The language on the Rifles and carbines are the tongue of Aksum from antiquity called Ge'ez, one of the oldest languages that has survived from more than 5 millennium. I have recently bought a 1874 Gras Calvary Carbine which I have started to preserve.
I just ordered a Artillery Carbine and hoping to get a good one with lots of Ethiopian markings! Im wondering now after seeing Ians video about how some of these were converted by someone other than the French and was thinking that the surplus dealer didnt braze the rear sights on good like the original arsenals and they fell off with hard use. And where can we find those songs that mention these guns?
The native American women would take the brass buttplate and the stylised Dragon side plate from their trade guns to use for personal ornament. If the barrel was damaged in any way it was cut off by the owner and used as a blanket gun or a buffalo gun. However, when the barrel was too damaged, the owner would take the gun to the nearest trading post and a new one was bought. The locks could be used to fix guns with broken locks and the barrels were forge welded closed at the thinner end and teeth were filed in. This broken barrel became a hide scraper that works extremely well. I own an original that I found in a junk box at a flea market. I knew what it was as I'd seen pictures in a museum and had them described to me by my Shoshone kin. I'm a blacksmith and I build flintlock firearms as a hobby, so I took a drawn over mandrel tube of the proper diameter and created one for my self. They work great for elk and bear and cow hide, but you need to make the teeth much finer for deer as the rougher teeth for the thicker skin animals will tear the hide of the deer. To date I've made 46 pairs for my Shoshone kin and their friends. I've been told that they work much better that a beef leg bone and it makes me happy to help my elderly kin. I've taught a lot of nieces and nephews the art of blacksmithing. I'm hoping that the dead end jobs of Indian country can be turned into artists and capital for the community as opposed to boredom, drugs and prison. I've seen to many go that route. The white men took their land, their culture and their language and then give them the worst of the land and then wonders why they won't make it in a world that constantly builds road blocks for the bord kids who have now where to go. If you can't do anything good for the people or the community, then stay out of the way of those that are.The rivers run deep and black!
I noticed they sell either gras rifles or cavarly carbines. do they sell the other 2 types of carbines? or when u buy a cavarly carbine is there a chance u get an artillery one?
Well since it wasnt mentioned even at your online store, Id like ot know what caliber these rifles are ,as im not expert? I cant understand how any rifle listing that dosnt have the calibers listed?
Maybe it's for liability reasons. They're selling these as antiques and probably don't want to actively encourage people to shoot them as it could be a safety hazard due to the condition and antiquity of the guns. Also, probably almost no one has made that ammunition in 100 years. The caliber isn't as relevant because it's not like you can walk into a gun store and ask for a box of 11x59.
My guess is some weird rule or law is why they are missing the rear sights. Like how those Ukrainian Mosins are pinned at 300 meters. There are odd gun laws everywhere and lots of gun running and political squabals in that part of the world. Maybe some group captured them and only released them after removing the rear sights, could be anything. Over 7 million surplus rifles were sold into that part of the world in many different ways in late 1800s early 1900s, the Brits and Italians tried to stop it but couldnt
You might be right. No idea. Maybe they took them off to carry them better. Who knows. I am glad we could get them. 140 year old guns in ok shape are normally not to be found anywhere. Thanks for your interest.
