Manufacture d'armes de Saint-Etienne · Battle-Rifle · Out Of Production · 1957
| Weight (empty) | 4100 g (144.6 oz) |
| Overall Length | 1020 mm (40.16") |
| Barrel Length | 525 mm (20.67") |
| Magazine Capacity | 10 rounds |
| Action Type | Gas Operated Direct Impingement |
| Firing Mechanism | Hammer Fired |
| Muzzle Velocity | 823 m/s (2700 fps) |
| Muzzle Energy | 3072 J (2266 ft·lbf) |
| Effective Range | 400 m (437 yd) |
| Frame Material | Steel |
Primary Caliber: 7.5x54mm French
The MAS-49/56 is a French gas-operated, semi-automatic battle rifle chambered in 7.5x54mm French. Introduced in 1957 by Manufacture d'armes de Saint-Etienne, it incorporated lessons learned during the First Indochina War, the Algerian War, and the Suez Crisis to refine the original 1949 design. Improvements included a shortened barrel, lighter forend, integral NATO-standard 22mm grenade launcher, and a blade-bayonet mount, while retaining the rifle's distinctive direct gas impingement system and...
Country of Origin: France
Designer: Léon Berthier