 Mas 49 top, 49/56 bottom
The MAS 49 was basically a MAS44 w/no integral bayonet & the addition of an attached grenade launcher on the muzzle, later some of the 49's had the launchers removed during refurb, I have been told the rifles w/o launchers were to be used as snipers rifles as the regulations prohibited firing grenades from snipers rifles. Bottom rifle is the later, modernized? version, the MAS49/56
|  Rear sights apertures, 49 top, 49/56 bttm
Note the minor differences in the apertures, I'm not sure if these are model differences or mfg differences though.
|  Actions, 49 top, 49/56 bottom
|  Muzzles, 49 top, 49/56 bottom
Note the differences in forends & the attached launcher/sight on the 49/56, also note though that the majority of 49's also had a launcher but the sight was on the side of the barrel not on top as in the 49/56, this particular example is one of a few that have had the launcher removed, probably during rearsenal.
|
 Muzzle detail, 49 top, 49/56 bottom
Note that the 49 on top has no integral bayonet, the ones found w/the integral bayonet are Syrian contract guns.
|  Muzzles, left, 49 top, 49/56 bottom
|  forends left, 49 top, 49/56 bottom
The 49/56 has the sling attached, both rifles used the same sling & attachments.
|  Left views, 49 top, 49/56 bottom
Note the dual "grooves" on the upper rear side of the receiver which are for attaching the French military scope system, all 49's & 49-56's were mfg w/these grooves for scope attachment.
|
 49, 49/56 Snipers
Here are the rifles fitted w/the French scope system mounted on the left rear receiver.
|  49, 49/56 Snipers right view w/covers
Here the rifles, w/scopes & mags fitted are shown w/the field cover, it effectively protects the scope, action & muzzle. From what I understand these covers were also used w/rifles w/o scopes.
|  49, 49/56 snipers scope mounts left
Here you can see the attachment mechanism, the mounts slid on the receiver w/two grooves, there's a lever that is turned then to lock the mounts onto the rifle.
|  49, 49/56 snipers left w/covers
Note the leather straps that simply pull through metal "u" fittings to hold the covers on.
|
 49, 49/56 snipers left full view
|  MAS 49 right view
|  MAS49 w/early action cover
I believe this cover is more of a "transport/storage" cover than the cover shown on the snipers as this cover cannot be fitted w/a magazine in the rifle, it also will not accomdate the scope/mount affixed to the rifle. I also believe this is an earlier cover as they came w/the MAS49's that were imported a few years ago but not with the MAS49/56's.
|  MAS 49 butt stock right side
As far as I know the guns originally had the serial number stamped on the butts, when refurbed or wood replaced they didn't, this one has no numbers, neither does the 49/56.
|
 MAS49 action, bottom view
The actions for the 49 & 49/56 were virtually the same, note the distinctive manner of securing the magazine to the rifle, a sprng loaded lever that the fits into a recess on the receiver side.
|  Mas 49 action right.
|  Mas mag catch closeup
Here you can see the recess in the receiver & the manner of "locking" the mag securely to the rifle.
|  Right closeup of the earlier cover
|
 49 Forend right view
|  Closeup of 49 muzzle
Again note this MAS49 is one of the few that has had the grenade launcher (& grenade sight) removed.
|  Closeup, left muzzle
|  Mas49 left forend
|
 49 Receiver upper left mkg
|  MAS49 mfg marking, left receiver
|  MAS 49 cocking knob
|  MAS 49 action left
Here you have a better view of the integral grooves in the receiver for mounting a scope.
|
 MAS 49 rear sight
|  MAS 49 rear sight aperture
|  MAS 49 receiver closeup
Good view of the scope grooves (or rails if you prefer).
|  MAS 49 butt stock left
|
 MAS 49 buttplate
|  MAS 49 w/early cover, left view
|  MAS 49 left
|  MAS 49 bagged w-accs
The rifle shown in the pics (MAS49) was never taken out of the original bag until the pics were taken! as I received it it had a slit by the serial so the transferring dealer could read the number otherwise it was untouched for many years! The 49 came w/an acc set of cleaning tools, sling, early action cover, tool pouch, manual &, I believe, 1 mag. the French military scopes & cases were available seperately.
|
 Sniper/later/long case marking
This is the marking on the leather spine inside the later?, long scoped rifle case.
|  Sniper/later/long case tip
|  Mas Sniper/later/long sling "slit"
These cases also have "slits" in them so when the case is on the sling when fitted comes thru them & can be left on the rifle.
|  MAS 49 acc pack
oops, also includes an oil bottle
|
