Riffle Mylonas
M1872 Greek Mylonas:
GENERALLY: Developed by a Greek Artillery Major named Enstathios Mylonas, the M1872 Mylonas featured a breech block which dropped vertically actuated by a lever located ahead and protruding below the trigger guard. The rifle is a modification of the Belgian Comblain but with a larger protruding hammer and the under lever in lieu of the trigger guard/ housing lever of Comblain's patent. The Mylonas was not considered successful and was shortly replaced by the M1874 French Gras.
DISTINGUISHING CHARECTERISTICS: The style of the breech block actuating lever is unique to the Mylonas and readily distinguishes the rifle.
MISC NOTES: The Mylonas was chambered for the M1874 French Gras cartridge (11x59R). However, The Gras was adopted by France 2 years later than the Mylonas. Perhaps the Gras cartridge was modeled after the Mylonas cartridge.
Manufactured by Nagant but also (?) by Francotte.
Merci beaucoup à Nikos Stratogiannakis pour les photos.
