Manufrance Explained

Manufrance was the trade name of Manufacture Francaise d'Armes et Cycles de St.Etienne ("French Arms and Cycle Factory of St. Etienne"), a French mail order company which was situated in the manufacturing town of St. Etienne since 1888.

History

The first French mail order company, it mainly specialised in shotguns (Robust, Falcor, Ideal, Simplex) and bicycles (Hirondelle) since 1890.^[1] However, they covered other products, ranging from fishing rods to household items, such as wall clocks. Most of the products sold by Manufrance were made by third-party manufacturers, then labeled and retailed by Manufrance.

An unregistered Manufrance LaSalle 12-gauge shotgun, with a sawn-off barrel, was used by the perpetrator of the 2014 Sydney hostage crisis in Australia, who was unlicensed.^[2] Restrictions on illegal firearms were tightened as a result.^[3]

Ownership

It was bought by Jacques Tavitian in 1988.

Notes and References

1. Web site: Bicyclette Hirondelle, modèle Superbe. . musee-art-industrie.saint-etienne.fr . 2020-08-21.
2. News: Sydney siege shotgun 'fired' in chilling courtroom reconstruction. The Guardian. Michael. Safi. 2 September 2015. 14 May 2016.
3. News: Coultan . Mark . 28 August 2015 . New firearms restrictions and bail laws for NSW after Martin Place siege. NSW Deputy Premier Troy Grant said that penalties for firearm offences would be increased, with a new offence of possession of a stolen firearm, which will carry a maximum penalty of 14 years' jail. There will also be a ban on possessing blueprints for firearms capable of being used by 3D printers, as well as unlicensed milling machines. . News Corp . The Australian . subscription. 26 December 2015.