Not Cali legal? FRENCH Model 1949 MAS semiautomatic rifle

[Steyr_223]

Saw one for sale. No GL or other evil feature , not a 49/51 so why do they (Empire Arms) say no sales to Cali?
From deep inside Area 51

[Calplinker]

Empire

EDIT: Sorry, you clearly wrote Empire Arms, but my brain processed something else. Empire is CA friendly and he posts here often. You might ask him as I may be wrong, but I don't think there is anything forbidden about that rifle. They came with 10 round or 5 round mags.

[Gutz]

I've bought a rifle from Empire Arms. Good peeps, no issues. Definitely contact him and ask.

[klewan]

I went to EA, read the FAQ on California C&R. MAS 49 and 49/51 are both listed as verboten. Educated guess is the grenade launcher do-dad. This has to be one of the stupidest evil features; like we can actually buy grenades.

[My Dixie Wrecked]

I believe the washer around the FH has to be removed and replaced for you to have one.

were you looking for 7.5 or 308?

[Foresight88]

The best thing about French military surplus rifles are they've never been fired and only dropped once.

But ohh man the French MAS is such a great rifle. Def do what you can to get your hands on one.
7.5 is nice, but I'd personally go 308. More options out there.

[My Dixie Wrecked]

haha

[saki302]

Watch out for the 308 conversions, most do not run right, or require significant tweaking to do so. They are also worth substantially less to collectors since they have been altered.

If you reload, stick with 7.5. It uses all the same components as .308, and the recipes cross over (I just load a little lighter in 7.5).

The GL features can be removed. I turned a (SPARE) FH/GL into a thread protector for a friend of mine to use on his 49/56 (people on the forum freaked, but notice I said SPARE) to legalize it.
The MAS 49 is even easier- the Syrian model had a grenade launcher thingie built in- it takes about 5 minutes to remove it.

-Dave

[pterrell]

I went to EA, read the FAQ on California C&R. MAS 49 and 49/51 are both listed as verboten. Educated guess is the grenade launcher do-dad. This has to be one of the stupidest evil features; like we can actually buy grenades.

No but you can (not legally) make them.

[smle-man]

Watch out for the 308 conversions, most do not run right, or require significant tweaking to do so. They are also worth substantially less to collectors since they have been altered.

If you reload, stick with 7.5. It uses all the same components as .308, and the recipes cross over (I just load a little lighter in 7.5).

The GL features can be removed. I turned a (SPARE) FH/GL into a thread protector for a friend of mine to use on his 49/56 (people on the forum freaked, but notice I said SPARE) to legalize it.
The MAS 49 is even easier- the Syrian model had a grenade launcher thingie built in- it takes about 5 minutes to remove it.

-Dave

6.5x55 brass makes dandy 7.5X54 cases. I bought an adjustable gas valve for my 49/56 and now the cases land by my feet instead of 10 feet away.

[dfletcher]

6.5x55 brass makes dandy 7.5X54 cases. I bought an adjustable gas valve for my 49/56 and now the cases land by my feet instead of 10 feet away.

Grafs carries Privi 7.5 French brass, pretty good quality - can you provide more detail to the adjustable gas valve? I hate losing even 223 or 308 brass, losing 7.54 French drives me nuts!

As an aside, I managed to grab a KVAR scope mount - works great and is solid. The "is it legal?" uncertainty most have with the MAS 49/56 is the supposed flash hider and that the issue muzzle device, whatever the heck it is, allows for use of those pretty much never to be found French grenades.

The MAS 49/56 is threaded (IIRC) to an odd 16X1 specification. I'm pretty good with hand tools and know my limitations. I did a little research and reading and found this website:

http://www.cncwarrior.com/default.asp

Bottom line - with a 5/8X24 die & hand tool, a .308 TAT (pilot) with cutting oil and about 15 minutes work I easily rethreaded the muzzle and attached an AR 10 muzzle device. The 5/8X24 die obliterates the original threading and provides proper purchase. I chose an Armalite single chamber because it a) is clearly a brake b) is sufficiently larger OD than the original and will not allow a grenade or GL to be slipped over and c) looks right. The MAS bore diameter is not quite .308 (7.54 vs 7.62) so I spun the TAT insert diameter down just a touch so it will slip into the barrel at the muzzle.

It was a touch more difficult to do than fitting a 1911 safety, but not by much. Mechanically pretty straightforward work.

[smle-man]

The adjustable gas valve came via the Gunboards French arms sub-forum. A fellow who posts as 'Starmetal' makes and sells them.

I had my flash hider externally sleeved to eliminate the possibility of a rifle grenade being slid over it. When I leave CA I can reinstall all of the stuff to get it back to original condition.

I must say that the 49/56 is a darned handy rifle!

[Caseless]

The best thing about French military surplus rifles are they've never been fired and only dropped once.

But ohh man the French MAS is such a great rifle. Def do what you can to get your hands on one.
7.5 is nice, but I'd personally go 308. More options out there.

I thought the Foreign Legion used it extensively even after most other major militaries had upgraded to assault rifles. Still, I guess you don't get this heroic feeling holding the MAS compared to a Garand or Finnish M/N.

[dfletcher]

The adjustable gas valve came via the Gunboards French arms sub-forum. A fellow who posts as 'Starmetal' makes and sells them.

I had my flash hider externally sleeved to eliminate the possibility of a rifle grenade being slid over it. When I leave CA I can reinstall all of the stuff to get it back to original condition.

I must say that the 49/56 is a darned handy rifle!

Thanks for the valve info.

At the risk of being chastised, given a choice of the MAS 49/56 and a Garand in battle - I'd take the MAS. And I think the MAS woild give a FAL and an M1A a run for the money too.