MAS 49/56 adj gas valve

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  • smdub

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Nov 14, 2012
    4,644
    MoCo
    I recently picked up a REALLY clean MAS 49/56 w/ the APX L806 scope. Shoots great. Can ring a ~12" steel plate at 250yds pretty easily w/ Prvi ammo. Have bought dies to reload it since it takes same pills as 308. Problem is that it tosses the brass as far as a HK does;) Very consistent 1-2 o'clock direction but chucks them out 20'+. I've already lost a couple.

    So I was going to build a smaller port gas valve for it when I found a post by "starmetal" on gunboards back from 2009. He had an even better idea of drilling/tapping the end for a set screw to make it adjustable. That's a whole lot easier than trial/error of trying a couple different port sizes. So I went about building one...

    For those that aren't familiar, the MAS 49 has a gas port drilled on top of the barrel very similar to an AR15. There is a gas block with a rearward port - again all very similar to an AR gas block. It however has a rotary valve in it that can shut off the gas for launching grenades. The original valve just has a slot cut in it that opens the barrel port to the gas tube port for normal operation. I have included the original part in the pics. Its retained in the gas block & grenade selector lever by a small circlip (not shown but you can see the groove in both parts.) There is a small 'D' flat cut on the rod so the lever can turn it. A setscrew goes in the far end to choke down the gas flow as needed.

    Its made from 7mm O1 drill rod and uses an M4 setscrew. I probably wont heat treat it as its not really necessary. Just polish the ends a little and cold blue. Too lazy to park a part that small just by itself. No changes were made to the rifle and the original valve will be stored w/ the other spare parts I have. Will be nearly invisible once installed. Looking forward to not loosing any more brass!
     

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    starmetal

    Member
    Apr 5, 2017
    97
    Adustable Gas Valves For MAS 45/56 BACK!!!

    Well my fellow forum member here gave me a good write up on my adjustable gas valve for the French MAS 49/56. I'm still making them and they are better then ever. I have not had one negative feedback on any of them that I have made and that is quite a few.

    Anyone that wants one PM me that you want it and I'll pm you back all the details to get one.

    I'm in the process of making an adjustable gas valve for an 8x57 Egyptian Hakim. I'm waiting on feedback from a tester.
     

    starmetal

    Member
    Apr 5, 2017
    97
    I've gotten some pm's about my adjustable gas valve for the French MAS 49/56. First it replaces the original "valve" and there are NO modifications to the rifle. This way you can return it to orignial collector condition. If you have a 49/56 which parts of the gas system missing you are unfortunately pretty much out of luck. The gas system includes: the gas block, the gas tube, the valve, the lever which switches the gas either on or off, the lever detent, the lever detente spring, and a C-Clip which holds it altogether. My replacement valve requires that you have all the other parts. Apex Gun Parts use to have the levers complete and with the original valve, but I'm afraid they are out of them permnamently. I'm in touch which a Frenchman on another board and he has told us the French have destroyed (melted) the remain of the surplus MAS 49/56's. Not good news for those of you that need gas system parts.
     

    mawkie

    C&R Whisperer
    Sep 28, 2007
    4,338
    Catonsville
    I've gotten some pm's about my adjustable gas valve for the French MAS 49/56. First it replaces the original "valve" and there are NO modifications to the rifle. This way you can return it to orignial collector condition. If you have a 49/56 which parts of the gas system missing you are unfortunately pretty much out of luck. The gas system includes: the gas block, the gas tube, the valve, the lever which switches the gas either on or off, the lever detent, the lever detente spring, and a C-Clip which holds it altogether. My replacement valve requires that you have all the other parts. Apex Gun Parts use to have the levers complete and with the original valve, but I'm afraid they are out of them permnamently. I'm in touch which a Frenchman on another board and he has told us the French have destroyed (melted) the remain of the surplus MAS 49/56's. Not good news for those of you that need gas system parts.

    Very true. I have a friend who serves in the Gendarmerie and he managed to get an armorer to put aside some MAS 49 parts for me while they were in the process of disassembly for destruction. I managed to restore two of these rare rifles that way. Sadly no more complete guns or parts will be coming out of France. You can thank their being a signatory to a UN small arms control treaty.
     

    starmetal

    Member
    Apr 5, 2017
    97
    Very true. I have a friend who serves in the Gendarmerie and he managed to get an armorer to put aside some MAS 49 parts for me while they were in the process of disassembly for destruction. I managed to restore two of these rare rifles that way. Sadly no more complete guns or parts will be coming out of France. You can thank their being a signatory to a UN small arms control treaty.

    Yes that is a trajedy for sure. They are a very decent rifle. Another trajedy is when Century Arms mutilated many of them into 308 by cutting back the barrel and re-ream with a 308 reamer. Most I have examined show a definition where the 308 chamber begins and the 7.5 French chamber left off. Inaddition one that I "had" had like an 11/16's freebore. Strange too Century elected to shorten the recoil spring. The French round is very comparable to the 7.62 Nato pressure wise.
     

