MAS-36 & MAS-49 French Military Rifles

When we think of military firearms history and the leaps that the fighting rifle has made over the past few centuries, France is not necessarily the country that comes to mind. However, history tells a different story. France was often on the cutting edge for developments in small arms, such as the bolt-action rifle, smokeless powder, brass-cased cartridges, and the mass deployment of semi-automatic rifles in WWI.

These two collector rifles – the MAS-36 and MAS-49 – showcase the direction that the French were planning on going prior to WWII. Progress was obviously impeded by the French capitulation in WWII, but these guns are still important milestones in French arms development. So, let’s take a brief look at what the French were working on with these two firearms.