French MAS 1936-51 7.5x54mm Bolt-Action Rifle & Grenade Launcher C&R 1956

SOLD FOR: $843

WOA#: WY240125DH008

Make: Manufacture d’Armes de Saint-Étienne (MAS), France

Model: MAS MLE 1936-51

Serial Number: F75766

Year of Manufacture: 1956

Caliber: 7.5x54mm (7.5 French)

Action Type: Bolt Action, internal 5 round magazine

Markings: The left side of the receiver is marked “MAS Mle 1936-51”, “F75766”, and with a C.A.I. import mark. The top of the receiver is marked “E B G”. The bolt handle is marked “F75766”. The cocking piece is marked “D M”. The bottom of the magazine floor plate is marked “F75766”. The left side of the forend is marked “F75766”. The left side of the buttstock is marked “F75766”. The right side of the buttstock is marked with a circle “M.A. Janvier B S 1956” stamp. The bottom of the buttstock is marked “2”. The rubber recoil pad is marked “MAS 1962 2”. The bottom of the bayonet is marked “66”.

Barrel Length: 24.5”

Sights / Optics:  The front sight is a post set between two protective ears. The rear sight is a sliding aperture marked from 2-12.

Stock Configuration & Condition: The two piece wood stock has a semi-pistol grip, finger grooves, barrel band with sling ring, a sling well with sling bar and a metal buttplate. The buttplate has rings of residue from the inside of the buttpad. There are compression marks, scuffs, and scratches throughout the wood. There is a small chip in the wood on the underside rear of the forend. The LOP measures 14” from the front of the trigger to the back of the rubber recoil pad. The stock rates in about Very Good overall condition.

Type of Finish: Parkerized

Finish Originality: Original

Bore Condition: The grenade launcher attachment extends about 2” off the front of the muzzle. The bore is gray and the rifling is sharp. There is moderate erosion in the bore near  the muzzle.

In this writer’s opinion, this bore rates 6.5 out of 10.

Many military and C&R eligible weapons have bores that will show erosion. This is not only due to age but to the fact that corrosive primers were commonly used in ammunition worldwide. For example, the U.S. used corrosive ammunition throughout WWII. The U.S. military did not begin to phase out corrosive-primed ammunition until the 1950s.

Overall Condition: This rifle retains about 90% of its metal finish. There are scuffs and scratches throughout the metal surfaces. The right side of the receiver has a few deeper scratches. There is an impact mark on the outside edge of the muzzle. The bolt and action show usage wear. The screw heads show light to moderate use. The markings are clear. Overall, this rifle rates in about Very Good condition.

Mechanics: The action functions correctly. We have not fired this rifle. This rifle was made without a safety.  As with all previously owned firearms, a thorough cleaning may be necessary to meet your maintenance standards.

Box, Paperwork & Accessories: This rifle comes with a removable factory rubber recoil pad in Very Good condition and a leather sling.

Our Assessment: The MAS 36-51 was the second grenade-launching variant of the MAS 36. Developed in the early 1950s as an improvement over the LG48 and firing NATO standard 22mm grenades, the 36-51 would serve as the primary grenade-launching rifle for the French Army until being supplanted by the MAS 49/56. The 36-51 notably served in French Indochina, where after the French withdrawal, many were taken into Vietnamese service. This example was made by MAS in 1956. It has a matching bolt, receiver, magazine floor plate, forend, buttstock, and bayonet. The metal retains most of its finish, with a few noticeable scratches on the right side of the receiver. The buttstock has very deep and visible markings, including a factory cartouche on the right side. The bore is gray but there is more than enough rifling to make this an effective shooter. This is a nice example of a stop-gap rifle that would fit into any French collection. Please see our photos.

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