Why no French milsurps?

[KneverKnew]

I’m sure I’m not the only one wondering why.

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[Singer B]

I guess the 2 French milsurps in my safe are fakes.....

[ssgross]

I suppose mine is too Singer When I started my interest in milsurps, my goal was obtain or build service rifle shooters from all the WW2 allies. I waited long and hard for the right French MAS 36. Pre-occupation examples are hard to come by - many that I would find looked like they were hidden away in a cave or barn by resistance fighters, to be abandoned or forgotten to rust away until found decades later. I don't have a pre-occupation MAS, and don't care to find one as I have my shooter and enjoy it. I'd have to look in my file cabinet but I think the receiver dates to early 50's soon after production started again, and the barrel is pristine 1964. Fortunately it had an "N", or centered rear sight aperture, and the front obelisk seems to be dead on at 100 yds.

I have not dug too far by way of documentation, but conversations with old timers at my shooting club point to the fact that most of the French small arms were left behind at Dunkirk and destroyed by the Germans, and those elements that evacuated and later invaded with the Brits carried Lee Enfields. So, why are French milsurps from that time so rare (comparitevely)? Well, common sense...the French factories missed out on the greatest period of war-time small arms production the world has ever seen, and I don't think the numbers produced after the war for use abroad even comes close. They aren't "rare" so to speak, just not as prevalent for the reasons stated.

Now I'm sure I've opened up a can a worms. Before I get yelled at then - Disclaimer...I have no "solid" position on the matter, I'm happy to be told I'm wrong, evolve, and would love to hear more...hopefully with documented evidence and sources and not the hearsay I've already heard (especially since it has the understandably American bias)

[Daan Kemp]

There are, do a search on the forum for MAS, Berthier, Gras, etc.

[Singer B]

Haha! I was at a gun show in southern California about a month ago. One of the vendors had a "mint, unfired Mas-36" for sale. The gun was in beautiful condition and the vendor was adamant that it was unfired. I explained to him that the French had refurbished all of them to like new condition before exporting them to the USA and I had a beautiful 36 at home just like his. I'm sure someone at the show believed him and paid the $900 he was asking. My Mas 49/56 was one of the Century Arms .308 conversions that normally don't work well, but mine works just fine thank goodness.

[Sherlock913]

I’m sure I’m not the only one wondering why.

I always wondered why as well.

There are, do a search on the forum for MAS, Berthier, Gras, etc.

I think what he means tis there doesn't seem to be a dedicated subforum like Italian Rifles, Soviet Bloc, etc.

[muffett.2008]

Well there's only one way to get one, Pester Badger and post pic's and info on French Arms.
That's what I did with Italian ones and low and behold.....a new forum.

[Singer B]

I always wondered why as well.



I think what he means tis there doesn't seem to be a dedicated subforum like Italian Rifles, Soviet Bloc, etc.

Good point, didn't think of that? I thought it was like the old French rifle joke.....

[Daan Kemp]

I thought it was like the old French rifle joke..

And what would that be?

[ssgross]

"Rifle for sale. Description: Never fired...only dropped once."

Well, If badger makes a forum. It's been on my list to tighten up the stock on my otherwise perfect MAS 36. I'll contribute the first sticky.