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MAS-36

Fusil MAS-36

rifleManufacture d'armes de Saint-Etienne · 1937–1978

OVERVIEW

French service rifle adopted just before WW2 and fielded by Free French and postwar forces.

HISTORIAN'S COMMENTARY

Before the Storm

Introduced between 1937 and 1978, MAS-36 was built by Manufacture d'armes de Saint-Etienne for France forces as a rifle for total war armies.

In the Field

Chambered in 7.5x54mm French and operating by bolt-action, it offered an effective reach of about 400 meters. Crews could sustain roughly 15 rounds per minute in trained hands, carried in a 3.7 kg frame with a 5-round magazine.

Historian's Note

In practice it was judged by reliability under mud, cold, and long marches more than by range-table theory. Historians usually remember this type as a pragmatic wartime tool: not glamorous, but consistently useful where battles were actually decided.

SPECIFICATIONS

Caliber7.5x54mm French
ActionBolt-action
Rate of Fire15 rpm
Muzzle Velocity820 m/s
Effective Range400 m
Magazine5 rounds
Weight3.7 kg
Length1020 mm

DEVELOPMENT

This system was developed and fielded during World War II to meet branch-level operational requirements. MAS-36 entered service from 1937 to 1978 and was produced by Manufacture d'armes de Saint-Etienne. It was fielded as a frontline individual weapon for general infantry service.

COMBAT HISTORY

It saw wartime operational use, with employment varying by theater, doctrine, and logistics. Combat profile: 7.5x54mm French, Bolt-action, 15 rpm, and an effective range of about 400 m.

NOTABLE USES

  • [01]Battle of France 1940 - MAS-36 was used here in squad-level engagements where handling and immediate fire effect mattered.
  • [02]Free French forces in North Africa and Europe - This theater exposed how ammunition load, reliability, and training shaped real battlefield outcomes.

CONTINUE RESEARCH

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France GUNS

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Battle Context

  • North Africa Campaign

    Desert-theater weapons and vehicles tied to Mediterranean and North African operations.

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