French MAS 49/56: Old School Battle Rifle 

The French Army, including the Foreign Legion carried this rifle from deserts to jungles and it performed well despite it seemingly strange nuances. I love mine since for a semi auto it is very accurate-hence the DMR role could be taken by any soldier since the all have the scope rails cut in it. It is a natural pointer and it is very well balanced for a rifle that is really a milled tank beast. The 7.5 French was created many years before the NATO 7.62 round. People seem to down French rifles yet the longevity speaks for itself. It is a very clean direct impingement- you can fire a hundreds of rounds and it still is pretty darn clean. I got mine quite a few years ago when I retired fro mil/LE work around the world and in harsh environment where I tested weapons and ammo in arctic conditions. This rifle is surprisingly amazing once you train with it. As said, it IS a stout blaster that is very underrated. Get one while you can as they are C&R but everything is going up in price. Forgotten Weapons does a great job detailing this rifle with 9 Hole Reviews taking the open sights quite easily to 500 yds in tough conditions. It shows what someone with skill can do with it. I put an aftermarket mount/scope on mine and and easily hit anything I can see-and Im an old guy. Just my 2 cents worth.

I've got one that's been converted to .308. I quite like it, and I've found it to be more wieldy than most other battle rifles of the era. It's got its limitations, that's for sure... but it's a solid design.

French military has never been about having the most modern stuff, it’s more about having the most rugged and trained soldiers, for example the ffl or the marine infantry and parachute regiments, and most of the time it works

I would say that your assessment is off, or perhaps just biased by experience. To start, being a further development of a preWW2 rifle system, its contemporaries are the M1 Garand, FN49, AG42b, G43, and SVT40. Judging it against AR10(1958), FAL(1958), G3 (1959), and M14 (1959) is unfair to the rifle and tantamount to comparing the M1 Garand to the Krag, they're in different generations of firearms development. Compared to its contemporaries, the MAS 49/56 is more than adequate and definitely better than some of them. The awkward, by today's standards, mag retention is due to previous designs having an internal magazine and design limitations with changing that to having a detachable magazine, detachable magazines were still new for main line rifles. It is no less accurate than any other battle rifle and the 7.5x54mm is by no means a slouch. The recoil is very manageable for anyone with a standard European build and arms that are greater than noodles. The safety is easy to manipulate, for a right handed shooter, and similar to those found on its contemporaries. The sights are adequate, the small aprature and thick front sight make for bad target shooting but good enough battle sights. Length of pull is good, even someone with long arms won't have issues. The system limits the possibility of malfunction through violent ejection. A few points of note: the M1 Garand was still issued in the US Army until the late 70s/early 80s. The French were looking to replace the 49/56 and were using G3 rifles in the 60s and 70s until the adoption of the FAMAS in 1978. Austrian FALs weren't replaced until 77, British L1A1 until 85, Australian L1A1 until 88, German G3 until 1997. Any implication that the French were backwards or bullheaded in their choice of main battle rifle is wrong. Additionally, the malfunctions shown in this video are due to poor ammo, overparkerization of the bolt and carrier, and/or a partially blocked gas tube. The rifle should be sending brass up and into the next county.

Milsurp world :MAS49-56 overstayed its welcome way past its practicality.. M1886 lebel: Am I a joke to you

I’m not running out to grab one but that’s a really cool looking rifle. I really like the aesthetic of it.

Great job on the super clear video quality and I really like the slow motion shot!

Look at that bolt bounce! Great slo mo shot. Bought my 49/56 today for $800. It is in arsenal refurb condition. Looks brand new. Fantastic wood. Got to get dies for 7.5 French and do some shooting. Like you I passed one up 4 yrs ago for $400. However I needed other more desirable guns for my collection at the time. Great video.

Such a sweet shooter at the range.

This is the main gun that inspired Eugene Stoner to create his masterpiece… the AR-10 and 15… it’s the same System in a slightly tweaked form.

You don't need a pistol grip to be formidable that's for sure

It seems like a nice gun to me. We used the M-14 until the late 1960s so I don't think that it is strange that the French used a full power battle rifle without a pistol grip until the late 1970s.

I got one for $350 years ago! And it's one of the best autos I have! Even my son will take it shooting over the M1 or the Ar.

"people won't really know what it is" It's amazing what people will try to guess what a gun is. I've had my FG42 called an SKS about 20 times now! So your Mas? Probably an SKS....

I've wanted one for years. Saw one in 2006 for like $350 but was into bolt actions at the time.

I have had the opportunity to put many hundred rounds through a MAS 49 and found it to be a competent firearm. Any user of the arm would quickly learn the mag release latch the first day of handling. I found the only shortcoming of the rifle was the stock length; it needed to be extended by 2 inches for me.

