What is it? ( Grenade Launcher? )

[sixshooter357]

Hello from .de

Today i need some help with the device seen on the enclosed Pictures.
It accompanied a .30 Carabine i got with lots of related stuff, including
Muzzle Brakes, Canvas Stuff, Magazines, Granade Launcher Sight, Blank
Fire Device, even a Shell Deflector came with it.
Cant see a use for the Device with a .30 Carabine.
Anybody a Idea what / for what it is?

Sixshooter

 

[MICHAEL T]

Grenade launcher I believe I have never saw one for a Carbine. Guess they made them

 

[Wildbillz]

I don't think its a grenade launcher. Doesn't look like you could fit a grenade over the end of it. Typical launcher would look like one for the M1 Garand. A tube with yard graduations on it. This looks more like some sort of sight? Maybe a coaching sight?

Just a guess mind you.
WB

 

[sixshooter357]

Thanks for your idea WB. I Never thougt about a coaching sight.
But for use with which type of gun? Cant see a way to fix it to a .30 Carbine?

 

[chicharrones]

I've never seen anything like that. The yellowed sight inserts look like some sort of night sight material. It makes me think this is some sort of slip-on night sighting system for a rifle?

 

[scramasax]

Looks like the night sight setup from my MAS 56. If there are dots on the facing of the sights they are probably radium. They won't glow now due to age.

 

[MikeJackmin]

I was curious enough to try to google it and I was surprised to not find anything like it.

It does not look like any of the grenade launchers designed or proposed for the M1 carbine, and searches of M1 carbine night sights do not show anything like it either.

My impression is that it was intended as a night sight, perhaps this was a commercial item made in small quantities long ago. Perhaps this was is use by a foreign army, lots of other countries used the M1 carbine after WWII.

 

[sixshooter357]

Thanks Scaramasax,
You nailed it. at last shows googleling night sigth + mas 56 this device.
Only thing that makes me wonder is that the threads on the fastening-screw are not metric,
so i expectet it to be american or british.
again, many thanks,

sixshooter

 

[MikeJackmin]

Scramasax is correct - this fits a MAS 49/56:

http://www.floridashootersnetwork.com/viewtopic.php?f=21&t=57799