Early French MAS 36 (F 1144)…………SOLD

An Interesting Barn Find in Good Usable Condition

An Rare and Early M.A.S. 36

Of standard specification, overall length (bayonet stored) 40.1/4″.  Bayonet fixed 52″.  Cruciform spike bayonet 17″ overall.  Barrel length 22.3/4″.  Caliber 7.5mm French with 5-shot internal modified Mauser magazine.  Modified Mauser bolt with twin locking lugs at rear of bolt allowing for shorter stroke. Characteristic twisted bolt handle, matching numbers along the underside of the curved arm.

Cutaway in action wall to facillitate loading with stripper clip.  There are multiple french arsenal inspectors marks on many components of the rifle.  Serial number is 53858 and matched on all components including the bayonet’ which is unusual.

The RHS of the butt-stock has a very clear production cartouch and date pressed centrally into the wood surface.  Dated 1940 it clearly reads; “S. FEVRIER. L.  / M.A. / 1940”   The fore-end carries the matching number as does the magazine floor plate.  For rifles that have seen so much service in different theatres of war it is a rare thing to find such an original piece which has not suffered the indignities of non-matching replacement parts over the decades.

Rear aperture sight graduated to 1200 meters.  Fine aperture with thick blade front sight.  The RHS of the action is marked as follows “MAS Mle 1936 / H (or K) 53858″.  Trigger guard numbered to the rifle as is the butt-stock.  Side mounted sling bar and steel butt-plate to rear.  The fore-end mount for the sling is the early solid milled component which was later replaced by the more flimsy “ring” arangement more commonly encountered.  A dark grey period leather sling is attached currently to the rifle.

The for-end band appears hinged and will dismantle byunscrewing the sling bar from the underside.  The steel fore-end cap has an integral protective “ear” about the sight and a stacking bar. Under the 4.1/2″ of round protruding barrel is storage or mounting point for the bayonet.  Looking like the end of a tubular magazine it is simply an open ended tube which takes the blade end of the bayonet for storage under the barrel, or, on reversing the bayonet, the butt end, to fix bayonets.

Single piece fore end lower with shallow grasping grooves. The hand guard in in two pieces.  The action is basic but mechanically fine.  Despite the outward appearance of this rifle in that it has definately been left alone for a long time, the bore is dirty but very reasonable with strong clear rifling and littlecorrosion. Excellent results have been acheived with these rifles in the states; this is a rifle worth spending some time on in the re-loading room.  It has not been refinished or mucked about with – it has barely been cleaned from its Barn Find condition but this does not detract.  There is some original finish hiding away beneath the obvious corrosion. The trigger guard seems to have suffured the most disruption to the surface and the plum-browns are taking hold, but that is precisely what would be expected.  The rifle has passed proof and been used with pleasing results.  This is a piece of history which has lain undisturbed for some considerable time, and now it is looking for its next keeper.

Stock No F 1144  – FAC Required

£ 695.    SOLD

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