Single shot Lefaucheux rifle 12 mm
From 1869, Eugene definitively gives up the revolver to be interested only in rifle.
We have here a very curious rifle fixed barrel 12 mm pinfire, single shot signed by Eugene Lefaucheux resembling patent 24524 of December 5, 1859 and continuation (February 7, and 20 1860).
The use and the mechanism of this weapon are simple: a hammer, two levers, one forming the breech, the other the ejector.
By a movement upwards and back of the lever of the breech (lever of right-hand side) one arms the hammer (which curiously is very long) and one releases the opening of the barrel for the introduction of the cartridge.
Once the cartridge placed, one lowers the lever, closing the breech. The hammer remains in position making it possible to make fire.
To extract the casing after having made fire, one remake the same movement as previously with the right lever and with the left lever one ejects it.
Several punches and marking are visible on the weapon:
· On the top of the barrel “E. Lefaucheux Bte à Paris”
· On the lower part of the barrel “438 LF” with a revolver
· On the top of the lever forming the breech, written in oval “Invn. E. Lefaucheux Breveté SGDG Paris”
· On the lower part of the carcass “ELF” surmounted of a revolver
· On each lever surmounted “ELF” of a revolver
· Inside the trigger guard “59 9”
Current weight: 2040 grams
Overall length: 1020 mm
Length of the barrel: 615 mm levers included/understood
Length right lever: 75 mm
Left length lever: 52 mm
Length of the hammer: 65 mm
Stick in drowning with buttplate.
Guillaume Van Mastrigt
