mawkie
C&R Whisperer
-One of the remaining holes in my French collection has been a MAS 36 LG48 grenade launching rifle. So when I saw this "challenged" example on GB I had to place a bid. I ended up getting it for $150 and spent about $60 to replace these missing/damaged bits to make it whole...
Buttstock (from spares bin)
Bayonet (also from spares bin)
Bolt firing pin, FP spring and knob
Mag follower spring
Rear receiver bolt
-The interesting thing is that I strongly believe that this is a 'Nam bring back or it was "liberated" from a French arsenal as the only significant batch of imports came from Lebanon around 2003. These all have the Century import and "Cedar of Lebanon" property marks. Mine has none of this whatsoever. No import marks of any kind.
-SN dates manuf. to 1954 and the barrel is dated 1953. The LG48 was discontinued in '52 so mine has to be a field conversion of a MAS 36. The GL is identical to that used by the semi-auto MAS 49. They were both replaced by the MAS 36-51 and the MAS 49-56 which both handled the newer NATO 22mm std grenades and had improved GL features.
-Photo 1 - French grenadier in Indochina
-Photo 2,3,4 - Before and After pics!
-Photo 5,6 - Barrel markings showing manuf. date of 1953 and "G" denoting rifle grenade approved
-Photo 7,8 - Alongside a MAS 49 showing the 15mm GL systems. Note that the French MAS 49 did away with the spike bayonet. If you find a MAS 49 w. bayonet it's Syrian (they requested a bayonet in their production contract)
Photo 9,10 - MAS 49-56 improved GL system
Buttstock (from spares bin)
Bayonet (also from spares bin)
Bolt firing pin, FP spring and knob
Mag follower spring
Rear receiver bolt
-The interesting thing is that I strongly believe that this is a 'Nam bring back or it was "liberated" from a French arsenal as the only significant batch of imports came from Lebanon around 2003. These all have the Century import and "Cedar of Lebanon" property marks. Mine has none of this whatsoever. No import marks of any kind.
-SN dates manuf. to 1954 and the barrel is dated 1953. The LG48 was discontinued in '52 so mine has to be a field conversion of a MAS 36. The GL is identical to that used by the semi-auto MAS 49. They were both replaced by the MAS 36-51 and the MAS 49-56 which both handled the newer NATO 22mm std grenades and had improved GL features.
-Photo 1 - French grenadier in Indochina
-Photo 2,3,4 - Before and After pics!
-Photo 5,6 - Barrel markings showing manuf. date of 1953 and "G" denoting rifle grenade approved
-Photo 7,8 - Alongside a MAS 49 showing the 15mm GL systems. Note that the French MAS 49 did away with the spike bayonet. If you find a MAS 49 w. bayonet it's Syrian (they requested a bayonet in their production contract)
Photo 9,10 - MAS 49-56 improved GL system
