[Famas]

"H" prefix series definitely places it withing the war years, most likely early 1940 and up to June of that year....when production ceased for obvious reasons. Immediate liberation series (mid to late 1944 and onwards) began with "K" prefixes. These also featured the hooded front sights. The front sights on your are open....further evidence of it being 1939-40 vintage. If you are lucky, the bayo will have matching numbers. If not, a wartime bayo will have serial numbers on the side of the lug, as opposed to post-war two digits stamped on the cap. Prewar bayos also lacked a drain hole, though I believe some were modified to such after the war.

There is only one way to be 100% absolutely certain of what year it was manufactured - the date is stamped on the barrel, just forward of the breech. To view this, you will need to disassemble the rifle, primarily the middle barrel band. Once this is removed, the upper handgaurd should easily come off revealing the date. (on rifles with unaltered stocks, this can also be seen in the form of a circular cartouche stamped on the right side of the butt stock, showing month and year.).

Careful though, as was typical of many European military rifle designs, removing furniture on the rifle requires a special spanner bit. If you have a Dremel tool, you can notch two flathead screwdrivers yourself...one will be smaller than the other. I believe the middle barrel band is the smaller of the two.

I collect war time MAS-36s of wartime era and have 3 of them, and working on a fourth rifle. Two are dated 1939 and one 1940.

Hope this helps, and enjoy your MAS-36! Take care of it because the war time rifles are becoming scarce!

edit: I took a quick look at one of my MAS-36 rifles, and realized I forgot one detail.......the front band/nose cap will have to be removed as well. Also has tiny little split screw necessitating a tiny spanner. I have a spanner bit set, and they just don't quite fit these little screws, so in all likelihood, you will have to notch your own.