MAS-60, safe to fire?

[kygen]

Beautiful rifle. A family heirloom for sure.

Yeah, it came from Vietnam. My grandpa said his CO had it nickle plated and presented it to him when he got some medal (I think a silver star, but I don't recall exactly. My aunt has the history/story documented, and I'm trying to get it from her for an ancestry project we're working on as well).

From what I remember, everything was nickle plated, but he said a lot of it wore off as he used to love shooting it.

Please excuse the crappy cell pics. It's the best I can do on short notice!

[Grendl]

That's beautiful. If brought back from Vietnam, it shouldn't be import marked. If it were marked, back then it would usually be on the barrel but could be on the receiver. Just look it over closely.

[THBailey]

What's import marking, and where would I find it?

An "import mark" is an identification stamping required to be placed on the gun by the importer. Based on your story of the gun, yours will have no such mark, nor is it required.

Usually there is paper work from the military authorizing bringing home a war trophy. If this paperwork still exists, you should get it and keep it with the gun. I would also have my Aunt compose and sign a document explaining the history of the gun as she knows it. Make it look nice: heading, a signature block, etc. Such provenance will be greatly appreciated by your great-grandson when it is finally handed down 50 years from now.

And, please, don't even think about "sporterizing". No scope mounting holes, improved sights, and don't let sandpaper or steel wool get anywhere near the gun. And don't bugger up the screws with ill fitting screwdrivers.

You might find this interesting:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T_T1vAeu-xc

[Milsurp1]

[pitfighter]

great heirloom - imagine the stories it could tell, French issue, then possibly Japanese occupation, WW2, through the French campaign, and into the Vietnam war.
Have your family take a good look through any papers and see if you can find the bring-back documents (and any other papers, photos), would be great to frame and keep with rifle.

Good advice below:

An "import mark" is an identification stamping required to be placed on the gun by the importer. Based on your story of the gun, yours will have no such mark, nor is it required.

Usually there is paper work from the military authorizing bringing home a war trophy. If this paperwork still exists, you should get it and keep it with the gun. I would also have my Aunt compose and sign a document explaining the history of the gun as she knows it. Make it look nice: heading, a signature block, etc. Such provenance will be greatly appreciated by your great-grandson when it is finally handed down 50 years from now.

And, please, don't even think about "sporterizing". No scope mounting holes, improved sights, and don't let sandpaper or steel wool get anywhere near the gun. And don't bugger up the screws with ill fitting screwdrivers.

You might find this interesting:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T_T1vAeu-xc

[thetruecheese]

Just lean back a little bit for the first round.

[LMTAR]

OK, now you have me wondering two things:
1) You enclosed the should thing is quotes, so it seems like you've heard someone actually say that....
2) If so, what in the hell was a shoulder thing that went up?

[TI-Tick]

With surplus Algerian ammo will shoot through telephone poles, or so I've been told