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Military Rifles in the Age of Transition
(Non-U.S.) Black Powder, Metallic Cartidge, Military Rifles
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M1882 Civil Guard Comblain Infantry Rifle
(Fusil d’Infanterie Comblain de la Garde Civique, Modèle 1882)
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M1882 Civil Guard Comblain Infantry Rifle (Fusil d’Infanterie Comblain de la Garde Civique, Modèle 1882) - Photo Credit Arthur Van Roosem Koninklijk Legermuseum in Brussels (klm-mra.be/nl)
HISTORICAL CONTEXT
A discussion of the general historical context within which the Comblain rifle was originally developed can be found at the main Comblain "index" page here: The Comblain rifle
By the beginning of the 1880s there had occurred significant evolution in firearms design overall and although the m1870 Belgian guard Civic Comblain had held its own and the South American Comblains (for example the Brazilian and Chilean models) had demonstrated especially good service, the Belgian guard Civic was looking to upgrade and modernize its rifles, and considering preparing a substantial order.
Belgium had thus far avoided the conflicts of the previous couple of decades, mostly involving the Prussians and nearly all of their neighbors. But Europe in 1880 was far from a secure, idyllic landscape, and si vis pacem, para bellum certainly applied.
DEVELOPMENT
While production was never on par with the American made Remington No1 Rolling Block rifles (premier examples being the M1868 & M1870 Spanish Remingtons), nor even with the numbers of British Martini Henrys or Providence Tool Company Peabody and Peabody-Martini Rifles produced, the basic M1870 Comblain was certainly a successful rifle for its time, seeing adoption across multiple different countries in Europe, South America and even the Middle East. Still, by 1880 the design was due for a refresh and the companies making up the consortium manufacturing the Comblain undertook improvements in the rifle, both as to design and quality control. In 1881 the Liège syndicate introduced the improved Fusil Comblain Modèle 1881 (Comblain rifle model 1881) featuring an extended all steel action with sling swivels located as originally designed, ahead of the receiver and below the upper barrel band.
Thus, the Liège syndicate of arms manufacturers set to work designing an upgraded version of the classic Comblain. What emerged was the M1881 improved Comblain rifle. This model was adopted by Persia in 1881 or 1882 becoming what we denominate the M1881 Persian Comblain, with an estimated order of 1-2000 rifles.
For their own, specific rifle order, the Belgian Garde Civique had a slightly different list of requirements and thus specified several small changes, the most visually distinct from the M1881 being the relocation of the sling swivels.
By the time that this model was adopted by the Belgian Guarde Civique and readied for production, it featured the same extended steel receiver into which the buttstock, which now had a short integral tenon similar to that found in British Martini Henrys, allowing it to lock into the rear of the receiver thus eliminating the receiver's rear most transverse screw. The shape of the hammer was different from the earlier model allowing for easier cocking and setting to halfcock, and the sling swivels were now affixed to the comb of the buttstock and below the rear barrel band. All hardware was also now steel rather than bronze or brass.
GENERALLY
This rugged dropping-block design is the creation of Hubert-Joseph Comblain of Liège, Belgium. The Comblains adopted and utilized by Belgium were produced first with bronze actions (the early M1870 Guarde Civique Comblain) and the later steel action M1882 Guarde Civique Comblain. This page focuses on this later M1882 Belgian Comblain.
The Comblain Modèle 1870 and Modèle 1882 rifles were only actively utilized by the Belgian home guard, the Garde Civique. (The Garde Civique were small para-military units raised in some of the larger cities of Belgium in the 19th century. One could call them "city-militia". The unit-markings on their weapons which designate their hometown are distinctive individual letters.) The only Comblains that were carried by the active military (the Belgian Army) were the different variations of 980 mm (39 in) long carbines (Mousqueton Comblain Modèle 1871 and subsequent variations, the Models 1871/1883, 1871/1883 modifié and 1871/83/88), all described at M1870 Comblain Civil Guard Rifle. The Belgian Army was fully equipped in those years by the M1867 & M1873 Albini-Braendlin, arguably and inferior weapon, but certainly less costly. All of these weapons, including the series of musketoons were replaced with the introduction of the Belgian Mauser M1889, first entering service in 1891.
Credit: http://regbel1830.com
DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS
Firstly, the all steel M1882 rifle is much more robust than the earlier phosphor-bronze M1870. The M1882 Comblain has no bronze parts whatsoever. Its receiver is redesigned and is 4 inches (102 mm) long not including tangs, compared with the M1870’s 3 ¼” (82 mm) length, while only being 2 1/8” (53 mm) high, which is about ¼” (approximately 6 mm) shorter than the earlier version.
