Manufacture d'armes de Saint-Étienne

Had a weak moment and a extra C note.

Interesting rifle. No safety but can be carried chambered with the bolt unlocked. This was reported to be common practice. Lucked out on ammo, found a man nearby with a few pallets of French surplus. Cheap enough for this to be a shooter.

I recall seeing a few of these in Nam in groups of captured weapons. They didn't look like this of course.

https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...as315302-1.jpg
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...as315303-1.jpg
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...as315304-1.jpg
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...as315305-1.jpg
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...as315306-1.jpg

Range report forthcoming, I hope!

When I didn't have ammo, these seemed to be everywhere. Now the opposite.

The French never did have a safety on their bolt action rifles from the first Lebel to the 1936. It would seem that you didn't load the chamber till you were ready to fire.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Bruce McAskill

It would seem that you didn't load the chamber till you were ready to fire.

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Which is a basic safety rule for target shooting, so you never need a safety. The French seem to have designed the MAS36 on the basic "If you don't build it in, it can't go wrong" principle.

Nice looking MAS. I just purchased my first one recently. Seems to be built like a tank. The only thing I cannot figure out is why they put a flat sling thru a round sling swivel on the front sling mount.

I bought my first '36 recently, a real treat to shoot. There's just something about French military firearms that truly intrigues me. Enjoy it!