Grasset .445 Nitro

#1

Is there any information available about the .445 Grasset Nitro Express version of the 11mm Gras cartridge? About 1900, F. Grasset of Paris modified Lebel actions to take a smokeless “Nitro” version of the 11mm Gras cartridge. Grasset Lebel “L’Africain”. Has anyone ever seen a confirmed example of the .445 Grasset Nitro? I sure haven’t. Was this just a smokless version of this cartridge or was it a higher powered version, much like the 11.2x60 Schuler was to the original 11mm Mauser cartridge. Or maybe the Winchester High Power versions of older black powder cartridges.

The Rifle

F. Grasset Cie Paris

.445 Nitro

Article

#2

Specimen of this smokeless version of the 11 mm Gras exist with the Grasset’s proprietary “NITRO 445” headstamp. These samples were made by SFM

I don’t think they were so more powerful than the original black powder loads. Maybe they can be compared with the british “Nitro for black” loads for the old hunting numbers

#3

Found another rifle chambered for .445 Nitro recently for sale in France along with copies of pages out of the Grasset catalogue.

This is supposed to be a 1931 catalogue. They apparently called the 6.5x61 cartridge .257 Hyperexpress. Anyone have any experience with French marked cartridges?