    Zorros

    Ultimate Member
    Dec 10, 2017
    1,407
    Metropolis
    I have one of these with an apx scope and i have to say its really a neat and compact rifle. Good looking rig. Years back a gun writer compared it to an m14 and wrote it came out on top. His opinion of course. I don’t shoot it much so i haven’t noticed that it throws cases like my CETME but i don’t reload and years back bought 1200 french surplus rds from aim and still have most. Didn’t care where the cases went. The scope was interesting to zero.
     

    mawkie

    C&R Whisperer
    Sep 28, 2007
    4,338
    Catonsville
    One of the smartest things I did was to buy the last APX 806 scope that Lou had for sale. He discounted it to $200 because the carry case had a broken strap (found a new case for cheap, no biggie). These days I'd grab one of these for 3x that price because I've seen them selling in the $800-900 range! Doesn't help that the only decent aftermarket scope mount for the MAS 49 series has been out of production for at least a decade now.
    I saw a couple of nice, arsenal restored MAS 49/56s sell at Redding recently and I thought they went cheap at around $500-600.
     

    Zorros

    Ultimate Member
    Dec 10, 2017
    1,407
    Metropolis
    One of the smartest things I did was to buy the last APX 806 scope that Lou had for sale. He discounted it to $200 because the carry case had a broken strap (found a new case for cheap, no biggie). These days I'd grab one of these for 3x that price because I've seen them selling in the $800-900 range! Doesn't help that the only decent aftermarket scope mount for the MAS 49 series has been out of production for at least a decade now.
    I saw a couple of nice, arsenal restored MAS 49/56s sell at Redding recently and I thought they went cheap at around $500-600.

    I think its a great rifle for 5-600. Especially when you compare it tomwhat’s around. Issue is the ammo. I bought my scope at timonium show from a gent who had several and always has the most interesting stuff. Bought my ssg from him at annapolis, but havent seen him for 3-4 yrs anywhere.
     

    K31

    "Part of that Ultra MAGA Crowd"
    MDS Supporter
    Jan 15, 2006
    35,632
    AA county
    One of the smartest things I did was to buy the last APX 806 scope that Lou had for sale. He discounted it to $200 because the carry case had a broken strap (found a new case for cheap, no biggie). These days I'd grab one of these for 3x that price because I've seen them selling in the $800-900 range! Doesn't help that the only decent aftermarket scope mount for the MAS 49 series has been out of production for at least a decade now.
    I saw a couple of nice, arsenal restored MAS 49/56s sell at Redding recently and I thought they went cheap at around $500-600.

    I've got an aftermarket scope mount for the MAS 49/56 but no longer have the rifle. It was quite good at staying zeroed even though I always took it off after shooting since it was quite high (like the originals).

    What do you think it's worth today?
     

    mawkie

    C&R Whisperer
    Sep 28, 2007
    4,338
    Catonsville
    I've got an aftermarket scope mount for the MAS 49/56 but no longer have the rifle. It was quite good at staying zeroed even though I always took it off after shooting since it was quite high (like the originals).

    What do you think it's worth today?

    Depends on the mount. The old K-var was a quick release version much like the French mount. I like that one as it won't mar the finish like the McCann or S&K which use set screws. I was able to find someone online selling the S&K for $107. The McCann is only available on the secondary market, like the K-var, so Lord only knows what it's worth. I wouldn't be shocked to see a K-var sell for $150 or more.
    You definitely want to have a cheek pad for weld with this high mounted scope.
     

    John from MD

    American Patriot
    MDS Supporter
    May 12, 2005
    22,734
    Socialist State of Maryland
    For you guys worrying about ammo, if you load your own, .308 cases work fine in all the MAS rifles as long as the extractor is in good shape. I used to find a load that cycled reliably and stopped there. I only shot them at 50 yards so I didn't care about long range accuracy.

    After they are fired the first time, they will expand to fit the chamber. I only neck sized from then on and had no problems.
     

    Buster Brown

    Active Member
    Aug 11, 2019
    311
    Southern MD
    I've got an aftermarket scope mount for the MAS 49/56 but no longer have the rifle. It was quite good at staying zeroed even though I always took it off after shooting since it was quite high (like the originals).

    What do you think it's worth today?

    Id be interested in a scope mount for sure. Just shot my mas for the first time on friday. The adjustable gas valve worked great but the sights kind of sucked for precision.
     

    K31

    "Part of that Ultra MAGA Crowd"
    MDS Supporter
    Jan 15, 2006
    35,632
    AA county
    Depends on the mount. The old K-var was a quick release version much like the French mount. I like that one as it won't mar the finish like the McCann or S&K which use set screws. I was able to find someone online selling the S&K for $107. The McCann is only available on the secondary market, like the K-var, so Lord only knows what it's worth. I wouldn't be shocked to see a K-var sell for $150 or more.
    You definitely want to have a cheek pad for weld with this high mounted scope.

    Thanks.

    Yes, this is the K-Var.

    Yeah, I bought a tie-on cheek pad for it.
     

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