REMINGTON MLE 1907-15

Overview

The Remington M1907-15 (often designated as the Mle 1907/15) is an American-manufactured variant of the French Berthier bolt-action service rifle. Produced in 1916 during World War I, it is highly sought after by modern collectors due to its fascinating, disrupted production history.The French Wartime ContractDesperate Shortages: Facing severe infantry weapon shortages early in WWI, France contracted Remington UMC to manufacture 200,000 Berthier M1907-15 rifles.Production Hurdles: Remington struggled with labor strikes, factory delays, and strict French demands that parts be completely interchangeable with French-made rifles.Canceled Contract: Due to delivery delays and claims from French inspectors that the bore diameters and chamber dimensions failed to meet standards, France canceled the contract after Remington built roughly 15,000 to 20,000 units.Where They Ended Up: France accepted fewer than 10,000 units. The U.S. military bought some for domestic training, and the rest were sold directly to the U.S. commercial market after the war.Design and Mechanical FeaturesCaliber: Chambered in the standard French military 8x50mmR Lebel cartridge.Magazine: Uses a small, internal vertical-feed 3-round Mannlicher-style en-bloc clip.Sights: Features a complex long-range ladder sight and a forward-flipping notch optimized for a 250-meter close-range battle sight.