Page "Lebel Model 1886 rifle" Paragraph 25

During World War I, the Lebel remained the standard rifle of French line infantry whereas the Berthier rifle-a lengthened version of the Berthier carbine-featuring a Mannlicher-style 3-round magazine was issued to colonial troops, to allied contingents within the French army and to the French Foreign Legion.

As to the short Mle 1890 and Mle 1892 Berthier carbine, they had already been issued to cavalry, artillery, machine gun and engineering troops long before the outbreak of World War I.

The Lebel and Berthier rifles could also be equipped with a removable VB ( Viven-Bessieres ) rifle grenade launcher.

While the Lebel rifle was quite effective at up to 400 meters with the standard Balle D boat-tail bullet ammunition, accuracy at longer distances was impaired by the rifle's diminutive open sights.

Consequently, APX Mle 1916 and Mle 1917 telescopic sights were placed in field use with the Lebel rifle during the latter part of World War I.

The Lebel telescopic sights were fully adjustable up to 800 meters.

The scoped Lebel was used again at the outbreak of World War II, along with scope-sighted Berthier Mle 1916 rifles, but they were no longer competitive as sniping rifles in 1940.