French MAS semi-auto

tshadow6 · February 4, 2009, 08:44 PM

Are there any French MAS semi-autos left? I think the model was Mas 56? If so, who has them?

FALPhil · February 4, 2009, 09:20 PM

The 49/56. A highly underrated MBR.

VaFisher · February 5, 2009, 07:51 AM

Here is a pick of mine, I have it listed in the rifle forum for more picks.

m.p.driver · February 5, 2009, 06:21 PM

Havent seen one at the shows in a couple of years.Almost didnt buy mine for $148 because a friend was trying to stear me clear, because he had heard bad on them.It seems that Century was trying to go cheap on the chamber reamers that they used after shortening the barrel to change it to .308.Used them to the point that the chamber got sloppy and while shooting you would have extraction problems.So it was a coin toss on what you got,early in the run great,late in the run bad.I must have got a early one because it's always been a great shooter,shoulders perfect,nice on recoil.I wish i had bought two.

rickomatic · February 5, 2009, 07:53 PM

If anyone has one and is having the chamber problem, there was a write up in one of the G&A Surplus Firearms issues a couple years ago about how to remedy it. I think Gary James was the author. Seemed like a pretty good fix.

**Mike Irwin** · February 6, 2009, 10:10 AM

Highly underrated, but highly OVER UGLY.

I've fired several, both in 7.5 and in .308. The ones in 7.5 were reliable and accurate, the ones in .308 not so much so. A lot depends on how the caliber conversion was done, and a lot have been done badly.

bigjack59 · February 6, 2009, 11:14 AM

Uberugly, almost to the point of cool, well almost. I had the 7.5, accurate, good shooting gun until the slam firing started. I hear this is somewhat common in them and can be solved by a new, non-military, firing pin or grinding the military pin down. DIdn't want to do that and traded it for a really nice old Vaquero in .44.

Milspec · February 9, 2009, 07:25 AM

I saw four in 7.5mm at a gun show in Columbus, Ohio recently. They looked to be in execellent condition and were priced around $350 each. Didn't get the guy's name, but If I find it I'll post it.

James K · February 9, 2009, 11:17 PM

I have a Mle. 1944. IIRC the first was the Mle. 1940. Apparently the French kept working on that rifle right through WWII. Those were an early example, along with the Swedish Ljungmann AG42, of operation by direct gas impingement. Like the Swedish rifle, the spent gas is exhausted into the air. Stoner took the idea, but vented the gas through the bolt carrier, not as good a system.

Jim

tulsamal · February 17, 2009, 01:10 PM

The 7.5 French version is a nice rifle. I'm not selling mine. The design was ahead of its time. Not the designers' fault that they were required to use the old two piece surplus stocks from the previous bolt action service rifle!

I've never had a slam fire but I went out of my way to buy the CCI military primers. They have a harder cup.

IMO, the rifle's utility is kind of "in between" the M1 Garand and the M1 Carbine. That's the way I keep them in my rifle rack. The Garand is better for very long range. But it is longer and heavier. The Carbine is lighter and handier than the other two. But much less capable than the 49/56. I think the MAS 49/56 would have been a fine choice in its day. And it is still fun to shoot now. I keep threatening to take mine out in the woods and shoot a deer with it but it hasn't happened so far.

Gregg

bigjack59 · February 19, 2009, 11:08 AM

I really liked mine, but the slam firing worried me a bit. I got rid of it because I needed to expand my pistol collection and had a shot at an old style Vaquero I hadn't seen around. Now I have a load of 49/56 accessories I need to unload...

FALPhil · February 19, 2009, 11:09 AM

Whatcha got?

M4Sherman · February 20, 2009, 06:11 PM

Mine works perfectly except for after 50 rounds or so the extractor will fill up with brass and I cant use a cheap clip,.

But I love mine and would not sell it for anything (mostly because it was the first rifle my Dad Bought for Me to keep forever)

EDIT F.Y.i the thing at the end is a night sight not a launcher

fltopsvet · March 7, 2009, 11:18 PM

Took my MAS 49/56 (.308) to the range for the first time today. After the first 20 - 30 rounds sent down range, I started having feeding issues and 'stove piping' issues with the ammo...any ideas on why this would take place?

M4Sherman · March 7, 2009, 11:28 PM

clean the extractor they are bad about getting clogged with brass

FALPhil · March 7, 2009, 11:43 PM

Quote:

any ideas on why this would take place?

Since it is a "308", chances are you are suffering from a poor conversion by the angry beavers at Century.

Generally speaking, the Century conversions are iffy at best. The rim of the 7.5x54 is larger than that on a 308 Win. Century did not bother to account for that fact. There are a couple of ways to fix the extractor. The best way would be to make an entirely new one to the correct dimensions. The more common way is to weld up the extractor and reshape it to the correct dimensions.

Piper Cub · March 8, 2009, 08:09 AM

They sell for about $700 in excellant shape now days.

February 4, 2009, 08:44 PM	#1
tshadow6 Senior Member Join Date: June 26, 2005 Posts: 619	French MAS semi-auto Are there any French MAS semi-autos left? I think the model was Mas 56? If so, who has them?

