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I recently picked up this 1886 saddle ring carbine with a small collection of Winchesters. It’s an honest, original 40-82 with little remaining finish. Interestingly, it’s marked “Manufacture Francaise D’armes St Etienne” which is a French state-owned weapons manufacturer. It letters simply as a 40-82 carbine from November 1890. I’ve not been able to find any references to a French government contract for 1886 carbines. It seems to me that 40-82 would be an odd caliber choice if it were for military purposes. If anybody can shed some light on this one, I’d sure appreciate it. Mark
Hello Mark,
“Manufacture d’armes de Saint-Étienne” is not a state owned arm manufacturer, but was certainely one of the greatest privately owned small arms and bicycle manufacturer of the late XIXth and XXth Century.
They also were arms importers, including many Winchesters, and marked these guns with their own brand as ressellers.
That’s how many of the Winchesters that have been present in France (out of the obvious and well known army contracts in 1870 and 1914) for a long time are so marked.
It seems that many of the 1886 in 40-82 and 50-110 were imported in France by them if we are to judge by the frequency at wich we see them for sale or in private collections.
How this one made the journey back is anybody’s guess.
Gilles
Here are two exemples of adds for these guns recommanded in the late XIXth century for Colonists, Travellers, explorers and hunting big and dangerous game…
As for the state owned arms manufacturer, its name is: Manufacture d’Armes de Saint-Etienne (MAS).
You see how easy it is to take one for the other…
Another (later) exemple of the rebranding on a 16 gauge 1897
freebird1968 said
Here are two exemples of adds for these guns recommanded in the late XIXth century for Colonists, Travellers, explorers and hunting big and dangerous game…
As for the state owned arms manufacturer, its name is: Manufacture d’Armes de Saint-Etienne (MAS).
You see how easy it is to take one for the other…
Another (later) exemple of the rebranding on a 16 gauge 1897
Thanks so much for that information, Freebird. It’s nice to have members across the globe who can help decipher these kinds of questions. Mark
Mark –
Cool piece! I love ’86 SRC’s. Are we going to see video of this one blowing up water jugs? 
steve004 said
Mark –Cool piece! I love ’86 SRC’s. Are we going to see video of this one blowing up water jugs?
That’s a great idea!
Keep an eye peeled on our channel. Just finished up shooting a couple of original Civil War carbines on the channel (one Union & one Confederate). About time to get back to the Winchesters. Mark
Freebird,
I agree with Mark as it’s nice you we’re able to help him out with that educational Tutorial.
He’s educated so many of us on our enjoyable hobby.
Thanks for posting.
Antonio
Hi all,
Being on the forum is all about sharing, I’m glad I was able to “give back” a litle in return for the mountain of knowledge I’ve gained since joining you.
In my quest for example to publish here, I’ve found so many different models of Winchester imported and marked by the “Manufacture Française d’arme de Saint Étienne” that I am sure many more such arms have been re-imported back to their american home and are waiting for collectors to find them.
I wonder if this stamp might have an effect, detrimental or positive, on collector’s value in the US?
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