I have two new MAS 36 Rifles. They are both .308 with safeties. The two piece stocks are always lose on both guns and the front sight is on the barrel band witch moves also. Are these common problems with theses guns? Can they be made to shoot or are they a waste of time?

The MAS 36 was originally chambered for the 7.5 x 54 French cartridge. The shoulder angle and case neck length are nearly identical to the .308 Win. When the importers had trouble selling the original rifles due to poor ammunition supply, they took some rifles and converted them to .308 by setting the barrel back thus creating a .308 chamber. Then they added a safety. The problem is that the upper band friction fits on a barrel step under the front sight. When they set the barrel back the band moved off the step and is now loose. That band is also secured to the stock with a spanner screw, so check it for tightness. You can make a bit from an old screwdriver bit. Use a Dremel tool to remove the center and leave a prong on each edge that matches the spanner head.

The lower band when tightened properly should hold things together, although there may be some loose fit because some of its bearing surface was reduced when the barrel was set back. You might try bedding the bottom wood to the barrel to get a better fit.

I was reading somewhere that you can adapt the stock and forend from a Savage Model 99 to fit the MAS. I haven't tried it so I can't say for sure. If it's true, that would make a "slick" looking little carbine!

Hello;
I saw these .308 rifles advertised and my suspicious nature was immediately aroused. Since the French cartridge has a larger case diameter than the .308, has this been a complete re-chambering, or is this like the old 7.7 Jap conversion, where a 30/06 reamer was just run up the chamber? If so, I would avoid shooting these things. Let's face it, the French have never been geniuses, when it came to designing small arms. Most of them don't even have safeties, the stocks are too short, and the sights border on crude. An interesting piece though.
Griz

Thanks for your information. I think I may epoxy the forearm to the barrel. I really worry about that front sight moving so that may help. i think the French took the cheap route on that rifle,

Seems like I've seen articles which question the safety of the rechambered 308 cal. MAS. Seems the 308 is more working pressure than the gun was intended to manage.

I'm sure a google search would turn up these articles.

I ran into a MAS back when I was smithing. Fellow was shooting .308 in it and brought in cause the floorplate fell off every time he shot it. He wanted the floor plate tightened up. Reason the floor plate was coming of was that the case heads were expanding so much that enough gas leaked out the primer pocket to BLOW the floor plate off. No depriming needed on those cases.

I don't think I'd be shooting factory .308 in a MAS even it the barrel had been set back and rechambered. If one came my way and I just had to shoot it (a not uncommon affliction in my case), I'd load using .300 Savage data in .308 cases. Otherwise, you could look around and see if there is any 7.62 CETME on the surplus market. That's dimensionally identical to 7.62 NATO, but loaded to much lower pressures to accomodate the crappy Spanish guns.

Thanks for the info. I have shot NATO rounds without a problem but from now on I will shot light loads. I asked ER SHAW ABOUT rebarreling a MAS 36 they replied "Sorry no we do not work on those." There must be a good reason. There is really not much reason to shoot this gun unless it is your only rife. Just the same I would like to see if I could find a light load that would shoot accurate in it. Thanks again.
Steve

Use cast bullets. You can shoot low power rounds that are accurate. Take a lot of bullets to wear out the bore. I shoot cast in all my milsurps.

There are several good uses for obsolete French military rifles....fenceposts is one that comes to mind right away!!

It's a shame, because these French rifles, had never been fired, and only dropped once.