Tell me about the MAS-1949/56

[industrialstrength]

I looked at one over the weekend and was interested as I have never saw one before. It was hard for me to get my eyes lined up with the sights. Maybe my face isn't fat enough, but it seems like the stock comb was a bit low. The gun was in fair condition and was selling for around $300.

Does anyone have one of these rifles, and if so how do you like it? What should I look for when shopping for one of these? How about pricing?

What's the story on the white plastic bolt carrier handle?

[okie shooter]

What caliber is it in, they were made in 7.5x54 orginally, but many were converted by century for .308, to sell here. The thing could be thought of the french m-1 rifle, Served with the french thru vietnam, algeria, and finally retired when the french adopted the FAMAS rifle, they never adpoted a 308 rifle, even when in nato.

[industrialstrength]

It is a 7.5... so is ammo hard to find in this caliber?

What do these rifles sell for on average?

[okie shooter]

Longhorn had one in .308 and I think he might still, but he was happy with it. Finding the ammo might be a tougher though. They used to be dirt cheap when first brought in, but have been climbing in price like most other autoloading milisurplus rifles.

[kevin]

century has been selling comercial ammo for 7.5

[walt-oxie1]

There is one for sale on ar15.com and akforum in .308 for 265.00 shipped.

[Longhorn789]

It is a 7.5... so is ammo hard to find in this caliber?

What do these rifles sell for on average?

Yeah, I've still got one. Found about every single accessory known to man to go with it too.

Mine is in .308., however I had one in 7.5 at one point. Yeah...you're not going to find ammo for this one at WalMart. I found a couple sources back when I had a 7.5, but decided to sell it and get one in 308 instead.

Here's what I would say about it:

Likes:
Mine functions great. It's a great "bush gun" to carry when filling feeders or general messing around in the wilderness due to its light weight and short length. Plus, the 10 round mags keep the profile slim. Easy to cross a barbed-wire fence with one. It's high caliber (either way 7.5 or 7.62x51) is also welcomed since wild hogs are common down here and a 7.62x39 doesn't always do the trick on the first shot.

Pretty good, crisp trigger for a military rifle. Breaks clean.

The action is simple and easy to field strip.

Mechanically, the rifle is substantially constructed and looks like it could take a beating if needed. No thin, stamped metal covers or anything weak looking.

Dislikes:
The sights are "fat". The front blade is about four times thicker than any other sight blade I've ever seen.

The wood stocks are very difficult to remove. I like refinishing wood, and after seeing what I was going to have to do to remove the wood, I decided to leave it alone.

You are limited to 10 rounds. May not be a big deal to you, however, I dig hi-cap mags. I saw one once that was converted to use 20 round FAL mags, but that's a whole "nother" deal.

Yes...the charging handle is capped with that cheap-looking white plastic knob cover that has the tendency to break for some people.

Overall
I like it, but it's a weird bird. Your price of $300 for a 7.5 in good shape is about right for the maximum asking price. Check the bore. Many are shot out. Good working 308 conversions generally sell for closer to $400. If you can find plenty of 7.5, or reload ammo, I'd say get after it. Don't bother trying to find the accessories for it, especially the leather suspenders and belt shown in the picture. Unless you happen to be 4'-9" and 90 lbs......it won't fit you... Maybe try to find the replacement firing pin just in case. If you're seriously going to buy one in 7.5, I would suggest finding a deal on a lifetime supply of 7.5 first. That round is on the extinction list for sure.

[okie shooter]

Longhorn, you the man on these here.

[Woodman in MO]

On my short list of firearm regrets is passing on one of these with a whole sniper setup with scope and accessories for $350, but that was going on like 5 years ago.

I think they are a solid rifle, just that cruddy 7.5 French is a limitation.

[SteelCore]

It was proly only dropped once and never fired! (Heehee, someone hadta say it)

The French rifles (MAS) and MGs (Chauchat) in WWI were derided...but that should not reflect on their WW II guns.

[industrialstrength]

Wow! That's a nice collection you have there Longhorn. You say $300 for one in good shape huh? The one I was looking at was in fair condition w/ maybe 50% of the metal finnish intact.

I never seem to find good prices on guns around here.

[nightprowler311]

auctionarms.com has about 5 of these for sale. I seen a few a a local shop efore they closed and they where selling the 7.5 for 200.00 dollars. Too bad i was in the market for pistols at the time.

[Longhorn789]

Wow! That's a nice collection you have there Longhorn. You say $300 for one in good shape huh? The one I was looking at was in fair condition w/ maybe 50% of the metal finnish intact.

I never seem to find good prices on guns around here.

Thanks....

Well, when I say "good shape", 50% of the original finish is "good" for one of these. Mine has less than 50% for sure. Not sure why most of these have significant finish wear...but more often than not, they do..

I think if you bought the one you are looking at for no more than $300 then you would be doing fine.

Of course, I would go check out auctionarms, and the other places suggested here in other posts before leaping. You may find a better deal?!?

Also, once you price out the 7.5 French....you may decide to buy one that is converted to .308. Costs a little more for the gun, but saves a BUNCH on the ammo..

[Norton]

This is my two cents on the MAS 49/56 and MAS 44. I have a CAI 7.62 Nato converstion. I have never had any trouble with mine what so ever. But from searching other boards and internet sites. I found many of these CAI rifles start tearing the rims off cases and jamb up after around 40 rounds.
The Jews for the preservation of Firearms has the best write up on the converstion you can find.
With that being said the ones still in 7.5 French are seemingly trouble free. It was a good reliable rifle that funtioned under almost any weather conditons. Very rugged and well liked. Mine own shoots consistant 2 1/2 to 3 inch groups at 100 yd. Yes.. no tack driver, but it can keep a group. The mags are only 10 rounds but are as good as you can get short of an M 14 mag. It seems soldier proof in its take down.
It is a very compact weapon with a good shoulder throw. The weight seems light but I have no idea what it really weighs loaded.

I know the Frogs used them up untill 1977 78 because I saw them on TV back in the so called Koieseise*(sorry on the spelling) crisies( the name for the CONGO in 1977)
I know the we Issued them to our LRG striker groups in the 60s because the locals like the short size of the rifle and Uncle Sugar even made his own 7.5 to shoot in them.
All in all it was a very good rifle, if you can get one in 7.5 you wont have any trouble at all.
If the FAL was the west's right arm and the G 3 CETME was the left arm..
Then this was the West's Big toe. The rifle worked when you pulled the trigger and ended up killing a bunch of Reds, Communists and Arab fanatics over the years.
You could do much worse for a combat weapon made for draftees to fight in some god forsaken war to save a dying Empire

[cetme]

the rifle I had was in non working order from CIA. Some of the 308 conversions were crap. Bad chambers,cut springs, bad gass ports etc.

You can form 7.5 brass with dies from RCBS or by import commertial ammo.

[okie shooter]

Remember, on these rifles, they were used by the French Army and others for far longer than many of its contempories, As I said they adopted the rifle in the forties/fifties, and stopped carrying it in the early eighties, they totaly bypassed .308 rifles entirely, going from 7.5 to 223 in one step. By contrast the M-14 was carried for only five years until the adoption of the M-16.(though it was used in numbers untill the early seventies)

These look dated and worn due to the fact they are contempories if the M1 rifle more than anything else(first devloped before WWII as the MAS-38/40 but the second world war stoped their adoption, like the FN-49 and others)