Dutch Beaumont-Vitali 1871/88
Moderator: Aughnanure
- Dutch Mosin
- Leading Member
- Posts: 783
- Joined: Wed Jan 07, 2004 5:45 pm
- Location: Netherlands
Dutch Beaumont-Vitali 1871/88
Here's one of my favorites.
I bought this one a couple of months ago from a good friend in the US.
It’s a Dutch Beaumont Vitali 1871/88 manufactured in 1877 by P. Stevens in Maastricht.
The calibre is .43 Beaumont or 11.35 x 52R
Around 1888 about 60.000 single shot Beaumont rifles were fitted with the four round Vitali box magazine.
Costs per rifle were 8.10 Dutch Guilders.
That would be € 3.60 now or about $5.00 USD.
Like I wrote before, this particular Beaumont is in fantastic condition.
I’ve got some range time tomorrow and will meet some club members that shoot the Beaumont too.
One of them had some cases I could buy.
I hope I can take this rifle to the range very soon.
Besides the cases I will need some bullets.
Got a source for that too.
Here are some pictures I made today.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/1003/ ... G_1526.jpg[/pic]
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/1003/ ... G_1528.jpg[/pic]
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/1003/ ... G_1529.jpg[/pic]
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/1003/ ... G_1531.jpg[/pic]
Manufactured by P. Stevens, Maastricht, Holland
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/1003/ ... G_1533.jpg[/pic]
This is the view of the left side of the Beaumont's rear sight.
The range marks on the left side shown above are "right side up" as you would expect.
But on the RIGHT side, the range marks are at 1/2 step ranges marked "upside-down"
so that if you are right handed you can set the range simply by rolling the rifle over in your hands seeing the range marks clearly!!.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/1003/ ... G_1545.jpg[/pic]
Right side of the rear sight.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/1003/ ... G_1534.jpg[/pic]
Rear barrel band
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/1003/ ... G_1536.jpg[/pic]
Front sight
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/1003/ ... G_1537.jpg[/pic]
Top number is the year of conversion from single shot to Beaumont-Vitali.
The second number should be a number that can be found elsewhere on the rifle, like a serial number.....but I can only find the production number (H976).
I have read somewhere that some of these rifles received no serial number or maybe someone just switched the butt plate.
I guess I'll never know.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/1003/ ... G_1542.jpg[/pic]
Fantastic cartouche of a crowned W referring to King Willem III
(1849-1890) Maastricht above and date 1877 at sides
Some more pictures of Dutch rifle history from 1871 until 1940.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/1003/ ... G_1547.jpg[/pic]
Father and son.
The Dutch Beaumont next to the Dutch Steyr-Mannlicher M95.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/1003/ ... G_1549.jpg[/pic]
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/1003/ ... G_1551.jpg[/pic]
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/1003/ ... G_1555.jpg[/pic]
This rifle is a dream come true for me.
I had to wait many years to find one that looked as good as this one and was affordable too.
Met vriendelijke groet,
Martin
I bought this one a couple of months ago from a good friend in the US.
It’s a Dutch Beaumont Vitali 1871/88 manufactured in 1877 by P. Stevens in Maastricht.
The calibre is .43 Beaumont or 11.35 x 52R
Around 1888 about 60.000 single shot Beaumont rifles were fitted with the four round Vitali box magazine.
Costs per rifle were 8.10 Dutch Guilders.
That would be € 3.60 now or about $5.00 USD.
Like I wrote before, this particular Beaumont is in fantastic condition.
I’ve got some range time tomorrow and will meet some club members that shoot the Beaumont too.
One of them had some cases I could buy.
I hope I can take this rifle to the range very soon.
Besides the cases I will need some bullets.
Got a source for that too.
Here are some pictures I made today.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/1003/ ... G_1526.jpg[/pic]
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/1003/ ... G_1528.jpg[/pic]
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/1003/ ... G_1529.jpg[/pic]
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/1003/ ... G_1531.jpg[/pic]
Manufactured by P. Stevens, Maastricht, Holland
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/1003/ ... G_1533.jpg[/pic]
This is the view of the left side of the Beaumont's rear sight.
The range marks on the left side shown above are "right side up" as you would expect.
But on the RIGHT side, the range marks are at 1/2 step ranges marked "upside-down"
so that if you are right handed you can set the range simply by rolling the rifle over in your hands seeing the range marks clearly!!.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/1003/ ... G_1545.jpg[/pic]
Right side of the rear sight.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/1003/ ... G_1534.jpg[/pic]
Rear barrel band
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/1003/ ... G_1536.jpg[/pic]
Front sight
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/1003/ ... G_1537.jpg[/pic]
Top number is the year of conversion from single shot to Beaumont-Vitali.
The second number should be a number that can be found elsewhere on the rifle, like a serial number.....but I can only find the production number (H976).
I have read somewhere that some of these rifles received no serial number or maybe someone just switched the butt plate.
I guess I'll never know.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/1003/ ... G_1542.jpg[/pic]
Fantastic cartouche of a crowned W referring to King Willem III
(1849-1890) Maastricht above and date 1877 at sides
Some more pictures of Dutch rifle history from 1871 until 1940.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/1003/ ... G_1547.jpg[/pic]
Father and son.
The Dutch Beaumont next to the Dutch Steyr-Mannlicher M95.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/1003/ ... G_1549.jpg[/pic]
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/1003/ ... G_1551.jpg[/pic]
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/1003/ ... G_1555.jpg[/pic]
This rifle is a dream come true for me.
I had to wait many years to find one that looked as good as this one and was affordable too.
Met vriendelijke groet,
Martin
Last edited by Dutch Mosin on Sun Jan 13, 2008 11:22 am, edited 1 time in total.
- Dutch Mosin
- Leading Member
- Posts: 783
- Joined: Wed Jan 07, 2004 5:45 pm
- Location: Netherlands
- DuncaninFrance
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Congratulations on a great looking piece Martin. It's fantastic when a significant part of history is in your hands I think.
Enjoy the moment my friend
Enjoy the moment my friend
Duncan
What contemptible scoundrel has stolen the cork to my lunch? -- W.C. Fields
"Many of those who enjoy freedom know little of its price."
You can't fix Stupid, but you can occasionally head it off before it hurts something.
What contemptible scoundrel has stolen the cork to my lunch? -- W.C. Fields
"Many of those who enjoy freedom know little of its price."
You can't fix Stupid, but you can occasionally head it off before it hurts something.
- Aughnanure
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- Joined: Wed Jun 22, 2005 5:59 am
- Location: Glen Innes, NSW, Australia
- Dutch Mosin
- Leading Member
- Posts: 783
- Joined: Wed Jan 07, 2004 5:45 pm
- Location: Netherlands
Yes, it is center fire alright.
Check this link:
http://www.militaryrifles.com/Holland/BeaumontBolt.htm
@ Aughnanure
These are very popular over here.
They can be bought relatively cheap in Germany.
You can buy a very nice one for € 150 to € 200 (that's about $200 to $290 USD)
Met vriendelijke groet,
Martin
Check this link:
http://www.militaryrifles.com/Holland/BeaumontBolt.htm
@ Aughnanure
The earliest mil-surp that I have is a 'Krapochek' by Steyr made in 1886.
These are very popular over here.
They can be bought relatively cheap in Germany.
You can buy a very nice one for € 150 to € 200 (that's about $200 to $290 USD)
Met vriendelijke groet,
Martin