This is a very rare example of an early French Hotchkiss Model 1900 that we believe was manufactured for Sweden in the 6.5 mm chamber. The original Hotchkiss design was developed and refined in 1897, with most of the early production manufactured by the French factory of Hotchkiss et Cie, in three different calibers: 8 mm Lebel, 7.92 Mauser and 6.5 Japanese. It was used by the French Army until the fall of France in 1940. It was also heavily used in the Russo-Japanese War (1904/05), by Pancho-Villa during the Mexican Revolution (1914/15), and then later on by the Chinese in the 1930s. It is also known that several other countries also used them so this may be an actual early test or contract model. It was a very reliable weapon that was gas operated (via an operating rod), air cooled and fired from an open bolt using 24 round strippers/feed trays. It can be easily identified by the large cooling fins on the rear area of the barrel, the massive adjustable gas block on the underside of he barrel and the all brass feeder tray and pistol grip assembly. This example is marked on the left side of the receiver with: "6,5 m/m KULSPAR m/1900 over No. 1459/VIKT -24", and the right side is marked "HOTCHKISS & Cie/PARIS 1907". The top of the receiver is stamped with a Swedish Crown Proof over "H.-C. C.J.", which may have been their factory inspector/acceptance proofs. Several of the other smaller parts also carry the small Swedish Crown inspector proofs. It has the very small brass pistol grip under the receiver, the small brass feeder tray and the all steel grasping handle on the rear of the receiver. It has a fixed blade front sight and a tangent rear sight graduated from 250-2000 meters. The visible serial numbers are all matching, including the barrel which has a 6.5mm bore and a very unusual trumpet type muzzle. The unfortunate aspect is that it was DEWATed by welding the chamber closed and then there are 2 torch cuts partially through the receiver, one on top and other one on the underside. The only other information that we could locate is a very similar model with the same markings in a military arms museum north of Stockholm, Sweden.

Fine as deactivated with 60% of the blue finish overall showing light wear and handling overall from light use and displaying. NOTE: This item is restricted as a National Firearms Act (NFA), fully transferable Class 3, which is registered with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, (BATFE) that is classified as a "Curios or Relic" as defined in 27 CFR, 478.11. These weapons are still subject to the provisions of 18 U.S.C. Chapter 44 and 27 CFR part 478.