Anybody know what this is?

[muzzleflash]

Hey guys, have a question: i got this rifle from my Grandma when she died a while ago, but never really looked at it that closely till now. I found some really old .22-250 ammo in our gun closet and figured it went to it, but when i showed it to a guy who knows quit a bit more about guns than me, he said the bullet didn't look like it fit the bore....

...so the question: do any of you guys know what this is, and more importantly, what caliber? There is no marking on it that tell me what caliber, and I'm hoping to take it with me bird hunting but don't have time to a gun smith. The thing is quite old, but looks like it would be a great gun to shoot rabbits and coyotes with...

Hope you guys have some ideas on what this is!!

 

[Sendero_Man]

Previous importer located in Pasadena, CA. Golden State Arms imported and subcontracted various firearms constructed by European and Japanese manufacturers - achieving private label status on some guns.
Most firearms previously imported by Golden State Arms (including private labels) are not that collectible. In many cases, the shooting value will determine the price of a specimen. In some models or configurations which are currently desirable, however, premiums may exist.



I will keep looking for more info.....

Re: Golden State Arms was an importer in calif...ctx (AK Site. WWWBoard)

 

[Sendero_Man]

possible caliber from reading is a British 303

 

[muzzleflash]

Ya, posted this question on another forum....one guy said possible .303 british, another, who probably knew more, said 7.5x54 French.

I found this: GunBroker.com guns: MAS 1936/51 French 7.5X54 Rifle NICE! (item: 74201261 ends: Jun-21-07 10:48:05 AM) It looks exactly like mine except for the forward half, but on my gun, you can see that it looks like the barrel has been either modified or chopped off (maybe it looks like that way normally because the wood goes over that...idk). Is that because it has been modified by Golden State Arms?

 

[CatShooter]

The French Mas was imported by the ton in the 60's. The rifle you have has been "sporterized" with a new forearm. The barrel appears to be original length, and was stamped by Golden State Arms when it was imported in the 60's.

I sold them for 29.95, with 100 rounds of ammo (which I don't think is available anymore).

Because they were French, they were all in "Unused condition".

.

 

[Surveyor]

Because they were French, they were all in "Unused condition".

.

That's Funny

try these on your frenchy

Collecting and Shooting the French MAS 36 - Ammunition

Gun City - 7.5 French MAS 36/51 NZ$799.00 - 7.5 French MAS 36/51 - Product Description This Military ...

American Firearm Page - French MAS-36 Rifle

You should be able to verify what you have in one of these.

I saw that Golden State had some 303 british guns, but all of those looked like sporterized enfields, especially around the action area.

 

[muzzleflash]

Great, thanks for the replies!

Now do you think the barrel looks like it has been modified because it has been sporterized, or does it look that way because the wood was taken off or what?

 

[specweldtom]

The MAS 36 was chambered for the 7.5 French round. The barrel in the pictures appears to me to be original with just the long upper handguard removed and the forend shortened or replaced. I didn't see any caliber marking in the pictures. 36's were imported again several years ago, and some were modified to fire 7.62 x 51 nato (.308 Win) by pushing a button into the front of the chamber for the shorter .308 round. This didn't work well. Quite a few MAS 49/56 semiauto rifles were also imported around the same time. They are arsenal marked on the left side of the receiver CAL 7.5 unless they were also reworked to fire the .308 Win round, then the 7.5 was overstamped 7.62 very neatly. The point of all this is that barring a caliber marking somewhere, this M36 is most likely a 7.5 French. I would get some cerrosafe from Brownells and cast the chamber, then compare it with the 7.5 French dimensions to verify or rule out that round. You don't have to have a 'smith for that. If you take it to a 'smith though, that's what he'll do.
Ammo is sometimes available, but fairly expensive. All that I have seen is full patch.
When I first saw a M36, I commented to the dealer who had them that they were very solid and strong looking. He told me that they had to be. They were designed to survive being thrown down a lot and occasionally run over.

LOL, Tom

 

[Surveyor]

The one article I referenced says the 7.5 French had ballistics somewhere betwix the 308 and 30-06. Seems a shame that such a solid looking gun, with a good military caliber, never got too much on the job use.

Maybe they couldn't handle the recoil?

What's the overall length on that gun. Looks like it may make a good truck gun, providing it can shoot.

 

[outlawsix]

Here ya go.
Graf & Sons - 7.5x54 French

 

[jwp475]

I'm hoping to take it with me bird hunting

Bird hunting??????

 

[dbhostler]

?

Don't know what the shoot'in iron is, but the feet look like size 12 Clod-Hoppers.....
Sorry about the sox Len....
db

 

[longtooth]

I brought one of those home with me from viet Nam in the 60's tougher then the look.

 

[muzzleflash]

Take it with me bird hunting so i can shoot it when i'm not hunting birds.......

.....yep, size 12, just got back from camping when i took the pictures, lol.