Just thought I'd give a quick report on my own experimenting with launching rifle grenades using my MAS 36/51. Hopefully this information will be helpful to someone.
I picked up a nicely factory refurbished MAS 36/51 earlier this year. Although they feel a little clunky and heavy to handle, they also feel durable as hell. The trigger is decent and the bolt quick to cycle. Mine shoots better groups than most of my Milsurps using factory PPU ammo. This is likely partly to do with the pristine condition of the rifle. I ended up buying a second rear sight to try and bring my windage in line. While I couldn't find the exact sight I needed, I found if I use the left corner of that big fat front post I'm pretty much dead on. As for the grenades, lets just say you can't expect to sell me a rifle with an integral grenade launcher, and expect me not to try it
Basically the only information I could find on loading grenade launching blanks, and the safety aspects of this whole operation came from a handful of gun forums. Obviously taken with a grain of salt.
I figured we would start light and work our way up. We pulled a few bullets on factory rounds and tried various light loads of the smokeless powder used by PPU. I haven't tracked down a star crimp, so in the name of keep it simple, stupid, we plugged the rounds using soap!
The first tests were a huge disappointment. The powder just wouldn't ignite properly. I don't know if a star crimp would fix that by letting more pressure build up.
After this my dad suggested we try Hodgdon Triple 7 FFFg muzzleloading powder. We popped in magnum primers to help with ignition, although I suspect they wouldn't be required with FFFg.
This powder certainly did the trick. Again we were careful not to overcharge the rounds, even though the true grenade launching blanks apparently packed quite a wallop. We settled on 40 grains(by volume) of FFFg. Using a M1A2 rifle grenade adapter with an inert pineapple grenade attached, we got around 100-125 meters with a high angle launch. The launch comes with a nice waft of black powder smoke and a bit of back blast of powder residue, so don't forget your eye protection!
Although these loads plugged with soap certainly aren't field durable, the beauty is anyone without a reloading setup could potentially make their own. Simply buy factory ammo, pull the bullet and powder, add some FFFg, and plug with a bar of soap!
The downside is cleaning, but anyone used to dealing with corrosive ammo shouldn't be too bothered. Warm water will wash away that black powder residue in no time, and apparently FFFg isn't corrosive like many black powders.
I picked up a nicely factory refurbished MAS 36/51 earlier this year. Although they feel a little clunky and heavy to handle, they also feel durable as hell. The trigger is decent and the bolt quick to cycle. Mine shoots better groups than most of my Milsurps using factory PPU ammo. This is likely partly to do with the pristine condition of the rifle. I ended up buying a second rear sight to try and bring my windage in line. While I couldn't find the exact sight I needed, I found if I use the left corner of that big fat front post I'm pretty much dead on. As for the grenades, lets just say you can't expect to sell me a rifle with an integral grenade launcher, and expect me not to try it
Basically the only information I could find on loading grenade launching blanks, and the safety aspects of this whole operation came from a handful of gun forums. Obviously taken with a grain of salt.
I figured we would start light and work our way up. We pulled a few bullets on factory rounds and tried various light loads of the smokeless powder used by PPU. I haven't tracked down a star crimp, so in the name of keep it simple, stupid, we plugged the rounds using soap!
The first tests were a huge disappointment. The powder just wouldn't ignite properly. I don't know if a star crimp would fix that by letting more pressure build up.
After this my dad suggested we try Hodgdon Triple 7 FFFg muzzleloading powder. We popped in magnum primers to help with ignition, although I suspect they wouldn't be required with FFFg.
This powder certainly did the trick. Again we were careful not to overcharge the rounds, even though the true grenade launching blanks apparently packed quite a wallop. We settled on 40 grains(by volume) of FFFg. Using a M1A2 rifle grenade adapter with an inert pineapple grenade attached, we got around 100-125 meters with a high angle launch. The launch comes with a nice waft of black powder smoke and a bit of back blast of powder residue, so don't forget your eye protection!
Although these loads plugged with soap certainly aren't field durable, the beauty is anyone without a reloading setup could potentially make their own. Simply buy factory ammo, pull the bullet and powder, add some FFFg, and plug with a bar of soap!
The downside is cleaning, but anyone used to dealing with corrosive ammo shouldn't be too bothered. Warm water will wash away that black powder residue in no time, and apparently FFFg isn't corrosive like many black powders.
