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History of the MAS-49/56

Tam has written about the history of the French MAS-49/56. It is very interesting, well worth a read.

A handy, compact weapon, the MAS-49 was roughly the same size as the contemporaneous Soviet SKS. Also like the SKS, its prewar heritage was evident in its elaborately machined steel receiver, designed before metal stamping technology had become a tool in the gun maker’s box. Unlike the SKS, it fired a full-power round, with much the same ballistics as the later 7.62×51 NATO, the famed .308 Winchester.

Mas49Rifle5449
Photo by Oleg Volk.

More here.

Posted by Steve on May 13th 2008 | Filed in rifles | Comments (2)