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Thread: Anyone still shooting their French rifles?

  1. #1
    Site Admin & **Team Gunsnet Silver 12/2012** Richard Simmons's Avatar

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    Thumbs up Anyone still shooting their French rifles?

    Haven't had mine to the range in quite a while but still have:

    Unissued MAS 36/51
    MAS 36
    MAS 36 in .308
    MAS 36 LG48
    MAS 49/56
    Berthier 07/15 M16


    Plus about 500 rds of the original Indep 7.5 MAS ammo. It's been something like 8-9 years since I got the 36/51. I guess since I haven't popped it's cherry by now I probably never will but she sure is sweet.

    Here's a couple of pics of the LG-48 to start things off, I had some pics of the others but they were on the old Gunsnet photo album, perhaps some of you will post pics of your fusils de francais?









    She's missing the actual GL sight but is otherwise complete. I've not seen many MAS 36 of any model with the crossbolt through the buttstock. She looks to have seen some action and the handguard looks like she was fired at one time enough the get the barrel quite hot, a slight charred appearance to it. From what I've gleaned over the years and since it's not marked as an LG 48 I believe it to be a field level conversion, probably out of Indochina. The forearm and front sight are loose and none of the #'s match but she's one of my favorites. If only she could talk.
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    Moderator & Team Gunsnet SILVER 01/2011 AKTexas's Avatar

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    Quote Originally Posted by Richard Simmons View Post
    Haven't had mine to the range in quite a while but still have:

    Unissued MAS 36/51
    MAS 36
    MAS 36 in .308
    MAS 36 LG48
    MAS 49/56
    Berthier 07/15 M16


    Plus about 500 rds of the original Indep 7.5 MAS ammo. It's been something like 8-9 years since I got the 36/51. I guess since I haven't popped it's cherry by now I probably never will but she sure is sweet.

    Here's a couple of pics of the LG-48 to start things off, I had some pics of the others but they were on the old Gunsnet photo album, perhaps some of you will post pics of your fusils de francais?









    She's missing the actual GL sight but is otherwise complete. I've not seen many MAS 36 of any model with the crossbolt through the buttstock. She looks to have seen some action and the handguard looks like she was fired at one time enough the get the barrel quite hot, a slight charred appearance to it. From what I've gleaned over the years and since it's not marked as an LG 48 I believe it to be a field level conversion, probably out of Indochina. The forearm and front sight are loose and none of the #'s match but she's one of my favorites. If only she could talk.
    My only French is a MAS 49/56 and it is for sale.
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  3. #3
    Senior Member number6's Avatar

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    Well, I've got a couple of MAS 36s, one of which I haven't reassembled yet and I have a pristine 49/56 that I wrote a range report on last year.
    I enjoy the 49/56 so much, that when the weather cools off, I'll be taking it back out to the range.

  4. #4
    Iron Pumping Bastard aliceinchains's Avatar

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    I didn't know they made a MAS in 308 caliber. Is it a rare or common rifle?
    I am sitting in my angry chair!

  5. #5
    Site Admin & **Team Gunsnet Silver 12/2012** Richard Simmons's Avatar

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    Quote Originally Posted by aliceinchains View Post
    I didn't know they made a MAS in 308 caliber. Is it a rare or common rifle?
    They were never made by the French to my knowledge though France did make 250 MAS 49/56 in 7.62x51 for police use. None of those were ever imported to the U.S. to my knowledge.

    My MAS 36 and every other one you see marked as .308 is a Century Arms conversion that was done back when they were also converting MAS 49/56 to .308.
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    Iron Pumping Bastard aliceinchains's Avatar

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    Here is another question Richard. How about accuracy with this rifle. Say at 100 yards group size out of 5 shots.. Never shot one so don't know if they are tack drivers.
    I am sitting in my angry chair!

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    Site Admin & **Team Gunsnet Silver 12/2012** Richard Simmons's Avatar

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    Quote Originally Posted by aliceinchains View Post
    Here is another question Richard. How about accuracy with this rifle. Say at 100 yards group size out of 5 shots.. Never shot one so don't know if they are tack drivers.
    Are you talking about the MAS 36, the converted 36 or just French rifles in general?

    With Syrian surplus 7.5x54 ammo I can keep five rounds inside of 4" at 100yds (open sights of course) with my MAS 36 or 49/56. From the book Proud Promise by Jean Huon the accuracy requirement for the MAS 44A (predecesor to the MAS 49 and 49/56) was a 30mm group (1.18"W x 1.18"H group at 200 meters which is just over .5 MOA which is outstanding in anyones view. Depending on the ammo and the condition of the rifle I would say the MAS 36 can be every bit as accurate as the US 1903A1, 03A3 or the 1917. The MAS 36 receiver is actually pretty massive. Add in the solid bolt and you have a really simple and strong action. The semiauto 49/56 is also very robust and with ammo it likes I think it can keep up with or best any Garand in the accuracy department. Add a scope and it would give an M1A a run for it's money. In fact if you add a modified M1924/29 mag (25rds) to the 49/56 you've esentially got an M1A with 25% more firepower in a shorter package.
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    Iron Pumping Bastard aliceinchains's Avatar

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    So it is a very accurate rifle. A lot of people just bought them to collect them. Not to shoot them. Typical reply I got a mas 36 here are some pics . But i don't ever recall having a range report.
    I am sitting in my angry chair!

