COMBLAIN DRAWN CASE CARTRIDGES 

WBD/1 : 11/99

Hubert Joseph Comblain, a Gunmaker of Liè ge (Belgium), designed Rifle loading mechanisms commencing in 1867 with a side lever action rifle (the Comblain No1 Rifle which was also evidently known as the "Reilly-Comblain"). In 1869 testing of the Comblain No2 Rifle begun in the Belgian military Rifle trials that had commenced in 1867. The No2 Rifle used the more well known Dropping/Sliding Block action now generally referred to as the ‘Comblain’ action. Rifles were originally produced by the Belgian company Lambin et Cie. In 1870 this rifle was adopted by the Belgian civil guard as the Comblain M70 Rifle and in 1871 a Comblain M71 Carbine was adopted by the Belgian Cavalry. Brazil and Chile adopted their own patterns of the Comblain No2 Rifle action (some with unique calibres) and evidently, Greece, Peru and evidently Argentina were supplied with standard Comblain No2 Rifles in the original 11x50R calibre.

All early 11mm Belgian military Rifles and Carbines used rolled brass foil cases. In 1875, drawn brass cases were first produced in Belgium by Charles Fusnot & Cie. In 1879, the Ecole de Pyrotechnie d’Anvers (EPA) took over production of such cases. All the Belgian Comblain Rifles used identical firing chambers, although successive adopted cartridges used different case profiles. The foil case type was also used in early Brazilian rifles and carbines. This article will concentrate on the drawn case types used in Comblain Rifles and Carbines, all of which (except perhaps CO7) used a case with 14.7-14.9mm base.