8x59mmR. 31.5" barrel. SN: F21168. Blued arsenal refinish with alloy bolt knob, bright bolt, walnut straight wrist stock with half length upper handguard, and mounting tangent ladder rear notch and front blade sights. Long stroke piston driven rotating bolt semi-automatic rifle fed by an internal magazine charged with en bloc clips. Rifle retains the original pattern ladder rear notch with flip-forward battle setting, the spring clip attached upper handguard, and the original magazine latch without updated plunger. Bolt knob is the early pattern of spring retained aluminum sphere, and retains the first pattern manually operated bolt stop. Receiver and barrel do not have the "N" marking, indicating this rifle was not converted to use the later 7.5mm cartridge. Original markings on the gun are sparse, typical of RSC 1917 production, and include the "S" and "F" safety markings to left receiver with most of the inspection markings appearing on the barrel shank. Left shank shows "LP" stamp followed by circle "B" inspection mark. Right shank struck "MA" and "T1917". The serial numbers of most parts match, but the trigger plate is numbered "F39842". Right is stamped "C.S. SEPTEMBRE. M. / 1917" enclosing "MA". Rear triggerguard displays circle "A" stamp and "R" initial. Brass plug for the gas port is numbered "2". Spring catch for the receiver end cap is too wide to engage the cutout in the cap, suggesting replacement at some point.

Though French experiments with self-loading infantry rifles date back to the turn of the century, a working model suitable for mass production and issue was not realized in the midst of the pre-WWI arms race. Nevertheless, France had embarked upon a robust program of development and experimentation which would serve as the foundation for its first mass produced self-loading rifle, the RSC 1917. Named for Paul Ribeyrolles, Charles Sutter, and Colonel Louis Chauchat, who had already collaborated on the Chauchat machine rifle, the RSC combined a long stroke piston based gas operating system with a rotating bolt assembly actuated by an operating rod in a fashion that would appear on successful self-loaders to come, including the far later M1 Garand rifle. Owing to the complex disassembly and cleaning process, the rifle was only intended to be issued to the most experienced and technically proficient soldiers at a rate of about 16 rifles per company. Still, the design was considered promising enough to warrant further improvement, which would alleviate virtually all the issues encountered with these rifles in combat. Approximately 86,000 were produced from March of 1917 to September 30, 1917. In November, it was to be replaced in production by the improved 1918 model, though only about 4,000 of the latter were made before production ceased. In the post-war years, with France experimenting with a much improved 7.5mm cartridge, rifles designed for the 8mm Lebel cartridge were of a low priority. Nevertheless, the RSC rifles, which had been the most advanced rifles in the French inventory during World War I, and would remain so at the start of World War II. Assorted upgrades were installed on the older rifles, including an updated bolt stop, magazine latch, and rechambering to 7.5mm. This rifle seems to have evaded such efforts, and retains the original pattern of magazine latch, bolt stop, and bolt handle. {C&R}

Good. Bore is Frosty with some oxidation throughout and strong rifling. Metal finish with strong blue to the receiver and a thinning blue on barrel fading to brown patina. Some abrasions and light pitting on magazine with brown streaks on cover plate, flecking to operating rod, and brown spots on lower barrel band. Upper band is brown patina overall. Mottled brown butt. Stock shows handling wear, dents, and abrasions overall with weak markings from previous sanding. Mechanically functional when cycled by hand.