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buckstix
.400 member


Reged: 07/11/12
Posts: 1091
Loc: Whitetail Country
Lefaucheux 8mm Lebel Double Rifle with amazing Hunting Story
      #348857 - 05/01/21 11:49 AM

Lefaucheux 8mm Lebel Double Rifle with amazing Hunting Story

Hello all,

I had acquired this interesting Double Rifle about 7 years ago. Caliber is 8mm Lebel. It is marked "Lefaucheux, 37 Rue Vivienne Paris". Barrels are marked "Leopold Bernard / Canonnier Paris" / 35683".

Specifications are:



Re-regulation was done by JJ Perodeau - with good results. See his notation.

And the interesting story about the hunt is shown below in RED, after the pictures.

As always, your comments are welcome.












































At last I have for you the story about the gun.

The Lefaucheux Double rifle was owned by my great grandfather, Henri Norat. He was a High
Ranking French Military Officer who hunted big game in the early 1900's after he retired. I'm not
sure if the rifle was purchased by him, or given to him as a gift. It was very fancy decorated with
yellow and white gold vines and leaves. I remember it was in 8mm Lebel caliber which was the
French Military cartridge of the time.

The story as told to me by my grandfather was that his father was hunting in Africa for Rhino with
a big 500 double rifle. He had been hunting for more than a week with a Professional Hunter and
his 2 natives. After several more days of not having much success, he took a break to hunt some
smaller animals with his little 8mm Lebel. Apparently he had shot an Oryx with it, but it didn't go
right down and ran off into some dense swampy brush. While they were following the blood trail
of the wounded Oryx deep into the wet thickets they started hearing the crushing of branches and
hoofs off in the distance ahead of them. When the sounds got louder they realized it was getting
closer to them. Although they couldn't see more than 5 feet in any direction, the sounds kept
coming closer and closer, and louder and louder, and they knew by the crashing noise that
whatever it was, it was big.

They decided to quit trailing the wounded Oryx and turned around to starting heading back
toward more open ground from where they had come. They moved as quick as they could but
the wet ground slowed their efforts. Before they got more than 20 yards, the cover behind them
exploded with the grunting charge of what now could be seen as a huge Rhino. By now, the 2
natives had disappeared far ahead, and the Professional Hunter was in front of my great
grandfather, with the Rhino upon them both as it charged them from behind. Both of them had
started to turn and raise their rifles to shoot, but it was too late. They had only a fraction of a
second to dive to the side, one right, and the other left, to avoid being trampled by the beast. As
my great grandfather dove left, he felt the fingers of his right hand being crushed by the hooves of
the Rhino. In the midst of the attack, the Professional Hunter yelled "don't move, and don't make
a sound", and they both laid still in the mud and waited. The chilling yell of one of the runaway
natives told that he did not escape the attack.

After waiting about 10 minutes without moving, the two men slowly and cautiously rose to their
feet. It was then that my great grandfather realized that the pain in his hand was not from the
hoof of the Rhino, but from the rifle that he was still grasping in his right hand. It seems that the
Rhino stomped on the rifle's stock, and crushed it deep into the wet ground, with my great
grandfather's fingers still wrapped it. Although 3 of his fingers were dislocated, none were
broken. When the stock was examined, it showed a deep crease from the Rhino's hoof that
stomped it deep into the mud. It was most surprising that the stock didn't break, or even crack,
from the 2 ton beast that stomped it. The stock was left as is to remain a future reminder to be
cautious even when hunting ordinary game in Africa.

R.W. Dunn





--------------------
"You never pay too much for something, you only buy it too early."


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Marrakai
.416 member


Reged: 09/01/03
Posts: 3475
Loc: Darwin, Top End of Australia
Re: Lefaucheux 8mm Lebel Double Rifle with amazing Hunting Story [Re: buckstix]
      #348872 - 05/01/21 06:09 PM

Marvelous stuff!

Love the "hop-grasser" on the Lefaucheux coat of arms!

