French Model 1856 Arcelin System breechloading rifle musket with saber-lance bayonet.An oddity among

French Model 1856 Arcelin System breechloading rifle musket with saber-lance bayonet.An oddity among military muskets, the French Model 1856 Arcelin was a breechloading conversion of the standard M1856 infantry musket.  The action was similar to a bolt action mechanism, and would have been loaded with paper cartridges.  A separate percussion cap was used to ignite the round.  However, the most interesting feature was the saber-lance bayonet issued with the musket.  Yes, it was a saber that was mounted onto the musket as a bayonet.  The purpose of this was so that the musket could be used by cavalrymen as a lance.The muskets and bayonets were issued to several cavalry units for testing, but was especially famous for being the weapons of choice of the Cent-Gardes, the elite bodyguards of Emperor Napoleon III. -- source link

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