  9. #9
    Senior Member fingolfen's Avatar

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    Yep - though I generally hand load for them...
    Mike

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    Member mpoppel41's Avatar

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    i still have a few left, the two in the boxes i haven't opended since i got em years ago.


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    Site Admin & **Team Gunsnet Silver 12/2012** Richard Simmons's Avatar

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    Question

    What are the two in the boxes? It says "46 carbine". I'm familiar with the MAS 45 carbine in .22lr but not a "46".


    I notice the left most MAS 36 has muzzle flush with the butt of the bayonet, .308 coversion?
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    Member mpoppel41's Avatar

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    yes that's a 308 conversion with a Winchester barrel, it shoots great, no century hatchet job,had a good gunsmith do it for me from one of those numerich mas they were selling cheap years ago, and the two in the box are just a couple of reg 36's that's the best picture i could take.


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    Senior Member Penguin's Avatar

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    Cool colections. I don't have any french rifles. I might get into those some day.
    Doobie Doobie Doo..

  14. #14
    Gunsnet Contributor 02/14

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    Not as much as I like...

    The MAS 36/51 (unissued), MAS 36, MAS 36 LG48, and the MAS 49/56 308 are all exceptional shooters. The MAS 36 and the LG48 were the 41 buck delivered from Numrich back then. I think they are worth a bit more now......hehe....chris3

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    Senior Member TheMrMitch's Avatar

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    I now have a 36.....49/56 and a Berthier on the way.
    Am I in trouble? I LOVE these Frenchies!
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    I'm Old And May Not Fight You. I'll Shoot Instead.

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    Senior Member number6's Avatar

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    Quote Originally Posted by Richard Simmons View Post
    What are the two in the boxes? It says "46 carbine". I'm familiar with the MAS 45 carbine in .22lr but not a "46".


    I notice the left most MAS 36 has muzzle flush with the butt of the bayonet, .308 coversion?
    That's just a box size. It's a 46" long box that is carbine sized.

    I took my 49/56 out for a spin last Jan. It was a 'meet and shoot". It ran pretty good, but had 3 ejection jams using Privi Partizan (Serbian). Gotta say, I love shooting that thing, it looks like a true battle rifle, and like a Garand, there's no mistaking it for a civilian plinker.

  17. #17
    Forum Administrator Schuetzenman's Avatar

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    The Privi ammo is generally underloaded, but a good source for brass. Your failures to eject causing a jam are not unexpected with that ammo.

  18. #18
    Site Admin & **Team Gunsnet Silver 12/2012** Richard Simmons's Avatar

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    Quote Originally Posted by TheMrMitch View Post
    I now have a 36.....49/56 and a Berthier on the way.
    Am I in trouble? I LOVE these Frenchies!
    Good deal. What Berthier? I've got an 07/15 Mlle 16 which is basically the 07/15 that has been upgraded with the five round magazine. I've only fired a few rounds through it that I made with new Graf & Sons Lebel brass and bullets from some Turk 8x57 that had cracked necks. I didn't put it on paper but at 100yds it was hitting right on a chuck of dirt/mud that was about 12" square. Don't have any clips so I just fed it one at time.
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    Senior Member number6's Avatar

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    Quote Originally Posted by Schuetzenman View Post
    The Privi ammo is generally underloaded, but a good source for brass. Your failures to eject causing a jam are not unexpected with that ammo.
    Well, that explains it. I had thought the Serbian was loaded better than the FNM(Portugal, w/soft primers), I guess not. At this 'shoot', on a private range I was able to rapid fire, instead of on the bench, very slow-fire at the county range. It was difficult for me to clear the jams whilst standing as the 49/56 gets pretty heavy. Unfortunately, I didn't get a chance to retrieve my brass that day.
    I don't reload, but I thought I might find someone around home to reload them for me, some day.
    I still have a small amount of the corrosive linked 7.5, but cleaning the gas tube is difficult, so unless I feel very energetic, that surplus stuff just sits in the box. I last used the FNM in a MAS 36, for one of Redstar's postal matches, but was thinking that maybe I'd use it in the 49/56 to see if it would do a slamfire. :-)

    Don't have any clips so I just fed it one at time.
    Richard Simmons: Clips? Really?

  20. #20
    Site Admin & **Team Gunsnet Silver 12/2012** Richard Simmons's Avatar

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    Quote Originally Posted by number6 View Post
    Richard Simmons: Clips? Really?
    Yes really. That's what they take, 3 or 5rd clips.

    http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/7...rthierammo.jpg

    Berthier clip on left in link above.
    Last edited by Richard Simmons; 11-02-2011 at 12:53 PM.
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