Value of French MAS

Kilo Charlie

Kilo Charlie

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An acquaintance just called me for info about a firearm he wants to sell....a French MAS. I assume the rifle is cal. 8mm Lebel. Functional but not in great shape. Anyone have a ballpark figure at all? I have never seen one for sale that I recall. Sorry, no pics.

Okay, got ahead of myself. I just saw one marked "sold" at Ellwood Epps, an M36 cal 7.5X54, good condition at $289.00. Sound right?
 
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Piiics!!!

Ask your friend for a pix or two.
A MAS model 36 or subsequent models don't shoot 8mm Lebel; they are chambered for the 7,5 French or 7,5x54, a much more modern and efficient design.
And, maybe it will draw protests from some but it seems the actual 7,62 NATO derived from studies and observations of that cartridge, even to the point of studying the changes in the microcrystalline structure of the 7,5 French cartridge neck and shoulder when annealed.
Your MAS, depending on the model, year and if it has been rearsenaled or not can be worth between $150.00 and $350.00.
Of course, overall condition is important with the bore condition being the prime consideration, some batches of 7,5 ammo being known as one of the most corrosive ammunition in existence.:eek:
Pics?
PP.
 
I sold one in good + shape, all matched except magazine, this summer for $175 plus shipping including dies and some brass. They don't seem to be very popular, I got no interest in it at the gun shows here.
 
That was a very good deal for the buyer...:)
The only MAS you have to be wary of are the ones that have been converted to 308 Winchester; many times Bubba didn't care to set the barrel back enough so the reamer could clean up the chamber and the rear part of it still was too large. Some have experienced burst casings at the first firing.:mad:
PP.
 
PP, most of the Mas 36 rifle that I've seen converted to 7.62 nato had brand new bbls and were converted either by the French gov't or Century International. The bores and chambers were correct and the finished products were very accurate, considering that sloppy rear lock up on the bolt. bearhunter
 
I have a few of them. Built like a bricksh!thouse. Beautiful guns. All Ex-Minty and still in 7.5mas. My thanks, to all the folks that give them away so cheaply! LOL
Pete
 
bearhunter said:
PP, most of the Mas 36 rifle that I've seen converted to 7.62 nato had brand new bbls and were converted either by the French gov't or Century International. The bores and chambers were correct and the finished products were very accurate, considering that sloppy rear lock up on the bolt. bearhunter
Click to expand...
Rear lockup is not a bad thing per se if the bolt and action walls are beefy enough.
Look at the Steyr Hunter and SSG series: they are rear lockup and nobody says they aren't tack drivers.
Remington had a very plain Jane low priced model (don't remember the number now) which was known for real good out-of-the-box accuracy and it was a rear lockup.
Some MAS conversions were well done, with a new barrel (I have one), other ones were real bad and dangerous.
One petty annoyance was that the shape of the cartridge follower didn't always go well with the shorter and leaner 308 Win round: first round fed well, second one from the left mashed its tip on the side of the chamber. Nothing a good tinkerer couldn't solve but annoying anyway...
PP.
 
I've got one and it's a great little shooter - I've always really liked French guns. I don't know why.
 
PerversPépère;1828977 said:
Rear lockup is not a bad thing per se if the bolt and action walls are beefy enough.
Look at the Steyr Hunter and SSG series: they are rear lockup and nobody says they aren't tack drivers.
Remington had a very plain Jane low priced model (don't remember the number now) which was known for real good out-of-the-box accuracy and it was a rear lockup.
Some MAS conversions were well done, with a new barrel (I have one), other ones were real bad and dangerous.
One petty annoyance was that the shape of the cartridge follower didn't always go well with the shorter and leaner 308 Win round: first round fed well, second one from the left mashed its tip on the side of the chamber. Nothing a good tinkerer couldn't solve but annoying anyway...
PP.
Click to expand...

The Rem 788 - perhaps the best rifle Remington no longer makes . Urban myth suggests that they cut too much into 700 sales even though they were marketed as a plain Jane "economy" rifle for the less than well heeled sportsman.
 
Mas 36

I will be looking for a good MAS 36 in the new year, I kind of like the MAS. I have the MAS 36 LG48 with the grenade launcher built on to the barrel.
In one of my books they mention it was extensively used in Indo China.
Is that what would have been used (to be correct) in the opening shots of "We Were Soldiers"? The story starts with the French fighting the NVA or similar group in 1954 and they would have been the newest weapons.
Got the info about "used extensively in Indo China", from the following book.
"Standard Catalog of Military Firearms" The Collector's Price and Reference Guide 2nd Edition. I don't know how accurate that info is but they state this model was produced from 1948 to 51. So I would assume it is correct.

The bolt lockup of a MAS must have some value it's similar to my SSG-69 PII and it works great. It's possible Steyr and Remington borrowed it from the MAS design?
 
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jumper said:
Mas 36 is easily converted to 30-284. Ruins collector value (which is low anyway), but shoots great.
Click to expand...
Yes and it is quite a performer.
This only needs a finishing reamer in "pull-thru" configuration. The barrel stays on the action and the bolt body is used to apply pressure to the reamer which is turned by hand with a long rod through the barrel. Rear support is provided by a centering fixture in the firing pin hole.Lots of cutting fluid are used with careful hand turning.
When the bolt falls in place, job is done with minimum headspace.
PP.
 
There are no creativity points given, so originality and wit are not really requirements, heck there are people trying and still not that funny (not implying a high level of humor), any yea that sad.
 
PerversPépère said:
Yes and it is quite a performer.
This only needs a finishing reamer in "pull-thru" configuration. The barrel stays on the action and the bolt body is used to apply pressure to the reamer which is turned by hand with a long rod through the barrel. Rear support is provided by a centering fixture in the firing pin hole.Lots of cutting fluid are used with careful hand turning.
When the bolt falls in place, job is done with minimum headspace.
PP.
Click to expand...

ooooo.......open it up to 7.5x55 then......run some GP11 through her.......:)
 
A Mas 36 w/grenade laucher & sight showed up at WSS Edmonton in like new condition...It was sold in a few days & if I remember correctly, for only $400
 
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