...and that front sight could come in handy if you happen to lose one of your chess pieces!



--------------------
Marrakai
When the bull drops, the bullshit stops!
--------------------------------
www.marrakai-adventure.com.au


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buckstix
.400 member


Reged: 07/11/12
Posts: 1091
Loc: Whitetail Country
Re: Lefaucheux 8mm Lebel Double Rifle with amazing Hunting Story [Re: Marrakai]
      #348875 - 05/01/21 06:41 PM

Quote:

Marvelous stuff!

Love the "hop-grasser" on the Lefaucheux coat of arms!

...and that front sight could come in handy if you happen to lose one of your chess pieces!





Hello Marrakai,
Thanks for the reply.

Yes, the front sight would come in handy if I ever had to PAWN the rifle.

I bought the Story, and the rifle came with it.

--------------------
"You never pay too much for something, you only buy it too early."


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93x64mm
.416 member


Reged: 07/12/11
Posts: 3954
Loc: Nth QLD Australia
Re: Lefaucheux 8mm Lebel Double Rifle with amazing Hunting Story [Re: buckstix]
      #348881 - 05/01/21 10:39 PM

Great story there Buckstix!
Amazing luck to not being stomped, attests to the rifle strength considering being run over by a rhino!
It appears your load is by far better than the regulating load, that gold front bead must certainly standout on a target!
Well done indeed matey!


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buckstix
.400 member


Reged: 07/11/12
Posts: 1091
Loc: Whitetail Country
Re: Lefaucheux 8mm Lebel Double Rifle with amazing Hunting Story [Re: 93x64mm]
      #348882 - 05/01/21 11:05 PM

Quote:

Great story there Buckstix!
Amazing luck to not being stomped, attests to the rifle strength considering being run over by a rhino!
It appears your load is by far better than the regulating load, that gold front bead must certainly standout on a target!
Well done indeed matey!



Hello 93x64mm,
Thanks for the reply.

Yes, lucky the stock wasn't smashed, only dented. The load is acceptable for anything I might want to shoot here in Wisconsin. And, the Unique Front Sight seems to up-stage all the Gold & Platinum inlays.

--------------------
"You never pay too much for something, you only buy it too early."


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AaronN322
.224 member


Reged: 01/09/14
Posts: 13
Loc: USA
Re: Lefaucheux 8mm Lebel Double Rifle with amazing Hunting Story [Re: buckstix]
      #349086 - 11/01/21 04:35 AM

Beautiful gun.

Some of the people on the https://casimirlefaucheux.com/ forum would probably love to see this too.

--------------------
Clock Guns, Pauly Guns, Pinfire Guns and Pinfire Cartridges


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rigbymauser
.400 member


Reged: 15/05/05
Posts: 1970
Loc: Denmark
Re: Lefaucheux 8mm Lebel Double Rifle with amazing Hunting Story [Re: AaronN322]
      #349092 - 11/01/21 07:28 AM

A very “french” dr.

Never seen such piece and never in 8mmLebel.

Interesting piece. Congratulations with a Chanel No5 rifle...LOL


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bwanabobftw
.375 member


Reged: 29/12/04
Posts: 662
Loc: Texas
Re: Lefaucheux 8mm Lebel Double Rifle with amazing Hunting Story [Re: rigbymauser]
      #349107 - 11/01/21 11:41 PM

Fantastic Rifle and what a story !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Robert


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degoins
.333 member


Reged: 28/02/06
Posts: 423
Loc: SC, USA
Re: Lefaucheux 8mm Lebel Double Rifle with amazing Hunting Story [Re: bwanabobftw]
      #349136 - 12/01/21 09:18 AM

Wonderful rifle and exciting story!! Thanks for sharing.

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Viking338
.333 member


Reged: 11/08/11
Posts: 479
Loc: Queensland Australia
Re: Lefaucheux 8mm Lebel Double Rifle with amazing Hunting Story [Re: degoins]
      #349143 - 12/01/21 11:29 AM

That is a very lovely rifle mate. Thanks for those photos and the story also. A piece of history in your hands every time you hold it.

