Movie with MAS36s!
- Thread starter f_soldaten04
- Start date
As for ammo, I just reload the Frontier brass that's all over e-bay using the cheapo Lee dies. Workes fine. Hornady publishes the data and the bullets are 150gr .308 bullets. IMR4895 is pretty much standard for this round.
As for bores, most MAS rifles I see have great bores. Most were refurbed in the 50's and got new tubes at a time when the French no longer used corrosive ammo. Unrefurbed ones can have great bores too, but sometimes are thrashed. It's not hard to look down the bore and see for yourself. Despite being heavily used looking on the outside, mine's got a new bore and shoots like a laser beam. The sights are very good too with a receiver mounted peep.
As for bores, most MAS rifles I see have great bores. Most were refurbed in the 50's and got new tubes at a time when the French no longer used corrosive ammo. Unrefurbed ones can have great bores too, but sometimes are thrashed. It's not hard to look down the bore and see for yourself. Despite being heavily used looking on the outside, mine's got a new bore and shoots like a laser beam. The sights are very good too with a receiver mounted peep.
maple_leaf_eh
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
French rifles
The rifle will feel odd in your hands - unless you are built like a pre-WWII Frenchman. It is proportioned for a man with short arms and torso. The sights are very advanced and have a long sight radius, about twice as long as a No.1. Frank De Haas's book is critical of the forward slanted bolt handle, but he is intrigued by the action.
The ammunition will be problematic. There is almost all the French ammo here in Canada was imported by Century more than 20yrs ago. I buy any 7.5x54 I see at the gun shows. The Swedish and Swiss cases are better candidates for conversion, but I have buckets more 7.62 and .308 to try out before buying new 7.5 MAS. I pushed 100 .308 Win cases through the full-length dies and reloaded with salvaged .30 Carbine bullets. I am not entirely certain the extractor on my MAS 1944 will hold the rim, but that will be half the fun of the conversion.
The French 7.5 is fat and thin, where the 7.62 is correspondingly thin and fat. You could shorten the breech end of the barrel, move the threads forward 1/4" and ream the chamber for the more common ammo. For the bolt action that would also mean dressing the front end of the foreend. The semi-autos are more problematic.
kombi1976 said:
The rifle will feel odd in your hands - unless you are built like a pre-WWII Frenchman. It is proportioned for a man with short arms and torso. The sights are very advanced and have a long sight radius, about twice as long as a No.1. Frank De Haas's book is critical of the forward slanted bolt handle, but he is intrigued by the action.
The ammunition will be problematic. There is almost all the French ammo here in Canada was imported by Century more than 20yrs ago. I buy any 7.5x54 I see at the gun shows. The Swedish and Swiss cases are better candidates for conversion, but I have buckets more 7.62 and .308 to try out before buying new 7.5 MAS. I pushed 100 .308 Win cases through the full-length dies and reloaded with salvaged .30 Carbine bullets. I am not entirely certain the extractor on my MAS 1944 will hold the rim, but that will be half the fun of the conversion.
The French 7.5 is fat and thin, where the 7.62 is correspondingly thin and fat. You could shorten the breech end of the barrel, move the threads forward 1/4" and ream the chamber for the more common ammo. For the bolt action that would also mean dressing the front end of the foreend. The semi-autos are more problematic.
One company did chamber these in 7.62, but they did a generally ####ty job and a lot of them had problems feeding and with the handguard falling off.
I've only used old Algerian or Egyptian (I can't read arabic) surplus so I have no idea what the pressure is like. Generally the rule is to load to 7.62X51 specs.
I've only used old Algerian or Egyptian (I can't read arabic) surplus so I have no idea what the pressure is like. Generally the rule is to load to 7.62X51 specs.
PerversPépère
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Shawinigan (Quebec)
Rechambering
If you REALLY want to bubba a perfectly good MAS-36, just avoid converting it to 308 Winchester, it is not a good choice.
Instead have it rechambered with a pull-through finish reamer in 30-283. No need to pull the barrel out of the action, there is a very small amount of metal to remove.
The reamer is turned from the muzzle and the bolt is used to apply some pressure on the reamer's end. I think there's an adapter that centers in the firing pin hole.
When the bolt's lugs fall into their lug recesses, it's done with minimum headspace.
Clymer makes these reamers and Brownells sells them too.
Good luck.
If you REALLY want to bubba a perfectly good MAS-36, just avoid converting it to 308 Winchester, it is not a good choice.
Instead have it rechambered with a pull-through finish reamer in 30-283. No need to pull the barrel out of the action, there is a very small amount of metal to remove.
The reamer is turned from the muzzle and the bolt is used to apply some pressure on the reamer's end. I think there's an adapter that centers in the firing pin hole.
When the bolt's lugs fall into their lug recesses, it's done with minimum headspace.
Clymer makes these reamers and Brownells sells them too.
Good luck.
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Perhaps in other places but not here in Oz.maple_leaf_eh said:
As I said before, Privi Partizan, which is sold as Highland Ammo here in Oz, make factory ammo and brass for the 7.5x54 French cartridge.
Not only do they make it but I've seen it advertised in magazines by reputable stores that I regularly shop from.
You want NEW good brass for your MAS-36?.....Contact a gunstore in Oz.
Ummm, in what way exactly?maple_leaf_eh said:
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maple_leaf_eh
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
A few figures:
-case length French is (54mm) 2.11"; NATO is (51mm) 2.01"
-base diameter French is .480"; NATO is .466"
-shoulder diameter French is .441"; NATO is .447"
-neck length French is longer than the NATO, but the shoulder is also further forward.
(Cartridges of The World 9th ed Barnes)
-case length French is (54mm) 2.11"; NATO is (51mm) 2.01"
-base diameter French is .480"; NATO is .466"
-shoulder diameter French is .441"; NATO is .447"
-neck length French is longer than the NATO, but the shoulder is also further forward.
(Cartridges of The World 9th ed Barnes)
Interesting comparison, maple leaf.
Incidentally I went down to the gunshop recently to look for some other stuff and the MAS was gone so clearly someone even sillier than me has beaten me to the punch.
Well, I guess that's one less hassle then.
Now all I have to do is make my damn 91/38 Carcano shoot!
Incidentally I went down to the gunshop recently to look for some other stuff and the MAS was gone so clearly someone even sillier than me has beaten me to the punch.
Well, I guess that's one less hassle then.
Now all I have to do is make my damn 91/38 Carcano shoot!
its still a gun with a special status in france like the garand or the M14 in the US
i have a member of my forum how is a gunsmith in france and still work on them
he modified them in 7/08 and .300" Savage.
here is one of his in somalia
i have a member of my forum how is a gunsmith in france and still work on them
he modified them in 7/08 and .300" Savage.
here is one of his in somalia