It is a cool looking rifle....like you said though id hate to take that up against an ak if I was in the French army. Definitely a conversation piece and looks fun to shoot.

This is random but you camera mic must be really good. The overall sound and report of the gunfire is 100% spot on.

Awesome video as always, id really like to see a couple svt 40 videos from you !

Except the fact that the French Foreign Legion was really into Rifle grenades at the time these rifles were used. Rifle grenades of that era were very powerful. More so than modern US 40mm HE grenades. They used these ALOT and the whole Squad/ Platoon had them ......

If you know your history the reasoning behind this gun is pretty obvious: All NATO nations were supposed to use some sort of variation on the full auto capable FAL with any variation of the NATO 7mm(British .280) which was an intermediate caliber. But the US pushed for a full power rifle which incapacitated the FAL full auto capabilities and ended up ultimately ditching the FAL for nationalistic reasons and making the M14, which had a lot of parts that could be manufactured with the machinery used to make M1s. This prompted a lot of nations to do the same, and that's what the MAS49 is, a "French M14", it uses the full rifle caliber french variant and is built as such that it required the minimal changes in machinery from the MAS36, their WWII bolt action (that never saw much use).

I have two of these rifles I picked up for two hundred bucks apiece when they first hit our shores, one of the best moves I made back in the day when milsup was really cheap.

hi Man I've relay enjoyed your video's, thanks and More ON.

I would love to have one ! I would love to have the bolt action before it too. cool looking gun

I've been wanting one for the year and a half and I found them for sale thinking about getting one.

Decent shtf rifle for people who don't live in a free state.

Mine will throw the brass 15 yards. If they could have had the MAS 40 out before they were overrun, they would have had the best infantry rifle in WWII. I put this rifle equal to the SKS IMHO.

I used this rifle when I was in the army during my classes. It is a precise, solid, and powerful weapon. If I had to choose between the FAMAS and the 49/56 I would choose the latter.

Deep down I think he likes it. 👍👍👍👍

I have one of these still in the plastic shipping bag from import. I need a little motivation to finish cutting it out so I can clean ans shoot it, just hasn't happened yet. And in response to Lavthefox, you want to talk about people mistaking you gun for an SKS, I get that with my Rasheed. Speaking of that, did you ever contact Dave?

The French, if they are anything- are a infinitely practical if slightly quirky people, and thus every bit of what we would consider "odd" about these rifles, they had a reason for doing. Yes, even the magazine "clip"- which personally I don't find that bad to use. Its not AR fast, but this rifle osnt trying to be an AR

The French didn't want to be the worlds police force so countries like Germany and Great Britain, Austria and the like had enough of "it" in WW1 and WW 2 and weren't coming. The US on the other hand, the Soviets and the Chinese felt they had to "go to it" so weapon development was more important. My brother in law was in Viet Nam and he liked the m14, an older designed rifle like the MAS shown here. I'd like to own a MAS 49/56 but my closet is too small.

I recently picked up a 49/56 and I like it quite a bit. Its super interesting and I love French guns. I got it for a song and cant really complain, but I came to the same conclusion as you did. I can not begin to think as to why the France continued to use the rifle into 80s, not because the design is old, but because of its inherent non-NATO standardization. Why did France keep the 7.5 and not go to .308 and how on Earth did a 20 round magazine never get developed? I've heard of French infantry modifying some mags from a machine gun but its just mind blowing. I do think its quite ironic that in conversations about battle rifles the US gets SO much shit about the adoption of 7.62 NATO over .280 Brit and the M14 but no one bats an eye at the French keeping this dinosaur in service for ages past its expatriation date.

It has 7 moving parts the AK has 8.

Ha.."Hipster guns"...you have to have a douche knot and drink PBR afterwards. Great video and an honest opinion of the MAS 49/56. I've had mind for a few years and enjoy shooting it when I can find ammo.

I have one of these, along with the MAS 36, and they are damn near matching with the stocks being almost identical in color/shade. I had some issues with my 49/56, including 2-round bursts and the rifle firing when chambering a live round. After it was gone through by a licensed gunsmith, I was told to make sure to have the safety on when chambering a live round, and to pull the trigger all the way back to avoid those bursts, and that the rifle was designed that way, being a military style rifle. I assume there is some truth in that, but I would also like some feedback from anyone experienced in handling these rifles.

was that surplus French ammo? primers looked pretty big....

Just bought another one, sold the last one for rent.

I have one and i like to get another one.

Love this rifle. 7.5, unmessed with... People complain about these being "inaccurate"... I think often that is because they get one that the barrel is really worn... If you buy one of these MAKE SURE it has a good condition barrel or better on it. It will make all the difference.

