French MAB C .32ACP pistol bought for $85

[MatthewVanitas]

While in a different Texan city, I stopped into a local gunshop. Had a couple decent things, but not too exciting. But in the back, where they keep the sub-$100 guns away from casual/undesirable buyers, they had a neat little .32 MAB for $99.

A little beat on finish, but mechanically sound overall, but was missing a magazine. The owner told me how the staff had "searched everywhere online" to find a replacement, with no luck. So I offered $85 OTD, thinking that I can eventually find a mag for it.

I get it home, and in about five minutes on GunBroker, AuctionArms and eBay find some dozen MAB C .32 mags, some as low as $10. So much for "impossible to find".

So I'll get it up and running and see how it shoots. No idea what practical use it serves, being too heavy to pocket and too underpowered for a holster gun, but it's solid steel and well made.

This is a Browning ripoff, right? Any other info on this pistol?

-MV

 

[Onmilo]

Pretty much a shortened, modified rip-off of the Browning Model 1910, yes.
Still and all a very decent little handgun.
$85.00 is a very good buy, I have seen some recent imports priced at $250.00dealer, so you didn't get hurt in any way.

 

[Bazooka Joe71]

I'll buy it from you for 85.50.

 

[JBP]

Great price. I picked up a Model D on gunbroker earlier this year for $175 which included two mags, a holster, and shipping charges.

 

[Essex County]

The one I had was excellent. My aunt Mildred finaly ended up with it. Essex

 

[The Scandinavian]

I have a couple of these too, they were sold in reasonable numbers in Finland in the past.

Mine are surprisingly accurate. The only slightly dissapointing feature is the tendancy for the top of the rear of the magazine to wear where it rubs against the magazine safety disconnector.

Older magazines, and those that have seen more use, tend to be paper thin in this area! This is probably the sort of thing that a half a drop of oil once in a while would have prevented totally.

Apart from this minor point, yes they are solid steel and well made!

Regarding "what use it serves" why not try shooting it for fun? that's what mine are for!

Edited to add: I have discovered that Walther PPK magazines work in my MAB C's. They need a small cutout made though to engage the MAB's mag release mechanism

 

[dao]

MAB C was not especialy intended to be concealed. It was sold as a "Police and defensive gun" in the 20's. Indeed, the Police caliber in France was the .32ACP until 1980 (!).
MAB are correctly made guns, with good accuracy but often poor trigger.
An interesting collection gun, by the way.

Link for his "big brother" : http://www.gunsworld.com/french/mabd_us.html

 

[The Scandinavian]

MAB C was made in .380 from 1933 and in .32 starting the following year. Production continued with some tiny changes until 1963 for the .380 and '67 for the .32.

I suppose that most of those that found their way to the US were the ones imported by Winfield Arms Corporation and which had WAC grip panels and were marked "Made in France for WAC".

I would dispute the notion that it wasn't meant for concealed carry - I'm looking at one now and comparing it to a Browning FN 1910 - the MAB C is almost identical in size to a Walther PPK, whereas the FN is noticably larger. The PPK was definately intended to be concealed.

Remember we are talking about 1930's designs here - materials and people's expectations were significantly different then.

As a side note, although the styling of the MAB appears to borrow heavily from the FN 1910, internally only the slide, barrel and striker assemblies are similar. The trigger / safety mechanisms are pretty much as different as they can be.

"T.S."

 

[The Scandinavian]

Um..whoops

Well yesterday I was looking at a MAB C and comparing it to a FN 10 - but now that today I look at a MAB C and an FN 10 at the same time ..as in one in the left hand, one in the right... I have to set the record straight and say that the MAB C is about 1mm longer overall!

It is also a shade thicker. Although then they are pretty much the same size, I find the ergonomics of the French gun to be better. The grip is fuller front to back, and I find this fills the hand better and makes it easier to get a good firing grip. Also the safety catch is forward of the grip panels, which is easier to manipulate, and the button mag release is light years ahead of the heel release on the FN 10.

The MAB's sights are much clearer - the FN has sights that are miniscule and are machined into the curvature of the top of the slide. Over the distances that these firearms were intended to be used however the advantage of clearer but snaggy sights is very much open to debate.

"Z"

 

[smokeyandthebandit05]

I bought one of these yesterday and have no clue what I bought. Ive tried finding parts for it online and I can only find grips and magazines. Has anyone found parts sources?