SOLD French Submachine gun and Sidearm - matching caliber

FAC · June 16

In 1938, as World War II began, the French designed and built an all-machined (not stamped) submachine gun, designated the Mle 1938 MAS. Just three years before, France had started issuing their innovative 1935 A semiautomatic pistol to their troops. It was chambered for the 7.65 French Long cartridge, so the French use the same cartridge in their Mle 1938 submachine gun. Those two weapons were used in World War II and Indo-China. A number of them were left behind in Vietnam when the French abandoned their efforts there, and ended up being used by the Viet Cong against American troops once America entered that conflict.

This weapons package includes an Mle 1938 MAS submachinegun in excellent condition, five magazines for the submachine gun, and it’s matching French sidearm, the model 1935 A.

You may have wondered why I have allowed the yellow paint to remain on the submachinegun receiver. My thinking is that there may be some historical story of a French military unit that used yellow paint to mark their weapons – providing access to the history of this unique submachine gun. The next owner can remove it.

Americans’ enjoy bad-mouthing French firearm designs. However, in 1948 the Swiss evaluated the French 1935 A pistol and purchased a license for the Swiss Firearms Group (SIG) to manufacture it as the Pistole 49. Today you may know it as the SIG P210! Some readers may have already recognized the similarity of design.

Also included is a Mle 1938 MAS submachine gun parts kit, pictured.

Both the submachine gun and the accompanying pistol are chambered for the 7.65 French Long cartridge, also known as the 32 French Long. Historically, it has been difficult obtaining brass or ammunition for this caliber, and reloaders have had to make it from 32 S&W Long cartridge cases. However, a cartridge new to the market: the 30 SUPER CARRY, has shell casing dimensions equal to the 7.65 French long, with a slightly longer length. See photograph attached. This creates an easy source for 7.65 French Long brass to reload, simply by slightly shortening the overall length of the 30 Super Carry shell casing.

However, the reloading process can be simplified by rechambering a submachine gun barrel to the 30 Super Carry cartridge dimensions. That has been done with the barrel from the parts kit, and it has been appropriately marked. (Changing barrels is an easy process using two large crescent wrenches and cocking the bolt). This rechambered barrel allows shooters to reload full length 30 Super Carry shell casings. It is important to note that factory-loaded 30 Super Carry ammunition is over-loaded for this firearm. In addition, most factory 30 Super Carry ammunition comes with a flat nose (see picture) or a hollow point bullet, neither of which will feed properly in the submachinegun. Reloaded Ammunition needs to have bullets with a round nose and a copper jacket, easy to obtain from the many projectile manufacturers supplying the reloading market.

Also included is an original French language operator’s manual for the submachine gun, an extremely rare and historic accessory.

$23,000 for the Mle 1938 MAS submachine gun, the 1935 A pistol, the 30 super carry barrel and all of the other items described above. Visa or MasterCard accepted for 3%.