French Mas 7.5

[bouncer50]

I have two of them in 7.5 nice accurate they average about two inch groups at a 100 yards. I been using 6.5 swedish brass to reload for them also you can use 30-06 brass but the 6.5 is a better fit in the chamber. To me it looks like a close copy of the 7.5 swiss rounds. It has rear locking lugs but i have seen a few rechamber to 308. Not much reloading data on the 7.5 French. I bought them years ago for a 100 bucks each. They were in like new shape. i have a lee mold 170 grain i would like to try in them so i figure what safe in the 7.5 Swiss should be safe in the french rifles. Went i bought mine only surplus ammo was the only thing to shoot in them. They are fairly uncommon to find in gun shops anymore. My friend told me he should have bought one years ago went they were cheap. He been trying to buy one off of me. I change the subject every time he ask to sell him one:razz:

[Scharfschuetze]

I've always wondered about these Gallic warriors and how they shoot.

While on an assignment in the island nation of Vanuatu (formerly the New Hebrides Islands) in the early 90s, I saw a hundred or so brand new and virtually unhandled MAS 36 rifles in the Vanuatu Mobile Force arms room on Efate (now Shefa) Island. Vanuatu was a French and English protectorate, so arms and equipment from both nations was in evidence. I asked the armorer why the MAS 36 rifles looked to be unfired and he stated that: "We can't get ammo for them."

Their British SLRs on the other hand were pretty well used and we shot those a bit.

[Der Gebirgsjager]

I have one, and only one, purchased for $75 back around 1978. It was displayed over a doorway in a liquor store and every time I entered I saw it. Resisted asking to see it for at least two years, but read up on them, and finally decided to examine it more closely. At the time they hadn't hit the surplus market and, as it was the only one I'd ever seen, I bought it. It is somewhere between very good and excellent condition and the parts are finished in black paint rather than the Parkerizing seen on some of the later imports. No two serial numbers and parts numbers are the same, and although I eventually acquired one box of 7.5 French ammo I've never fired it. They are certainly well made, built like at tank, and have that unusual needle bayonet stowed under the barrel. Good sights. I think I've seen brass as a reloading component and loaded ammo for sale from time to time from Graf. In the great Robert Capa book "Slightly Out Of Focus" there's a good photo of a couple of French Resistance fighters in Paris During WW II holding one of them.

[Earlwb]

I bought one around 35 years or so ago. It also has the cool little bayonet hidden in the stock too. But mine was chambered for the .308 round. Since I had other rifles I could shoot I never got around to trying it out and shooting it. But it is in like new condition though. I assume the French made a lot of the rifles, but had quickly gone to semi-automatic rifles after the war. Thus they had a fair stockpile of like new unused MAS1936 rifles left over. Since I have gotten old, and my eyesight isn't what it used to be, I am thinking about getting a scope mount and putting a scope on it. I just haven't been in a hurry to do so though.

[3006guns]

I have an MAS also, but discovered a disturbing fact. The French genius that designed this rifle did a great job on the receiver (strong) and bolt (short throw) but fell flat on his face with the sights! Mine shoots to the left at 100 yards. In order to correct that, I have to find the replacement rear sight aperture with the specified correction. In other words, the rear sight is NOT adjustable without going to the armorer and having a new sight fitted.

Sacre' bleu!

[Piedmont]

3006guns, I don't own one of the French MAS bolt actions but I do not believe what you said about the sights is true. If I am remembering correctly you take off the forend tip/sight cover and can then drift the front sight. Hopefully someone else will chime in on this.

[mooman76]

I just picked up a MAS 49 a few weeks ago. I have yet to shoot it. It has a slightly rough bore but I still have hopes for it. I'm not expecting it to shoot great given it's age but I will be happy as long as it shoots half way decent. I trader a Mossberg 500 for it. The guy that had it got it from his dad that picked it up during the war. Reloading dies and components are available if you look around. I'm using 30.06 brass for now but will pick up some brass that has a better fit.

[ukrifleman]

3006guns, I don't own one of the French MAS bolt actions but I do not believe what you said about the sights is true. If I am remembering correctly you take off the forend tip/sight cover and can then drift the front sight. Hopefully someone else will chime in on this.

The front sight on a MAS 36 is fixed and cannot be moved. In order to correct windage, you need to fit the appropriate off-set rear sight, of which there are 24 I believe.

ukrifleman

[ak_milsurp]

Or buy an S&K "No gunsmithing" scope mount.

[ak_milsurp]

Works great!

[3006guns]

3006guns, I don't own one of the French MAS bolt actions but I do not believe what you said about the sights is true. If I am remembering correctly you take off the forend tip/sight cover and can then drift the front sight. Hopefully someone else will chime in on this.

The information on the rear sight was from a French Lebel/MAS collector's website. According to them replacement rear sight assemblies could be installed, each with a designation as to right or left in increments of something like 1/10 of a millimeter. This means the company armorer must have had quite a selection of replacement sights in stock.....not the most efficient setup.

I've already poked around to see if replacements are out there, but no luck. Since I have the necessary tools, I might just make a replacement myself.

In any case, I just looked at mine and the front sight hood is part of the entire muzzle band. There probably is a dovetail, but the band would prevent any lateral movement that I can see...but hey, if you can provide information to the contrary I'd be delighted as I really like the gun!

[EDG]

I had a mint new 36/51 with the built on grenade launcher and sights.

My rifle shot to one side and the aperture was labled with an offset to that direction.
I got another aperture that was neutral and my rifle shot perfect for windage.