MAS-49

[Warpt762x39]

Today on the way home from Lancaster, CRLovel and I stopped at a gunshop we saw on the way to Cabela's. They actually had some neat stuff there from C96 Mausers to a SMLE No 5 Jungle Carbine.

One of the rifles they had was a MAS-49. From what I've been able to find in the last little while, the MAS-49 was chambered in a 7.5mm French round.

This got me thinking about something on the side of the MAS-49 I was checking out today. On the left side of the receiver, the caliber for the gun was stamped on the metal. It said 7.5 but the 5 looked like it had been restamped into a 6 and underneath that marking was a lighter marked ".308".

My question is, were MAS-49s rechambered in 7.62x51mm or was that rifle mismarked in a rather dangerous manner?

[mrnyman]

Sound like it were rechambered into .308 by the previous owner, only way to tell is to ask the shop owner , if he/ashe doesnt know then slip in a .308 gently and see if it fits.

[nfafan]

Either Century or Samco Global brought a bunch in that were re-done in .308.

[Pukindog]

STAY AWAY FROM ANY MAS 49 IN .308. VERY DANGEROUS CONVERSIONS. However, in 7.5 French they are awesome.

Jeff

[Whiterook]

Was it a MAS49 or a 49/56? I know a company did re-do a bunch of 49/56 rifles in .308. I haven't heard they are dangerous but I hear they don't cycle right.

I currently have a MAS 49/56 in 7.5 I am looking to trade.

[Pukindog]

A bunch of 49/56 MAS rifles were converted to .308. many had improper head space problems. Some tended to slam fire. most had failure to run problems.

I have a 49/56 sniper version and it ( was ) is an awesome battle rifle.

Jeff

[SlimShady]

Some MAS-49's were indeed re-chambered to .308 but has been stated already, don't take the chance. Too many safety related issues with them.

The great thing about a true MAS in the original 7.5 is that it was likely never fired and only dropped once.

[Warpt762x39]

I found a short article about the MAS-49 today. Apparantly the French converted some to .308 and they worked just fine. The ones converted here in the US weren't so successful.

The barrel on the one I was looking at seemed to be original. At least the finish was of the same type as the reciever with the same amount of wear on it. Something just didn't seem right about it.

Firing a .308 through a 7.5mm barrel rechambered for .308 would be insanely dangerous and I wouldn't even risk buying the rifle if there was that chance.

I just got curious after seeing the markings on the gun.

[ihunt49]

I have a MAS 49/56 .308 I bought 6-7 yrs ago (?) that I have about 500 rounds through it with out a problem.

[mpi]

i have both and both function flawlessly, my 308 doubled when i first bought it and i trimmed the firing pin very slightly and rounded it. this only happened with commercial 308 and surplus was fine. the small modding solved the problem and it's great now.

i do prefer the original however!