February 5, 2009, 07:53 PM	#5
rickomatic Member Join Date: May 3, 2007 Posts: 35	If anyone has one and is having the chamber problem, there was a write up in one of the G&A Surplus Firearms issues a couple years ago about how to remedy it. I think Gary James was the author. Seemed like a pretty good fix. __________________ "My greatest fear, is that once I'm dead and gone, my wife will sell all my guns for what I said I paid for them!"

February 6, 2009, 11:14 AM	#7
bigjack59 Senior Member Join Date: June 19, 2008 Location: greenville sc Posts: 221	Uberugly, almost to the point of cool, well almost. I had the 7.5, accurate, good shooting gun until the slam firing started. I hear this is somewhat common in them and can be solved by a new, non-military, firing pin or grinding the military pin down. DIdn't want to do that and traded it for a really nice old Vaquero in .44. __________________ ALWAYS BRING ENOUGH GUN

February 9, 2009, 07:25 AM	#8
Milspec Senior Member Join Date: July 19, 2008 Location: Central Ohio Posts: 117	I saw four in 7.5mm at a gun show in Columbus, Ohio recently. They looked to be in execellent condition and were priced around $350 each. Didn't get the guy's name, but If I find it I'll post it. __________________ "...there is no second place winner in a gunfight." Colonel Bill Jordan

February 19, 2009, 11:08 AM	#11
bigjack59 Senior Member Join Date: June 19, 2008 Location: greenville sc Posts: 221	I really liked mine, but the slam firing worried me a bit. I got rid of it because I needed to expand my pistol collection and had a shot at an old style Vaquero I hadn't seen around. Now I have a load of 49/56 accessories I need to unload... __________________ ALWAYS BRING ENOUGH GUN

February 4, 2009, 09:20 PM	#2
FALPhil Senior Member Join Date: September 10, 2007 Location: Racoon City Posts: 934	The 49/56. A highly underrated MBR.

February 5, 2009, 07:51 AM	#3
VaFisher Senior Member Join Date: January 24, 2006 Posts: 596	Here is a pick of mine, I have it listed in the rifle forum for more picks.

February 5, 2009, 06:21 PM	#4
m.p.driver Senior Member Join Date: January 25, 2009 Location: Ohio Posts: 552	Havent seen one at the shows in a couple of years.Almost didnt buy mine for $148 because a friend was trying to stear me clear, because he had heard bad on them.It seems that Century was trying to go cheap on the chamber reamers that they used after shortening the barrel to change it to .308.Used them to the point that the chamber got sloppy and while shooting you would have extraction problems.So it was a coin toss on what you got,early in the run great,late in the run bad.I must have got a early one because it's always been a great shooter,shoulders perfect,nice on recoil.I wish i had bought two.

February 6, 2009, 10:10 AM	#6
Mike Irwin Staff Join Date: April 13, 2000 Location: Northern Virginia Posts: 41,381	Highly underrated, but highly OVER UGLY. I've fired several, both in 7.5 and in .308. The ones in 7.5 were reliable and accurate, the ones in .308 not so much so. A lot depends on how the caliber conversion was done, and a lot have been done badly.

February 9, 2009, 11:17 PM	#9
James K Member In Memoriam Join Date: March 17, 1999 Posts: 24,383	I have a Mle. 1944. IIRC the first was the Mle. 1940. Apparently the French kept working on that rifle right through WWII. Those were an early example, along with the Swedish Ljungmann AG42, of operation by direct gas impingement. Like the Swedish rifle, the spent gas is exhausted into the air. Stoner took the idea, but vented the gas through the bolt carrier, not as good a system. Jim

February 17, 2009, 01:10 PM	#10
tulsamal Senior Member Join Date: October 25, 2004 Location: Vinita, OK Posts: 2,552	The 7.5 French version is a nice rifle. I'm not selling mine. The design was ahead of its time. Not the designers' fault that they were required to use the old two piece surplus stocks from the previous bolt action service rifle! I've never had a slam fire but I went out of my way to buy the CCI military primers. They have a harder cup. IMO, the rifle's utility is kind of "in between" the M1 Garand and the M1 Carbine. That's the way I keep them in my rifle rack. The Garand is better for very long range. But it is longer and heavier. The Carbine is lighter and handier than the other two. But much less capable than the 49/56. I think the MAS 49/56 would have been a fine choice in its day. And it is still fun to shoot now. I keep threatening to take mine out in the woods and shoot a deer with it but it hasn't happened so far. Gregg

February 19, 2009, 11:09 AM	#12
FALPhil Senior Member Join Date: September 10, 2007 Location: Racoon City Posts: 934	Whatcha got?

February 20, 2009, 06:11 PM	#13
M4Sherman Senior Member Join Date: February 15, 2009 Posts: 408	Mine works perfectly except for after 50 rounds or so the extractor will fill up with brass and I cant use a cheap clip,. But I love mine and would not sell it for anything (mostly because it was the first rifle my Dad Bought for Me to keep forever) EDIT F.Y.i the thing at the end is a night sight not a launcher

March 7, 2009, 11:28 PM	#15
M4Sherman Senior Member Join Date: February 15, 2009 Posts: 408	clean the extractor they are bad about getting clogged with brass

March 8, 2009, 08:09 AM	#17
Piper Cub Junior member Join Date: February 5, 2009 Location: TEXAS Posts: 491	They sell for about $700 in excellant shape now days.