As this new Belgian rifle follows from the improved Comblain design of the syndicate then manufacturing Comblains in Liège, first unveiled with the full scale production of the M1881 Persian Comblain, the trigger guard/operating lever is also somewhat simplified and has now also been enlarged towards the front, so that it is easier to use to manipulate.
Note that the operating lever is deeper and more forward on the bottom two rifles (1881 & 1882) than the earlier (1870) family of Comblains.
Caption: Top: M1870 Garde Civique Comblain, Center: M1881 “Improved” here represented by a M1881 Persian Comblain, Bottom: M1882 Garde Civique
The design of the hammer of these two Comblains is also noticeably different. The M1870 having a decidedly forward tilt and sharp upper edge, whereas the M1882 higher, and rounded well back. This provided for a far more comfortable thumb grip
Cartion: Top: M1870 Garde Civique Comblain, Center: M1881 “Improved” here represented by a M1881 Persian Comblain, Bottom: M1882 Garde Civique
Like the M1870, the M1882 has two barrel bands and a nosecap. Unlike the M1870, the middle band of the M1882 carries the front sling swivel. The lower swivel is mounted near the bottom of the buttstock rather than ahead of the trigger guard.
Caption: See also very top photo of this page, above
The upper barrel band is fitted with an integral bayonet lug, that band being virtually identical to the upper band utilized on the British Martini-Henry series of rifles.
Since the bayonet mounts to a lug located on the upper band, the nosecap of the M1882 is now mounted only 2 ½” (64 mm) back from the muzzle.
Top: M1870 Garde Civique Comblain, Bottom: M1882 Garde Civique
As the buttstock has been slightly redesigned to incorporate an integral tenon at the front of the buttstock, the upper tang of the new, improved M1882 receiver is fitted for only one screw, while that of the earlier M1870 is longer and fitted for two screws.
Drawings found in the booklet “LE FUSIL COMBLAIN Modèle 1881” published by Lambin & Théate, describing features of both the Modèle 1881 and the Modèle 1882. (via Jonathan Kirtin, at pg 57).
The rear sight is now graduated from 100m to 1,300m (110 to 1,422yds).
Top: M1870 Garde Civique Comblain, Bottom: M1882 Garde Civique
OPERATING MECHANISM
Having such a unique action, the Comblain can hardly be mistaken for anything else. The relatively massive receiver houses a substantial breech block which is pivoted back and downward below the receiver by the combination trigger guard/operating lever which pivots forward of the trigger. The trigger itself is located in a semi‑cylindrical steel housing also containing the mainspring and sear assembly. Operation of the rifle is likewise unique. Pushing the trigger guard downward and forward (most easily accomplished by pushing through with the thumb of the trigger hand) slightly backs and lowers the breech block/hammer/trigger/spring assembly, which then rotates radially down and away from the chamber while both cocking the hammer and extracting the spent cartridge case. The fresh cartridge is manually inserted into the chamber, the operating lever raised which moves the breech block into the closed position and the rifle is ready to fire.
Chamber open, ready to insert a cartridge
This Comblain’s hammer is set at half cock
Photo Credit Arthur Van Roosem Koninklijk Legermuseum in Brussels (klm-mra.be/nl)
MARKINGS
The right side of the receiver is marked the same as the M1870 Civil Guard Comblain Short Rifle except that the serial number is located on the left side of the receiver and may or may not appear on the left edge of the barrel ahead of the receiver.
(Please zoom in for details)
(Please zoom in for details)
The “S” in a diamond is an inspection/manufacturer’s mark of the Syndicat Liègeois (The Liège Syndicate)
Standard Belgian proof marks appear on the knoxform as well as on each side of the top of the breech block, as they do on virtually all other Comblains as well.
The M1882 Belgian Garde Civique Comblain is generally marked similarly to that of the M1881 Persian Comblain except with regard to manufacturers’ markings. Despite the total production of perhaps 30,000 rifles, very few of them appear to have been marked with an individual manufacturer’s set of markings. Indeed, those few M1882 Comblains which carry the manufacturers marking of A. Francotte may rather have possibly been part of the M1882/84 Moroccan Comblain contract rather than the Guard Civique contract. Comblains which are almost certainly Garde Civique contract M1882s are stamped with the Liège Syndicate’s cartouche stamped into the left buttstock which consists of the intertwined letters "SL" in the center of a circular inscription "SYNDICAT LIÈGEOIS ARMES DE GUERRE” (Liège Syndicate Military Arms) all within a large ellipse. The right side of the buttstock is most often marked with a roundel including the words "GARDE CIVIQUE 1882" all surrounding a center design of the Belgian coat of arms Royal Lion. (See below for examples).
