This is a good example of a 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 by both the French Army and also initially by the U.S. AEF, that landed in France in 1917. The U.S. AEF dropped the use of these weapons early on in WWI as the exposed sides of the magazine allowed dirt and debris to jam the mechanism. The left side of the receiver is stamped: "C.S.R.G./226348", (which stood for the members of the French commission that adopted this weapon; Chauchat, Suterre Ribeyrolle and Gladiator), followed by a small boxed "SA" proof indicating ownership by the Finnish Army at some point. 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 uses a curved open-sided magazine (which is not included with this lot). 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. As noted this automatic rifle has been deactivated by welding a plug in the chamber area of the barrel, then welding the barrel to the receiver in the open bolt position and also placing a small amount of weld on the face of the bolt. This lot is also missing the magazine.