Tags: Weapon.
The Chassepot officially known as Fusil modèle 1866 was a bolt action military breechloading rifle famous as the arm of the French forces in the Franco-Prussian War of 1870-1871. It replaced an assortment of Minié muzzleloading rifles many of which were converted in 1867 to breech loading (the Tabatière rifles). A great improvement to existing military rifles in 1866 the Chassepot marked the commencement of the era of modern bolt action breech-loading military rifles.
