MAS-49

MAS-49
Syrian contract MAS-49 rifle
Type	Semi-automatic rifle
Place of origin	France
Service history
In service	1951–1979 (as standard French service rifle)
Used by	See Users
Wars	World War II (MAS-40) First Indochina War Algerian War Suez Crisis Vietnam War Shaba II Syrian Civil War
Production history
Manufacturer	Manufacture d'armes de Saint-Étienne
Produced	1949–1965
Number built	20,600 (MAS-49) 275,240 (MAS-49/56)
Variants	MAS-49 MAS-49/56 MAS-49 Syrian contract
Specifications
Weight	4.7 kg (10 lb 6 oz) (MAS-49) 4.1 kg (9 lb) (MAS-49/56)
Length	1100 mm (43.35 in) (MAS-49) 1020 mm (40.2 in) (MAS-49/56)
Barrel length	580 mm (22.8 in) (MAS-49) 525mm (20.7 in) (MAS-49/56)
Cartridge	7.5×54mm French
Caliber	7.5 mm
Action	Direct impingement gas operation
Rate of fire	Semi-automatic
Muzzle velocity	820 m/s (2,690 ft/s)
Effective firing range	400 m (437 yd) 800 m (875 yd) (with telescopic sight)
Feed system	10-round detachable box magazine
Sights	Iron sights adjustable from 200 to 1200 meters Removable APX(SOM) telescopic sights

The MAS-49 is a French semi-automatic rifle that replaced various bolt action rifles as the French service rifle that was produced from 1949. It was designed and manufactured by the government-owned MAS arms factory. The French Army formal designation of the MAS-49 is Fusil Semi-automatique de 7,5mm Modele 1949 ("semi-automatic rifle of 7.5mm model 1949"). The MAS-49 semi-automatic rifle was produced in limited quantities (20,600 units), whereas the shorter and lighter variant, the MAS-49/56, was mass manufactured (275,240 units) and issued to all branches of the French military. Overall, the MAS-49 and 49/56 rifles gained the reputation of being accurate, reliable and easy to maintain in adverse environments. All the MAS-49 and 49/56 rifles feature a rail on the left side of their receivers to accommodate a designated rifle scope. The MAS-49 and MAS-49/56 were replaced as French service rifles by the FAMAS assault rifle in 1979.

The MAS-49 arrived after a series of small, distinct design improvements. Today, this might be termed spiral development, where small elements are changed with successive models, rather than large significant changes. This French semi-automatic rifle evolved from the prototype MAS-38/39 and from the MAS-40 which entered limited service in March 1940, and lastly from the post-war MAS-44 and its minor variants 44A, 44B and 44C. Although 50,000 MAS-44 rifles were ordered in January 1945, only 6,200 were delivered to the Marine Nationale. The MAS-49 was formally adopted by the French Army in July 1949. As a service rifle, it replaced the diverse collection of aging bolt-action rifles (MAS-36, Lee–Enfield No4, U.S. M1917, Berthier, and K98k) that were in French service after the end of World War II. It saw significant service with French troops in the latter stages of the First Indochina War, as well as during the Algerian War and the Suez Crisis.