[andy]

A few years back Big 5 was selling these rifles real cheap and you still see them for sale from some online surplus gun dealers. The ones I saw looked like they were in really good condition. I never took this gun too seriously because it lacked a safety and fired a not too common round. This has got me wondering, I see a lot of posts on these boards regarding other surplus rifles but have never seen one about the MAS 1936. Does anyone here like this rifle or is it just a boat anchor?

[Mike Irwin]

Ugly and awkward are the two descriptors that immediately spring to mind when I think about the Mas 36.

Still, they're functional, usually passably accurate (I've seen a couple that were REAL tack drivers), and more than powerful enough for deer sized game.

[Drue]

I picked up a MAS36 back in the late '80s along with a case of Syrian 7.5 ammo. The rifle is in great condition ("only dropped once") and works fine. I think that the MAS has a place in a military collection but does not offer anything special as a shooter. With all of the Mausers and Mosins on the market with cheap ammo and parts available, using the MAS as a milsurp shooter does not have a lot of appeal.

Drue

[Rocko]

I believe Numerich still has these for like $41 delivered. They don't have them listed at their website, just their catalog, so you do have to order on the phone. I got one last august - bore was pretty badly pitted, but others have reported getting really nice ones, considering the price. I still haven't gotten a chance to shoot it yet... Ammo supply seems to be getting better as well. Grafs is also now selling virgin brass.

Rocko

[geekay]

mine is pre-war and his is post-war. Both are very accurate and we both use 308 loading data for our original 7.5 loads. IMHO the sights are the easiest to use for quick shots out of all the milsurps. The lack of a safety is not a problem if you practice safe gun handling and as for bolt manipulation, you get used to it.

[Mike Irwin]

Geek,

What do you use for brass for you 7.5? Is anyone making new brass?

[Drue]

FNM (Portugal) makes new 7.5 MAS ammo. Old Western Scrounger makes it as well. I saw an add in the last couple of months in SGN or one of the gun magazines announing that one of the ammo companies was introducing newly made 7.5 French and 7.5 Swiss but I can't find it.

Drue

[Rocko]

As mentioned above, Hornady is making new virgin brass sold exclusively by Graf's:

http://www.grafs.com/shopProducts.cfm/categoryID/51/noSearchText/1

Rocko