The buttstock is often very well cartouched The right side of the buttstock usually carries the Civil Guard roundel "GARDE CIVIQUE 1882" on it alongside an elaborate “Controller of the Wood (stocks)” inspection stamp
Translations: “The Markings of a Buttstock of a Comblain Rifle of the Civic Guard”
1. Manufacturer (Liège Syndicate)
2. Cartouche of the Civic Guard
3. & 4. Controller of the Wood, Complete (Stock mfgr is complete)
5. Inspection mark of the Inspector of Military Arms
(drawing via Kristopher Gassior, collectiblefirearms.com)
Photo Credit Arthur Van Roosem Koninklijk Legermuseum in Brussels (klm-mra.be/nl)
The left side of the buttstock can often (if not worn by time) be found with the manufacturing mark of the Liège Syndicate (Syndicat Liègeois marque)
Translation: Liège Syndicate Military (War) Arms
A set of marking on this Comblain rifle that are dispositive of identification appears on the top barrel flat (knoxform) just ahead of the receiver. This is a large one or two letter code above a large low-number set of digits (possibly a rack number). This combination is the Belgian town or city to which that particular rifle was assigned, the letters corresponding to that town or city.
Belgian City Codes list: via Jonathan Kirton, at pg 62
AH corresponds to the city of Liège itself
Z corresponds to the town of Saint Nicolas
N corresponds to the town of Soonerbeek
BD corresponds to villages of Jamet, Dampremy & Roux all in the municipality of Charleroi, located in the province of Hainaut, Belgium
Lastly, for reasons that we do not yet understand, one mark that we have NOT seen on these M1882 Belgian Garde Civique Comblains is the otherwise ubiquitous Belgian government ownership mark of "GB in an oval" ("Gouvernement Belge") found on Belgian Army Albini-Braendlin rifles as well as on the earlier M1870 Belgian Garde Civique rifles
A Belgian government ownership markings stamped onto a M1870 Belgian Garde Civique Comblain. For whatever reason, this “GB” mark has not been seen on the M1882 Belgian Garde Civique Comblains
SPECIFICATIONS, STATISTICS & DATA
M1882 Civil Guard Comblain Infantry Rifle (Fusil d’Infanterie Comblain de la Garde Civique, Modèle 1882)
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Overall Length: 1,265 mm (94.75 in)
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Weight, empty: 3.95 kg (8 lbs. 12oz)
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Barrel Length: 880 mm (34.6 in)
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Rifling: 4-groove; RH, concentric
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Sight: Ramp & Leaf, graduated from 200m (220 yds) to 1,300 m (1,425 yds)
SHORT RIFLES, CARBINES & SPECIAL VERSIONS:
The Belgium Garde Civique had a number of calvary units in it so it would be assumed that they were equipped with a M1882 carbine version. However, there is no definite information on this to confirm it.
BAYONETS
M1882 Épée (Sword) Bayonet
The M1882 Bayonet is very similar to French Gras 1874 Bayonet. But because the M1881 improved Comblain as well as the M1882 variants mount their bayonets to a bayonet lug formed as part of the upper band similar to the Turkish M1874 Peabody-Martini (and for example the M1878 Swiss Vetterlis), the offset between muzzle ring and bayonet lug slot is noticeably greater than that of its French counterpart.
Where the French version of this bayonet has a noticeable hump in the along the top of the bayonet tang, the Belgian version is flat on “top” but has a noticeable bump forming part of its handle along the “bottom” of the grip.
On the right side of the cross guard is the BN number, which is normally shared with the rifle. On the left side of the cross guard is the rack and town code letters. The bayonet below is marked with an A which corresponds with the town of Anviers. (The Comblain Rifle An Early Falling Block Breechloader - Jonathan Kirton)
Markings also include the matching rifle’s serial number on the right hand of the cross guard often associated with the city code letter of the Garde Civique, and the ubiquitous "S" in a diamond Syndicate Legiouis proof above the letters "LD" on the top of the blade at the hilt.
The blade face of the hilt might include a manufacturers' mark as well.
