Finally, a Nice Score at Cabelas

[Aragorn243]

I made my every couple of weeks trek up to Cabela's hoping to find a milsurp worth using some points on. Past six months have been nothing but beat to crap Mosin Nagants and badly bubba'ed semi-sporters. This evening I spotted some rifles right off the bat and there were not one but three 24/47's in the racks. This is the rifle that I went up to get three weeks ago when they were on sale but mysteriously they didn't have a single one that day. In any case, I was not very happy, they were back up to $399 which is a joke.

Just getting ready to leave when I decided to scan again and an odd sight caught my eye in the semi-auto rack. WOOD. I said to myself, it can't be but it was, a French MAS 49/56 in original 7.5. This was not on my official "list" as it is post WWII but it is one I've been admiring for a couple of years and being disappointed over and over by that 308 stamp on the side. Price was good for Cabelas, and since I had enough points, it came home free and clear.

I told the wife it didn't even need a bayonet as it didn't take one. To my chagrin, I quickly learned it did indeed take a bayonet when I looked it up on the net. Ugly thing I seemed to recall having in the pile upstairs. Sure enough, bayonet came before the rifle. All I need now is a sling. Two salesmen handled it on the way through processing. First said, wow, good price, this just got put out. Second also said good price. They listed it at $399.00. Not super but below book.

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[Mikesm44]

Good job. I too have been admiring those. I had the misfortune of buying a MAS 36 in .308. The stock fell off the first time I fired it. With just one round.

[LukeTheDrifter]

Good job. I too have been admiring those. I had the misfortune of buying a MAS 36 in .308. The stock fell off the first time I fired it. With just one round.

That is both awful AND hilarious!! So sorry for your trouble, of course, but it reminds me of one time when I was looking for disassembly instructions for a very cheap pistol (I had offered to help smooth out the feeding on it, for a friend). I finally found one site where a poster said something along the lines of "In my experience, if you just shoot it, the pistol will fall apart in your hands"!!

I almost picked up one of the .308 conversions a month or two ago. Very glad I didn't now. However, great find on your unconverted rifle, sir!!

[vintage hunter]

One of these days I'm going to get an original scope and mount for mine but it's one of those things I don't want to buy without being able to see one up close and personal first. I have a K-VAR and McCann aftermarket mounts, both are very well made, solid and work just fine. The K-VAR is a quick detach throw lever design similar to the original and the McCann is secured by two 1/4-20 cup point set screws. The McCann is about 1/4'' taller than the K-VAR, which is about as low as one can get and still clear the rear sight aperture housing when sliding it on the dovetail.
I got my 49/56 8 or 9 years ago at a gun show. It was still sealed in the shipping box and the guy I bought it from was selling it because ammo was difficult to find and he also had one of the .308 conversions. I took it to be new unissued but it may be a rebuild I'm not sure. 4-75 is stamped on top of the bolt carrier and is the only date I see. Never had it apart, haven't had a reason to so far.

[HOOKED ON HISTORY]

One of these days I'm going to get an original scope and mount for mine but it's one of those things I don't want to buy without being able to see one up close and personal first. I have a K-VAR and McCann aftermarket mounts, both are very well made, solid and work just fine. The K-VAR is a quick detach throw lever design similar to the original and the McCann is secured by two 1/4-20 cup point set screws. The McCann is about 1/4'' taller than the K-VAR, which is about as low as one can get and still clear the rear sight aperture housing when sliding it on the dovetail.

My research indicates the K-var(the one I would choose) is no longer produced. Both seem a bit too high above the bore. I have even toyed with the idea of having one made.

[vintage hunter]

The K-VAR has been out of production for at least 10 years now and the McCann for about 8. I got my McCann straight from the manufacturer and he told me back then they were thinking of discontinuing it due to low sales.
These mounts slide on the receiver dovetail from the rear and must clear the rear sight so I'm not sure it would be possible to get them any lower without removing sight altogether and if you did theres the chance the ejected cases would impact the scope or mount. That's already a problem for scopes with much over 32mm objectives.
It's been discontinued longer than the mount but McCann Industries also used to make an AR-15 style tubular forend and an adapter that allowed AR-15 grips and butt stocks to be fit on the 49/56. There was a time when I wouldn't minded having a set of those.
P.S. there is a P82 on the left receiver of mine so it's a rebuild. I don't feel so bad about shooting it now.

[HOOKED ON HISTORY]

I paid more than that for mine. Extra clips are quite common. Liberty tree has the bayos for $85 (not much more than I paid). You need a night site as well (also avaliable and cheap). The slings are all over in new condition. Mag pouches and letther belts and suspenders are out there if you want a complete ensamble.
Pictures forth comming?
I am keeping an eye out for the scope and mount which are quite pricey.

[Aragorn243]

Here are the photos. The metal is in excellent shape, just a few handling marks here and there. It's been used but not abused. Bore is excellent. Manufactured between 1958-1960 and refurbished in 1982. All the serials that I've found match. The wood is not new wood and looks to be original to the rifle or it saw service after the refurbishment which doesn't seem likely given the condition of the metal.

The sun play havoc with most of my full rifle shots so I included a lot of the closeups instead to show the more interesting parts and how the bayonet connects etc.

[HOOKED ON HISTORY]

Excellent example & photos! I guess I need a Butt pad as well. I find these to be very interesting arms of quality manufacture. I would like to find a functional example in 7.62x51 making it more practical to fire regularly. The design if the scope mount is facinating I only wish the originals were not so high and the aftermarkets so high above the bore axis.That bayonet is an odd duck.

[Aragorn243]

The butt pad is technically to fire the grenade launcher. I guess they were designed in 1962 to make the recoil a bit more manageable. It came with and as they seem to sell for about $20, I'm glad it did. I put an order in for a night sight. The scopes scare me off at the moment. Need to pay off the mortgage first I believe. What impresses me is it has a SAFETY. Not the world's greatest safety as it seems incredibly easy to knock off by accident but better than what all preceeding French rifles have.

I've heard a lot of horror stories about the conversions which is why I've steered clear of them. Guys that have them say they hate them or they spent another $100 or so to get them done correctly.