt Action Rifle 7.92 mm. (n.d.). Rock Island Auction Company. photograph. Retrieved January 12, 2022, from https://www.rockislandauction.com/detail/65/637/liegeoise-d-armes-bolt-action-rifle-792-mm.
