M1871/88 Dutch Beaumont Vitalli w/ early pattern bayonet

ALL ANTIQUE RIFLES SOLD AS-IS. NEVER ATTEMPT TO FIRE AN ANTIQUE WEAPON WITHOUT CONSULTING A GUNSMITH. SEE PICTURES FOR CONDITION AND DETAILS. These are sold as collectible antiques.

The 1871 Beaumont was the Netherlands first foray into moden bolt action single-shot rifles, and was one of the first to utilize metallic cartridges in the world. The Beaumont had a very good action and utilized a unique bolt with the mainspring housed in the bolt handle.

Just 10 years later, however, repeating rifles made it obsolete. Sadly, the Dutch, like the United States, was a very late adopter of repeating rifles.

Following the success of conversions such as the Mauser 71/84, and the Vetterli-Vitalli, the Dutch began a massive conversion program. After trials, they decided on the Vitalli bagazine conversion, and began implementing the upgrade in 1888; just two years after the Lebel had made such rifles obsolete.

While the rifle was already obsolete upon its debut, it soldiered on into World War I, alongside the Dutch version of the M95 Steyr-Hemberg.

This is a really nice, clean example of the Vitalli conversion. The rifle is dated 1886, and is all matching with a nice bore and a tight action. It also comes with an early pattern Beaumont bayonet.

11mm Sharpe Patrone (11x52R)



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