Anyone shooting MAS 36 rifles?

[pe4king]

Regrettably, I've never shot it that I remember.

And nor did the French :55:

[ovenpaa]

Hmm... they put in quite an effort on the outskirts of Dunkirk, in fact the Brits left them to it in quite a few areas. It was not our finest hour.

[R.G.C]

I've got one I picked up at a gun show many years ago. I might have some ammo to fit, as well. Regrettably, I've never shot it that I remember.

I seem to recall I paid $70 for it, some guy had a big wood crate full of the things that were covered in the thickest, nastiest, filty cosmoline I had ever seen. He was asking $90, and my buddy stopped to look. As soon as they started discussing price, the guy looked at me, and told my buddy "if you buy two, I'll make it $70 each, and I'll include this ammo". Clearly, I didn't have a choice .....

Chombart might be willing to comment on the rear lug design. After all, for a rifle introduced in '36, he is almost a contemporary. :-)

Art,

I have added my 2 cents on the topic,, but fr some reasoon, dis not appeared??

Maybe it was too long?.

Will write again to morrow in digest form

F.G.C

[Dr. Strangelove]

What's the general consensus regarding accuracy of a MAS 36 and a K31 - which is the more accurate? I fancy something a bit different in terms of a 20th Century military rifle and have been pondering over the two...

[R.G.C]

The MAS 45 has a good reputation for accuracy however it is not seen a lot on UK ranges, aren't they rear lug bolts? (From memory) The MAS 36 I have never seen other than in photographs for obvious reasons

Good looking rifles.

Ovepaa,
The Mauser 45 and its copy the Mas 45 were, as almost all the rimfire actions, a non-rotating bolt front, with locking at the back.

I had a Mauser 45 I bought new in 1953n and got rid of it last year (to a goof griend as I valued it). You would not believe all what I shot down with it. Is actually still shooting as on his first days despite a bulge in the middle of the barrel, probably caused by an obstruction.. Effectively, I do not jnow what happened, maybe one of my trackers using it occasionaly on guinea fowls ot oyjer sùamm game?.

As I have always said, the 36 is the most inherently accurate of all te military bolt actions. It is also the shortest and therefore faster cycling of all of them (sorry for the british pride, the only advantage of the Smellie is the 10 round initial capacity, but further reloading is much easier on the 36).

The bolt has the biggest lugs bearing surface, lugs shear area and bolting angle (apptoaching the 170°) of all the 2 lugs actions. It is a marvel of simplicity, only 5 parts : bolt body, firing pin, spring, end plug and self-sprining extractor.
Unlijke most of the actions bolting vertical ‘a la Mauser’ and horizontal ‘a la SMLE’, the 45 bolts at a 45° angle, and this, together with the wide lugs is one of the factors of the model accuracy.

The lugs are not on the same plane, one if ahead of the other. This allow the action to be even shorter, and is also an other element of the accuracy (this one I keep for me!!!)…
It was made as a sniper versions FR-F1 in 7,5, and more recently FR-F2 in 7,62.

The model was built into hunting rifles of great quality. Jean Fournier made it in the sixties-seventies in his 7 x 54Mas- Fournier calibre, and in earlier fifties, the MAS made big game hunting rifles in 9,3 x 62 and 10,75 x 68. I heard of 8 x57 as well, but am not sure. I used a 10,75 for a while and appreciated fast cycling and compactness in dense bush/forests.. As handy as an Express….much lighter to carry and shoulder!!!

The rifle has no safety, but this is controversial.

A lot are used here, converted to civilian calibres to turn our regulations on military calibres..The easiest conversion is .284-30, just a few reamer turns, and .30 calibre bullets are just fine for it…

On an other note, I appreciated your comment after the “drop once’ CLEVER one. The perimeter of defence at Dunkerque was ensured by french, allowing the BEF to evacuate.. France lost 100.000 casualties during the 1940 campaign… An army losing hat number in such a period is an amy who have fought.
R.G.C

[ShootingSight]

Robert,

Many thanks that a 284-30 conversion is easy. I will look to find a reamer, as French ammunition is not easy to find in the US.

Art

[froggy]

Salut Rufrdr,

Splendid collection & many thanks for the post and the pics. !!

You are a very lucking man ! I would dearly love to own a MAS49/56 but it is nearly only a US citizen' privilege . They are very very hard to get in France as most of the surplus stock was exported to the US. I read that they get bad press in the US due to a lot of them having been not very succesfully converted to 308 ? The Mas 49/56 in its original caliber is a great rifle. I sure have green eyes of jalousy there

All the rifle you are showing us are great but your MAS 49 is very nice indeed !! The MAS49 is very rare but a Syrian contract Mas 49 is the cherry sur le gateau !! I thk it was less than 7,000 made for that export contract...

I only had a Mas36/51 in 30-284 but as I do not reload I had to sell it a while ago - I very much regret it now ...
I have 2 MAS45 which are brilliant rifles but to be fair all the credit goes to the german parents ... I have been trying to source one here in England but not succesfully. I love it so much that I think I will end up transfering one from France to shoot here in England.

Once again thanks for starting that post !!

[R.G.C]

Robert,

Many thanks that a 284-30 conversion is easy. I will look to find a reamer, as French ammunition is not easy to find in the US.

Art

Art,

A few years ago, we stopped for a look at a gunshop in Prescott AZ, and to our surpirse, there was a rack full of MAS 49 (at least a dozen) absoluyemy perfect condition and a "mountain' 1 metre high of ammuniton boxes, bering arabic markings. We identified the ammunition as being boxer-primed, and we wondered how they would be prized here!!.

R.G.C

[R.G.C]

Salut Rufrdr,

Splendid collection & many thanks for the post and the pics. !!

You are a very lucking man ! I would dearly love to own a MAS49/56 but it is nearly only a US citizen' privilege . They are very very hard to get in France as most of the surplus stock was exported to the US. I read that they get bad press in the US due to a lot of them having been not very succesfully converted to 308 ? The Mas 49/56 in its original caliber is a great rifle. I sure have green eyes of jalousy there

All the rifle you are showing us are great but your MAS 49 is very nice indeed !! The MAS49 is very rare but a Syrian contract Mas 49 is the cherry sur le gateau !! I thk it was less than 7,000 made for that export contract...

I only had a Mas36/51 in 30-284 but as I do not reload I had to sell it a while ago - I very much regret it now ...
I have 2 MAS45 which are brilliant rifles but to be fair all the credit goes to the german parents ... I have been trying to source one here in England but not succesfully. I love it so much that I think I will end up transfering one from France to shoot here in England.

Once again thanks for starting that post !!

Froggy,

The 45 were surplused some 25-30 years ago and all kind of new parts with, barrels bolts, frontsight posts of vatious heigts and widrhs..everything except receivers. I still have a new bolt from this time.

They are quite scarce and in high demand now...reason why my friend was so insitent to have mine...
R.G.C

[froggy]

yep ...
Once the MAS 45 were actually cheap in France but with the "TAR effect" same story as with the MAS 49/56, ie : plentyful & affordable in the States but rare and expensive in France