The West's other battle rifle France's MAS 49/56: History neglected the French MAS 49/56. Fortier tells us why that's a mistake

Guns Magazine, June, 2002 by David M. Fortier

After the close of World War II there was a great flurry of activity among arms designers. During this period in time men around the world were hard at work creating what would become the next generation of combat rifles. This is when Mikhail Kalashnikov breathed life into his Avtomat, Dieudonne Saive and Ernest Vervier begot the FN FAL, Garand's M-1 evolved into the M-14, the AR-10 sprang from the creative genius of Eugene Stoner, and Nazi Germany's StG 45 was resurrected to become the basis for the CETME and H&K's G-3.

These rifles were all destined to become respected designs that, with the exception of the AR-10, would see extensive use. These were the weapons that defended the ideals of the East and the West. Other than the AR-15, which was eventually developed from the AR-10, these were the only major players of the '50s, '60s, and '70s. Right? While this may be what many think, it's simply not true. One major player, who's roots reached back further than any of the rifles mentioned and saw heavy combat, is the French MAS series of rifles that culminated in the MAS Mle 1949/56. That so little is known of this rifle series is really a pity, as it proved to be a sturdy, reliable and accurate weapon in actual combat.

Truth be told though, there is no major power, with the exception of China, with less known about its small arms development than France. Cloaked in a shroud of silence since the late 1800s. France has historically kept her developments a secret. So while she is known as the birthplace of smokeless powder and the first modern combat rifle/cartridge (the M1886 Lebel and its 8x50R round), after that things get hazy. We know, and shake our heads at, how she sent her boys off to fight in two World Wars with a hodgepodge of outdated bolt action rifles. Then somewhere around 1980 she rearmed with a modern, albeit strange looking, 5.56x45 bullpup. But is that all there is to it? Were her small arms designers simply unable to produce anything of value between 1886 and 1980? Hardly.

Traditionally one of the great military powers of Europe, France made many outstanding advances in both arms and ammunition after their invention of smokeless powder. However, everyone involved in her defense research community was strictly charged with remaining silent about their work. No patents were ever sought, so as not to amuse outside suspicions. All was done for the Glory of France. This has had the effect that nobody today realizes how much the French actually accomplished. A prime example of this is the development of the rifle in question, the MAS Mle 1949/56.

To trace the lineage of the MAS 49/56, one has to go all the way back to the 1890s. Too quick on the draw, the French soon realized, much to their chagrin, that their Lebel and its groundbreaking 8x50R cartridge were obsolete overnight. However, rather taking an evolutionary step by designing an improved bolt action rifle, the French desired to take a revolutionary step, and field the world's first autoloading rifle. So towards the end of the 19th Century, studies were begun that led to the development of several remarkably modern cartridges. These were in the 6, 6.5, and 7mm range, and autoloading rifle prototypes were also developed to fire them. Between 1894 and 1913, over 20 autoloading and fully automatic rifles were developed and tested. One of these was the 6x60mm B1 rifle developed by weapons inspector Rossignol and perfected in 1901. This rifle, NOT the Swedish Ljungmann AG m/42b, introduced the pistonless, direct-gas impingement system as typified today in the AR-15. Amazingly enough, Rossignol als o developed a companion weapon, a detachable magazine-fed, machine-rifle with a bipod. Between his battle rifle and squad auto he had developed the world's first weapons system. His gas system, from 1922 onwards, would remain a cornerstone of MAS rifle design.

However, through no fault of the weapons designers, France did indeed send the flower of her youth off to war in August of 1914 armed with the obsolete Lebel M1886-M93. What is not so often stated is the fact that she also became the first country to widely issue to her infantry an autoloading rifle, the Fusil Automatique Modele 1917. While the Russians can claim to have fielded the first unit armed entirely with light automatic weapons -- a company from the 189th Ismailskiy Regiment that went into action in December 1916 armed with Fedorov Avtomats -- their numbers were small. When the Fedorov went out of production in October 1925, only 3,200 had been produced. Compare this to 85,333 Mle 1917s produced and issued to combat troops from April, 1917 to September, 1918. An improved version, the Mle 1918, came too late to see action in World War I but did see combat in Morocco in the Rif War of 1921-1926. According to field reports, there was "complete satisfaction" with it, even in the harsh desert conditions.

Not satisfied with the Mle 1918, the French continued development of a self loading rifle. In 1921, examples of a new rimless cartridge intended to replace the 8x50R first appeared. They used a case based upon the 7.92x57 Mauser and a projectile inspired by the Swiss 7.5x55. This cartridge was eventually developed and shortened to become the 7.5x54mm Model 1929. In 1921, new specifications for France's postwar autoloading rifle program were also established. Throughout the '20s and '30s, various designs from different manufacturers were tested and refined. Manufacture Nationale d'Armes de St-Etienne (MAS) resurrected Rossignol's gas system in 1922 and then developed a carrier controlled, tilting, rear locking bolt in 1928. This locking system used no pins or linkages, and was well in advance of either Fedor V. Tokarev or Dieudonne Saive's designs. This rifle was eventually developed into the MAS 38/39. Featuring a two piece stock and a bayonet under the barrel, this model looks very similar to the bolt action MAS 36. It was the first French autoloader to consistently perform as reliably as existing bolt action repeaters. During shooting trials held on January 8, 1940 it proved superior to the MAS 36, especially on moving targets. The design was adopted in March 1940, but it was too late. A few months later France was overrun, unable to cope with the lightning speed of modem warfare.