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buckstix
.400 member


Reged: 07/11/12
Posts: 1091
Loc: Whitetail Country
Re: Lefaucheux 8mm Lebel Double Rifle with amazing Hunting Story [Re: Viking338]
      #349479 - 20/01/21 11:43 AM

Quote:

Beautiful gun.

Some of the people on the https://casimirlefaucheux.com/ forum would probably love to see this too.



Hello AaronN322,
Thanks for the reply.

Yes, I posted the story there.


Quote:

A very “french” dr.

Never seen such piece and never in 8mmLebel.

Interesting piece. Congratulations with a Chanel No5 rifle...LOL



Hello rigbymauser,
Thanks for the reply

Its definitely different - that's why I fell in love with it.

Quote:

Fantastic Rifle and what a story !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Robert



Hello bwanabobftw,
Thanks for the reply

Quote:

Wonderful rifle and exciting story!! Thanks for sharing.



Hello degoins,
Thanks for the reply

Quote:

That is a very lovely rifle mate. Thanks for those photos and the story also. A piece of history in your hands every time you hold it.



Hello Viking338,
Thanks for the reply

--------------------
"You never pay too much for something, you only buy it too early."


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paradox_
.375 member


Reged: 12/05/07
Posts: 645
Loc: Australia
Re: Lefaucheux 8mm Lebel Double Rifle with amazing Hunting Story [Re: buckstix]
      #349493 - 20/01/21 04:31 PM

Wonderful yarn. This is when they talk!

--------------------
Walk softly and carry a big stick


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lancaster
.470 member


Reged: 06/05/08
Posts: 8664
Loc: There's a lighthouse in the mi...
Re: Lefaucheux 8mm Lebel Double Rifle with amazing Hunting Story [Re: paradox_]
      #349603 - 24/01/21 05:29 AM

a 1886 Lebel was my first rifle when I was 14 and no it was not legal then so I have a special relation with this cartridge. still have the rifle because it goes into an "old gun" amnesty in 1990.
was the first rifle I was loading for with the stuff at hand. cases were resized 7,62x54R military steel cases, new berdan primer made with toy caps and 7,62x39 military blank powder to help ignition. powder was taken from WW 2 3006 military cartridges that were laying into the earth for more than 40 years before.
bullets different but later cast with a 8,15 Schützen rifle mould I got from a flew market.
got the rifle rusted but shoot it first after two weeks.
those were the days and when you had learned the stuff than your mind becomes your weapon.

have you try the new PRVI made ammo Buckstix?

--------------------
Norwegian hunter misses moose, shoots man on toilet
.
bringing civilisation to the barbarians


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buckstix
.400 member


Reged: 07/11/12
Posts: 1091
Loc: Whitetail Country
Re: Lefaucheux 8mm Lebel Double Rifle with amazing Hunting Story [Re: lancaster]
      #365456 - 13/05/22 10:10 PM

Quote:

a 1886 Lebel was my first rifle when I was 14 and no it was not legal then so I have a special relation with this cartridge. still have the rifle because it goes into an "old gun" amnesty in 1990.
was the first rifle I was loading for with the stuff at hand. cases were resized 7,62x54R military steel cases, new berdan primer made with toy caps and 7,62x39 military blank powder to help ignition. powder was taken from WW 2 3006 military cartridges that were laying into the earth for more than 40 years before.
bullets different but later cast with a 8,15 Schützen rifle mould I got from a flew market.
got the rifle rusted but shoot it first after two weeks.
those were the days and when you had learned the stuff than your mind becomes your weapon.

have you try the new PRVI made ammo Buckstix?


Hello lancaster,
Thanks for the reply.

Yes, it regulates very well with the new prvi ammo.

--------------------
"You never pay too much for something, you only buy it too early."


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