Photo Credit: https://bayonets.pl/
CARTRIDGE
The original military M1870 Comblain Rifle used the same cartridge as used in the Albini-Braendlin and Terssen rifles. This cartridge used a rolled brass foil case and existed in at least 8 variations. All but the last had minor structural changes or different bullets but used a straight tapered cased. At various times these cartridges have been known as the: 11mm Belgian Infantry, 11mm Terssen, 11mm Comblain M71, 11mm Albini M67. (Francis Latoir ‘The 11mm Belgian Infantry Cartridge’ (The Cartridge Collector 237-2:9/84))
DIMENSIONS: M1867 11.4x51R, 11x50R
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Bullet diameter: 11.32mm
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Neck diameter: .11.98mm
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Base diameter: 14.73mm
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Rim diameter: 17.22mm
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Case length: 53mm
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Total length: 63mm
DIMENSIONS: M1880 11.4x51R or 11x50R
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Bullet diameter: 11.35mm
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Neck diameter: 11.68mm
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Base diameter: 14.6mm
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Rim diameter: 17.09mm
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Case length: 53mm
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Total length: 65mm
DIMENSIONS: M1867 Carbine, 11.4x42R or 11X42R
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Bullet diameter: 11.25mm
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Neck diameter:
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Base diameter:
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Rim diameter:
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Case length: 42mm
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Total length: 57mm
Photo Credit: https://militarycartridges.com/
For more detailed information on the Comblain and its cartridge history, check out this article by Historian Brad Dixon, a New Zealand Cartridge Collector: Comblain Drawn Case Cartridges.
MANUFACTURING DATA
Belgium being a smaller country that did not have large manufacturing, it had to rely on a group of small and medium sized companies which formed a cottage industry for small parts to syndicate members. Comblains were made by the ‘Petit Syndicat,’ Liège (Ancion & Co., Dresse-Laloux & Co., Auguste Francotte, and Pirlot-Frésart & Co.), the syndicate itself was a legal consortium which was required to organize and complete large military orders.
Even though the Belgian city of Liège was an international center of arms manufacture, no one company was especially large or generally able to take on more than one firearms contract at a time, or even one very large contract for that matter. To compete with the likes of the giant Austrian firms (OEWG) or American firms (Remington, Providence Tool, etc) the Belgians formed partnerships (syndicates) amongst themselves.
One such syndicate was formed to produce the M1882 Belgian Garde Civique Comblains. This was the Syndicat Liègeois Armes de Guerre (Liège Syndicate for Military Arms). Although individual manufacturers built the M1882s, the “manufacturer of record” was the syndicate, which explains why individual manufacturers’ marks do not appear on M1882s but rather the markings of the syndicate itself.
Kirtin notes that an initial order for 10,000 rifles was placed by the Belgian government in 1882, and that this order was soon followed with an additional order of 20,000 for a total order of 30,000 rifles, nearly triple the orders which had been placed by Belgium for the first, original M1870 Comblain. The earlier Comblains must certainly have been successful to earn such an endorsement.
The exact Comblain production numbers are unknown, but below is what we are aware of. (Kirton)
UTILIZATION BY OTHER COUNTRIES
The Comblain in various models was utilized by at least Belgium, Brazil (6 rifle and 3 carbine models), Chile, Morocco, Persia, Peru and perhaps Greece. However, the M1882 itself is only known to have been adopted by Belgium and Morocco.
See: The Comblain Rifle for a comprehensive listing with links to the various countries which adopted varieties of the Comblain rifles, short rifles and carbines.
Morocco:
See Page on Moroccan Comblains
France:
It appears that some Comblains might have been refinished and marked by the U.S.T.F which stands for "Union des Sociétés Française de Tir", which loosely translates: “Union of French Shooting Associations” which would be civilian groups or clubs, not military organizations.
If anyone has any additional information on this please let us know.
ADDITIONAL PHOTOS
PREDECESSOR & FOLLOW-ON RIFLES
Predecessor Rifle: M1870 Comblain
Follow-On Rifle(s): Mauser 1898
Photo Credit: https://www.rockislandauction.com/
REFERENCES
A special thanks to Arthur Van Rossem of the Koninklijk Legermuseum, Brad Dixon and Jonathan Kirtin!
Militärgewehre mit Fallblockverschluss - Heino Hintermeier
Les Armes a Feu Reglementaires Belges Depuis 1830 - Credit Communal
The Comblain Rifle An Early Falling Block BreechLoader - Jonathan Grenville Kirton
To learn more about Comblain Rifles, we strongly encourge you to read or to purchase this fine book by Jonathan Kirton!
Page built June 4, 1997
Revised March 29, 1998
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