MAS-49 Questions
- Thread starter B. Lahey
- Start date
Wildalaska
Moderator
Lighten up Francois, I've been to Verdun, I know what the poilu was capable of
Ils non passerant pas is on the statute on Le Morte Homme. It's Holy. You been there?
WildandthefamaslookslikeatrombonenotarifleAlaska ™©2002-2010
But of course.
Ordered some Prvi and some spare mags, hopefully the ammo will get here soon, I would like to take it to the range during the holidays.
The Prvi was the only ammo I could find, and it seems to get good reviews from MAS 49/56 owners, but I also found one complaint of a slam-fire with it.
Are the primers Prvi uses in their 7.5 ammo hard enough for my rough frenchman?
Do you folks have any tips for avoiding slam-fires with this rifle?
B. Lahey said:
The MAS-49 has a massive firing pin to make sure it pops hard military primers. Slamfires are not uncommon with commercial Prvi or FNM ammo. Mine gave Oleg Volk a pretty spectacular bruise on his right thumb with the bolt handle when he chambered a round.
Titanium firing pins were available for a time, but I haven't seen any for a while. Others have reported success in lightening the original FP.
I'd put one round in the mag the first time you let the bolt fly, just in case...
SwampYankee
New member
IIRC, you can also file down the firing pin a tad to make it less likely to slam fire. I've never had to do it but spares are pretty plentiful on Gunbroker. I think I even have 2-3 lying around.
I have never heard exactly how those conversions were done, but I sure know you can't use a reamer to make a big hole smaller or a long hole shorter. Either they set the barrels back or they used some kind of chamber jug or sleeve, and I don't like either idea very much.
Jim
Jim
SwampYankee
New member
That is exactly what they did. As a consequence, they had to cut down and reassemble the handguards to accommodate the shorter barrels. I think the barrels were turned down exactly 9/16". You can find some with decent chambers- meaning the reamers were in fairly good shape when the new chamber was cut. But they used the reamers until they were smoking and on fire, so many of the chambers are crap. This will affect accuracy and impede extraction. No sleeve was used in the process.
Yes, Willie, I've been there many times. 3 ancestors of mine were killed there and have no known grave. I've also had the opportunity to visit Pearl Harbor during a Hawaii visit in 2006. Stood right above the USS Arizona I did, saw the names of the sailors on the monument. On a very calm day, the faint fumes of that oil slowly bubbling from the ship can also be detected. Never once, not then or now, has it ever crossed my mind to crack a "joke" at the expense of those entombed.
only if you're trying to avoid or ignore the point.
Wildalaska
Moderator
I'm not cracking a joke at those entombed, Im cracking a joke at those whose hands were up, and more importantly, their leaders.
Read "Verdun and the Folly of Nationalism" by Ian Ormsby and we can continue by PM
WildgoodluckAlaska ™©2002-2010
Well, since we're linking to pictures and stuff now, here's my write-up on my MAS-49/56, with photos by Oleg Volk...
Hi, SwampYankee,
So they also had to cut down the gas tube, but that would be no real problem as I don't think the increase in port pressure would be very great. I guess it is a feasible conversion. I was afraid of something like what was done to the Chilean 7x57 rifles, where the Chilean government drilled out the back of the barrel and inserted a big plug, then rebored and re-rifled the barrel and chambered the plug to 7.62 NATO. It works, but I am not fond of the idea.
Jim
So they also had to cut down the gas tube, but that would be no real problem as I don't think the increase in port pressure would be very great. I guess it is a feasible conversion. I was afraid of something like what was done to the Chilean 7x57 rifles, where the Chilean government drilled out the back of the barrel and inserted a big plug, then rebored and re-rifled the barrel and chambered the plug to 7.62 NATO. It works, but I am not fond of the idea.
Jim
SwampYankee
New member
I've had 2 MAS 49/56's converted to .308. The first one had a perfect chamber but a pitted barrel. Nonetheless, it was flawless in function. I sold it because I was not thrilled about the accuracy- no surprise based on the poor condition of the bore. My second MAS has a perfect bore but a hack job chamber. As a result, it would not extract. I smoothed out the chamber with a dowel, a fire formed cartridge and some Flitz, opening it up a tad and it is now completely reliable. The only issue I have with the .308 conversion is that that .308 is higher pressure than 7.5 French. I have never had a commercial/military round fail to function but I prefer to handload to levels that more closely approximate the 7.5 pressure.
I could shoot this gun all day, it is a tough as nails, compact and reliable. And it has some very nice sights. Some day I'll fork over the cash for an M1A but until then, I'm going to enjoy pounding the heck out of my 49/56. If Century had been careful about these and done them right, I have no doubt that the conversions would run you $700 a pop. Prices are higher than the $250 they used to be but the guns really are gems if you put a little effort into them.
I could shoot this gun all day, it is a tough as nails, compact and reliable. And it has some very nice sights. Some day I'll fork over the cash for an M1A but until then, I'm going to enjoy pounding the heck out of my 49/56. If Century had been careful about these and done them right, I have no doubt that the conversions would run you $700 a pop. Prices are higher than the $250 they used to be but the guns really are gems if you put a little effort into them.