This is an excellent example of a very late, all original WWI Model 1915 French "Chauchat" machine gun manufactured in 1917/18. The U.S. technically designated this as a machine gun, however the French called it an "automatic rifle" and it was one of several, types of early lightweight machine guns used during WWI, to include use by the initial U.S. AEF, that landed in France in 1917. This rifle is fully functional and the left side of the receiver is stamped: "SIDARME/C.S.R.G./25701" followed by a small boxed "SA" proof, indicating use by the Finnish Army at some point. The SIDARME company produced approximately 18,000 of these rifles in late 1918, which is probably why this example is in such great condition. It has a walnut stock, pistol grip and forward support handle with a fixed front sight with a fully adjustable rear sight. This scarce rifle is chambered in the 8 mm Lebel cartridge that employs the curved, open-sided magazines. These rifles were actually one of the first weapons to use standard, steel tubing and stampings that were combined with a machined bolt and bolt carrier. This way they were able to supply larger quantities of weapons in a very short period of time. They have a unique rotating bolt head mechanism similar to the Swiss K31 and Johnson rifles and operate in a direct blow back manner that uses a long-recoil spring type mechanism, that projects out from the rear of the receiver. They can fire in both a semi and full automatic mode and uses a large curved type magazine fitted to the bottom of the weapon. This example includes three of the curved magazines.