New wave of foreign milsurps coming? - Page 2

**44 AMP** · April 23, 2017, 10:59 AM

While it might not have happened the place and time depicted in that film, I'd hesitate to say it never happened anywhere during WWII.

The Soviet Union was not noted for being particularly concerned with the survival of its individual conscripts. They were a resource to be used, and used up as needed. The part about Commissars machine gunning their own troops to "inspire" their attack is absolutely something that did really happen, in several places and times. Likewise the Soviet method for clearing a mine field in a hurry. Drive your peasant conscripts through to set off the mines.

Warm bodies were a resource the Soviet Union had. And had in greater quantity than materiel (weapons, etc.) at many places and times during the war. German survivors of Soviet "human wave" attacks have recounted how not all of the troops they faced were armed initially, many in the following waves were expected to pick up and use the arms lost by those killed in the initial waves attacks. The same sort of thing was faced by US troops in Korea, during Chinese human wave attacks. It really did happen.

Gunplummer · April 23, 2017, 11:20 AM

Jeffrey1971--

According to our sources, the last MAS 49's released were from the Police units and went two ways. Some were sold to gunshops as active rifles and some were sold as deactivated wall hangers. As far as I know, none of these guns came out of arsenal storage. All of the rifles Centry imported were rebuilt and came out of storage.

Jeffrey1971 · April 23, 2017, 11:40 AM

Thanks for the reply, interesting. I'll try to do some checking on this end. I was surprised enough last time I saw one being carried to mention it to a friend at the time and it stuck in my mind. What I can't tell you anymore is if it was a Gendarme, a "regular" police officer, or a CRS officer. Definitely not Army as their gear is uniformly standardized.

I've always liked the looks of the MAS 49, but have not shot one.

April 23, 2017, 10:59 AM	#26
44 AMP Staff Join Date: March 11, 2006 Location: Upper US Posts: 28,791	While it might not have happened the place and time depicted in that film, I'd hesitate to say it never happened anywhere during WWII. The Soviet Union was not noted for being particularly concerned with the survival of its individual conscripts. They were a resource to be used, and used up as needed. The part about Commissars machine gunning their own troops to "inspire" their attack is absolutely something that did really happen, in several places and times. Likewise the Soviet method for clearing a mine field in a hurry. Drive your peasant conscripts through to set off the mines. Warm bodies were a resource the Soviet Union had. And had in greater quantity than materiel (weapons, etc.) at many places and times during the war. German survivors of Soviet "human wave" attacks have recounted how not all of the troops they faced were armed initially, many in the following waves were expected to pick up and use the arms lost by those killed in the initial waves attacks. The same sort of thing was faced by US troops in Korea, during Chinese human wave attacks. It really did happen. __________________ All else being equal (and it almost never is) bigger bullets tend to work better.

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April 23, 2017, 11:20 AM	#27
Gunplummer Senior Member Join Date: March 11, 2010 Location: South East Pa. Posts: 3,364	Jeffrey1971-- According to our sources, the last MAS 49's released were from the Police units and went two ways. Some were sold to gunshops as active rifles and some were sold as deactivated wall hangers. As far as I know, none of these guns came out of arsenal storage. All of the rifles Centry imported were rebuilt and came out of storage.

April 23, 2017, 11:40 AM	#28
Jeffrey1971 Junior Member Join Date: March 26, 2012 Location: Bordeaux, France Posts: 9	Thanks for the reply, interesting. I'll try to do some checking on this end. I was surprised enough last time I saw one being carried to mention it to a friend at the time and it stuck in my mind. What I can't tell you anymore is if it was a Gendarme, a "regular" police officer, or a CRS officer. Definitely not Army as their gear is uniformly standardized. I've always liked the looks of the MAS 49, but have not shot one.