French surplus

[shuvelrider]

I just measured some of my pulled bullet from Syrian 7.5 French ammo, these are 139 gr fmj. The average was. .304-.305 just above the cannelure groove, that is 7.75 in metric. The 7.5 diameter was further up where the taper of the bullet starts.
Am I correct in assuming the minimal diameter of the bore is 7.5, but yet the base of the bullet is thicker to help seal the bullet in the bore to benefit from the pressure of the gasses behind it?

 

[Sergei Mosin]

I think the Prvi 7.5 French uses a .308" bullet - at least that's what I infer from their list of components (the loaded cartridge uses a 139gr bullet, the only 139gr bullet they list is given as .308".)

 

[mr.trooper]

If you are patient on Gun Broker, you can often find a MAS 49/56 semi automatic rifle with every accessory ever issued for around $700 at current

18 months ago, that was more like $550 or $600 ... but with the way things are now its not surprising.

We are talking spare magazines, magazine pouches, chargers, surplus optic, optic case, and clamp on night sights with corresponding pouch along side a very clean semi automatic battle rifle for under $600 ... I kick myself for being broke when that was up for sale.

You can even get the optical training aid gadgets that instructors used to train recruits in marksmanship. It is all freely available online.

 

[twofifty]

twofifty, that is the monument to the 69th Division at Verdun. The story is here.

Thank you Sergei Mosin for the battle of Verdun link:


http://api.viglink.com/api/click?fo...HR&txt=here.&jsonp=vglnk_jsonp_13631486139902

 

[shuvelrider]

What I usually use for my reloads for the MAS 49/56 is 150 gr fmj .308 bullet, if I remember correctly with 43 gr IMR4895. I don't have my recipe book in front of me at the moment, but that load functions the rifle well and holds a tight group of 2-3 inches for me.

 

[Swampman]

I am not by any means a Francophile, but understanding the French defeat in 1940 doesn't require one to focus solely on the shortcomings of the French.
France had been bled white during WWI, they lost a goodly portion of a whole generation of young men. Their fondest wish was to avoid another bloody war and to protect their country from invasion. Unfortunately, as is often the case (and not just for the French), their plans and preparations were designed with the last war in mind. The Maginot line would have been nearly impregnable if the Germans had used the tactics of WWI. Instead they developed an entirely new form of attack, the Blitzkreig, or "Lightning War". Fast moving armored formations advanced rapidly through areas where they were least expected, simultaneously they used tactical air power to completely disrupt the areas ahead of their armored columns. Columns of French refugees were strafed and bombed, creating huge roadblocks that hindered the ability of the French forces to maneuver in response to German attacks.

Lest anyone think that the French were dullards, the Germans came pretty close to splitting our forces and inflicting a similar defeat on us during the battle of the bulge in 1944. It was only a fortunate series of events that allowed us to get off as lightly as we did, and after three years of war, we were FAR more prepared than the French in 1940 and had far LESS excuse to be caught napping.

I'll close with a quote that pretty much explains France's biggest military problem.


"I note, however, that the French have Germany on their borders, a condition associated with military failure for everybody enjoying the same circumstances."
---- Fred Reed

To get back to the actual subject at hand...
Other than the complete lack of an intelligent carry mode (IE:no manual safety), I've been reasonably impressed with French bolt action infantry rifles. The French surplus ammo that I've used is a different story, it seems to have more failures to fire and hangfires than any other surplus ammo I've ever used. This includes both 7.5x54 and 8mm Lebel.
Has anyone else had problems with it?

 

[Cosmoline]

The surplus 8mm Lebel often comes from really abused lots of machine gun ammo. It's horrible and can be unsafe. Handloads have worked much better for me. My is a little wide in the bore but still does just fine with standard 8mm jacketed rounds.