The French MAS 49/56.

[dogtag]

The rifle I wanted but never got.
Never even saw one for sale, but I'm in California.
There was a great article on this rifle in the Aug 05 issue of GUNS
which is what sent me on the hunt. They called it "A truly great French Rifle"
People who decry French arms seemingly forget their contributions:
Flintlock, smokeless, small caliber, artillery recoil system, and Bridget Bardo.

[Allen]

There's a few nice ones on GB.

[dryheat]

Reminds me of my FN-49. I read an article about it (FN-49. I had one in 8mm) and they said, the day it rolled out the door it was already obsolete. They sure gave it a try; it came in 30-06, 8mm and 7mm. Yup, 7mm.

I guess the MAS was constructed in some different calibers too.

When Century brought a bunch of them in of course they messed with it and converted them to .308.
We know that there isn't much Century couldn't screw up so ours never worked. We sent it back and they fixed it. But that's Centuries mode of operendi: Some folks aren't even going to shoot it and if they do and it doesn't work they'll just put it aside. The few that complain and take the time to return it, we'll fix. Century could crank out cheap fun toys. A real version of something is worth buying.
Besides Bridget Bardo the French made some goofy looking guns, but then, have you ever seen the real early Luger? The Borchardt C-93. Not a quick draw pistol.

[JimF]

The rifle I wanted but never got.
Never even saw one for sale, but I'm in California.
There was a great article on this rifle in the Aug 05 issue of GUNS
which is what sent me on the hunt. They called it "A truly great French Rifle"
People who decry French arms seemingly forget their contributions:
Flintlock, smokeless, small caliber, artillery recoil system, and Bridget Bardo.

Just sold mine on GB . . . .

Glad to be rid of it!

[dogtag]

The original chambering was for a 7.5x54 cartridge.
Century should have followed the classic advice -
"If it ain't broke, don't fix it"

I failed to follow that advice once, much to my chagrin.

[barretcreek]

First AR was C.I.A.

Is it .223 or 5.56? None of your bidnez. What's the twist? That's secret.

[dogtag]

My SP 1 has a 12" twist.
My Mini 14 has a 10" twist.
7" twists are Blue Streak makers.

[lyman]

My SP 1 has a 12" twist.
My Mini 14 has a 10" twist.
7" twists are Blue Streak makers.

my old match guns (short range) were 1:9
I have a CLE Krieger in 1:7.7

my new White Oak is 1:7 w/ Wylde Chamber

[bruce]

Nice rifle. Of course, the ammo was virtually non-existant. Made sense to reconfigure to .308 Winchester. Most folks would be more likely to buy the rifle in a shootable caliber. Sincerely. bruce.

[dogtag]

You have to load your own.
Just about everything I shot was obsolete.
Half the fun is the reloading.
Went to the range one day to shoot my 71 Mauser,
had to go back home as I'd left out the primers.
We all screw up like putting the ball in with no powder.
Believe me,you only do that once.

[Allen]

You have to load your own.
Just about everything I shot was obsolete.
Half the fun is the reloading.
Went to the range one day to shoot my 71 Mauser,
had to go back home as I'd left out the primers.
We all screw up like putting the ball in with no powder.
Believe me,you only do that once.

A young Judy Garland who reloaded might say:

No ball, no powder, no primers, OH MY.

[dogtag]

Wanna take a guess about what I said ?

[Allen]

Wanna take a guess about what I said ?

????

Just making a comparison. Obviously not a good one.

https://images.search.yahoo.com/images/view;_ylt=AwrFSSOTmrVkfYIFlBWJzbkF;_ylu=c2VjA3NyBH NsawNpbWcEb2lkAzc5YTlkZjQ0MDdlNDU0NjQ0Yzg1MjFlYzU5 NzBmYTM4BGdwb3MDODcEaXQDYmluZw--?back=https%3A%2F%2Fimages.search.yahoo.com%2Fsear ch%2Fimages%3Fp%3Dlions%2Btigers%2Band%2Bbears%2Bo h%2Bmy%2Bquotes%26fr%3Dyfp-t%26fr2%3Dpiv-web%26nost%3D1%26tab%3Dorganic%26ri%3D87&w=500&h=371&imgurl=media.giphy.com%2Fmedia%2F5pnxK92sLd73y%2Fg iphy.gif&rurl=http%3A%2F%2Fgiphy.com%2Fgifs%2Fwizard-of-oz-bears-tigers-5pnxK92sLd73y&size=493.5KB&p=lions+tigers+and+bears+oh+my+quotes&oid=79a9df4407e454644c8521ec5970fa38&fr2=piv-web&fr=yfp-t&tt=Bears+GIF+-+Find+%26+Share+on+GIPHY&b=61&ni=21&no=87&ts=&tab=organic&sigr=0BHaogu2ZPhB&sigb=YlqH_Il4Fsp_&sigi=fFmUTgGWnBrb&sigt=c7B0flWagF9n&.crumb=oscJbBFNUty&fr=yfp-t&fr2=piv-web

[dogtag]

You lost me I'm afraid.
As you didn't understand my question, I'll add this -
I'm not as polite as Judy

[Allen]

You lost me I'm afraid.
As you didn't understand my question, I'll add this -
I'm not as polite as Judy

No one is.

[Phloating Phlasher]

FN49 is Belgian, not French.
Sweetest shooting semi-auto I ever shot in 7mm Mauser.

[dryheat]

FN is Fabrique National. Belgian for sure. I can never keep; Dutch, Holland, the Netherlands, Deutschland straight. Some very good disigns produced.
The M-39 is a beautiful rifle and accurate. Made from a lame assed Mosin Nagant. I never owned a Mosin Nagant that I liked. Just bad luck.

[Allen]

FN is Fabrique National. Belgian for sure. I can never keep; Dutch, Holland, the Netherlands, Deutschland straight. Some very good disigns produced.
The M-39 is a beautiful rifle and accurate. Made from a lame assed Mosin Nagant. I never owned a Mosin Nagant that I liked. Just bad luck.

I bought one years ago. A model 91. Bought it because it is stamped 1917, the year my father was born. It was made for Russia by Remington Armory and has the old Imperial Russian double headed eagle on it.

I only shot it once to test it. Big clunky action.

[lyman]

had a thought on buying one of each US produced military rifle once, and picked up a New England Westinghouse M91, that was finned,

paid $100 for it, and had a tin of ammo too,

kept the ammo to shoot thru my SVT, but sold off the Mosin years ago w\o ever shooting it ,

got $800 for it, come to find out the funky mark on the top flat of the receiver was were the receiver was a subbed out part, made by AH Fox, (the shotgun people)

[dryheat]

Just to clarify: The M-39 was created in Finland. The unique wood work is eye catching. The M-38 and 44 were Russian short rifles. A little off subject. I don't know if the FN-49 was ever used in combat but I think the MAS-49 was at some point.