This is a MAS-36 that my Dad brought this back from Viet Nam. I have no papers on this. No matching numbers. Although 57xxx is consistent on the bolt, receiver, and foregrip wood. Number on the butstock has been obliterated. Thought it was a name starting with P but now I think it’s P and numbers.
As a kid it was a balooka gun sitting in the closet with what have you; no ammo. Kids being kids at some point we parted the bayonet from the rifle and the bayonet is long gone. Was not a Tommy gun or a MP-40 so who cares. Rat Patrol days.
Fast forward a decade Dad’s going back overseas and the MAS-36 comes to me.
Circa early 1990’s I find a replacement bayonet at a gun show at The Pomona Fairgrounds. Around this same time I find a source for 7.5 French ammo; Arabic on the boxes. Alleged Algerian. I buy.
Took her out to the desert outside Victorville. Shot once at a big stick, telephone pole sized, and saw dust fly up beyond. Tried again with the same result. Tried again with the same result and realized the rounds were not missing but going through the big stick. Three holes on the front and three corresponding holes on the back.
Aimed at a rock, maybe 3 feet around, and broke that in half.
JFC what do I have???
Have not shot it since and I have some of the ammo somewhere.
Later my Dad said that as he was processing out of Viet Nam a clerk asked him about bring backs. My Dad had no clue about that. The clerk took him to a warehouse, and said this one looks good. And that’s what my Dad took.
I reckon it’s a field arsenal rebuild. Interesting to me is the wood and metal finishing. Most of what we find here for MAS-36 look close to new with clear finished wood and green park. Pictures don’t do it justice; this one’s been around the horn.
Photos are crap. I'll try better if anyone is interested.
As a kid it was a balooka gun sitting in the closet with what have you; no ammo. Kids being kids at some point we parted the bayonet from the rifle and the bayonet is long gone. Was not a Tommy gun or a MP-40 so who cares. Rat Patrol days.
Fast forward a decade Dad’s going back overseas and the MAS-36 comes to me.
Circa early 1990’s I find a replacement bayonet at a gun show at The Pomona Fairgrounds. Around this same time I find a source for 7.5 French ammo; Arabic on the boxes. Alleged Algerian. I buy.
Took her out to the desert outside Victorville. Shot once at a big stick, telephone pole sized, and saw dust fly up beyond. Tried again with the same result. Tried again with the same result and realized the rounds were not missing but going through the big stick. Three holes on the front and three corresponding holes on the back.
Aimed at a rock, maybe 3 feet around, and broke that in half.
JFC what do I have???
Have not shot it since and I have some of the ammo somewhere.
Later my Dad said that as he was processing out of Viet Nam a clerk asked him about bring backs. My Dad had no clue about that. The clerk took him to a warehouse, and said this one looks good. And that’s what my Dad took.
I reckon it’s a field arsenal rebuild. Interesting to me is the wood and metal finishing. Most of what we find here for MAS-36 look close to new with clear finished wood and green park. Pictures don’t do it justice; this one’s been around the horn.
Photos are crap. I'll try better if anyone is interested.