Where the hill your from? This rifle worth at least $2500 in Canada. Also very hard to find

Outdated not at all it's close to a Yugo M56/66 SKS .

I believe that beginning at some point , and for a very long time, a bolt-action hunting rifle with a low-power scope will be the most revered rifle, due to its lighter weight, reliability, and especially in a hunting situation, its easier retrieval of fired cases than a semi-auto. If you think ammo is scarce now, just wait until TSHTF for real. But as semi-autos go, IMHO, a MAS 49/56 rechambered in .308, a Ruger stainless steel Mini-14 (.223); and for anyone who doesn't even own a rifle, my first would be a stainless steel Ruger 10/22. The women and kids in your group are shooters, right? The MAS with no pistol grip and only a short mag gives it a more ergonomic lower profile. A 30-round mag, while adding serious weight to your rifle, makes it harder to unstrap from your backpack, and is in the way when lying prone. And a little bit like having full-auto, a 30 rounder is more likely to induce "spray and pray" and less ammo conservation. The only thing that emboldens an enemy more than seeing your back as you run away, is when you shoot and miss, and nothing destroys their morale more than "one shot, one kill." Accuracy and ammo economy will one day be the fashion. And if we're lucky, for every hour we spend in a fire-fight, we'll spend hundreds of hours just "living with" our rifle. The more comfortable it is to live with, the more likely it will be where it needs to be when we need it.

ammo: " 61 ALM 74"... Lot 61.... ALM (Atelier Le Mans )...74 (1974) ;-) Belle arme chez nous ça coûte une fortune.... ;-)

I wonder how it compare to ljungman rifle. In recoil, accuracy or maintenance. Are you planning mud testing MAS-49? Anyway - great video as always.

man, it's a shame there are litteraly none here in the EU, atleast here in The Netherlands. hell, never even seen one in a museum!

Lools like an SKS on steroids

The key word was "French",if you have ever owned or worked on French cars or equipment you would understand;they have to be unique or different even if it to their own deteriment.

I want to get a MAS 49/56 in 7.62 NATO but too bad they're scarce and expensive

Very Kool looking rifle. Way over priced in my books but it is what it is. Looks like your in Arizona

Seems the French "almost" get things right a lot

It would have been nice if you had fired the weapon a lot more, so you would not have to do so much guessing about how users would react to its features. I lost count of the number of times you speculated about how shooters would react to certain features. Like the allegedly clumsy mag release. Too bad you didn't run a bunch of mags thru the gun so you could give a first hand account. Also, speculating about the parkerizing. It would have meant so much more, if you had actually looked for yourself.

It's very very difficult to buy it in France... 😞

I'm looking to by a legit enfield from 1911-25 and I've found a couple but 2 grand seemed kinda steep, however it was in excellent condition any good price recommendations.

Use M1 Garand grease

Pistol grips are overrated.

If you don’t want it I’ll take it😀

تمنيت لو أن ما تقوله مكتوب باللغة الإنكليزية أسفل الڤيديو كي أستطيع ترجمته ، لأنني لا أجيد اللغة الإنكليزية جيداً ، ناهيك عن اللهجة الأمريكية سريعة .. عانيت بمشاهدة هذا الڤيديو و أنا كل لحظة أذهب إلىٰ غوغل من أجل الترجمة .. الڤيديو مهم و أعجبني - شكراً .

HONHONHONHON PART 2

easier than a garrand may be a litte less accurate but the frenchies soldiers shot well . warning the frenchies soldiers didnt shot under 200 m because under the mas sot to high and shot an helm to 200 m easlly no one shooted more 100 ammo in a year . and the grenade launcher is funest ans awesome accurate less 3 m until 400 m . a wonderfull self mortar even for the antii tank fight it is fun and useful weapon until 100 m if you try that you will love it you will never forget that ! in less an afternoon all the platoon became very good .to shot 1 / on a taget until 400 isnt impossble if you live dayly with it some months even if you dont shot whe you are only on with your mas you can shot every thing unitl 400 m you dont need optics for that . The syrian solfiers shot some armoured cars and M113 of the israeli army after the world war two the french wanted no more to be naked Vs tanks every body can stop a light tank .

🤍

This gun smells like cheese 🧀 The recoil isnt enough lol the empty shell was re chainbered But i rather boycot the french😂 Hahaha

The French copy nobody & nobody copies the French!

8.46 minutes of complaining....

We have understood that French weapons are definitely the worst in the world. Whereas the MAUSERs and the American weapons are really but then really really the best in the world. With your insight, I don't understand the American sellers who buy this shit .... But the worst part is that they sell it. Thank you for your investment and your neutrality .......