By Jean Huon
After WWII, the French Army was completely reorganised and wished to upgrade its equipment. Stores were filled with odd equipment such as obsolete French, British, American, German or Japanese arms and even civilian models that were quickly purchased in wartime. The French Army’s renewal concerns were: equipment, uniforms, helmets, vehicles, planes, boats and small arms. The maintenance of such an odd inventory and the supply of ammunition were a very difficult task. Only for the small arms, there were more than 20 different types of cartridges.
On May 11, 1945, a new program was set up. It concerned the replacement of pistols, submachine guns, rifles, automatic rifles, carbines and light machine guns. Concerning the SMG, the program was very similar to the one that was set up in 1933. A new caliber was chosen, along with a folding stock and a magazine housing. The French factories proposed several models.
MAC 47/1
This model is very similar to the ETVS which underwent field trials before the War. It was manufactured by MAC. Except for the bolt and the barrel, the MAC 47/1 was made of sheet metal. It works as a delayed blowback weapon, with a hammer acting on the firing pin; its bolt head associated with a lever. The cocking handle can be folded down and was located under the trigger guard. The U-shaped stock can be folded over the frame. The magazine comes from a German MP 40 and can also be folded; a cover closes the magazine housing when the magazine is not in place. There is no selector or safety. The front sight is matched with a folding “L-”shaped rear sight scaled for 100m and 200m ranges.
TECHNICAL FEATURES
- Caliber 9mm (.38in)
- Ammunition 9mm Luger
- Overall length 0.633m (24.92in)
- Barrel length 0.210m (8.26in)
- Weight 2,100kg (4.63lb)
- Magazine capacity 32 rounds
- Cyclic rate 640 rpm
MAC 47/2
The MAC 47/2 is a variation of the former model, but with a skeleton stock similar to the one used on the STEN Mark II SMG. Both submachine guns were tested in May 1948, with the following results:
Advantage
- Light weight
- Folding magazine
Disadvantage
- Recoil spring weak
- Poor handling due to unfit stocks
MAC 48/1 Light
Completely different from the others, the MAC 48/1 looks like a STEN with a tubular frame and a cover for the ejection port. The barrel is fixed into the frame and cannot be dismounted; it has a tubular cooler jacket with oval holes. The cocking handle is on the left side; the bolt is cylindrical with a large-sized recoil spring. An anatomical pistol grip has a safety lever on the rear side. The trigger mechanism allows only full-auto fire. A triangular stock is made of wood and is located on the floor of the pistol grip. A German MP 40 magazine is used; it is located in a long housing which is used as a second hand-grip.
TECHNICAL FEATURES
- Caliber 9mm (.38in)
- Ammunition 9mm Luger
- Overall length 0.800m (31.5in)
- Barrel length 0.300m (11.81in)
- Weight 3,440kg (7.58lb)
- Magazine capacity 32 rounds
- Cyclic rate 475 rpm
MAC 48/1 (Heavy)
The MAC 48/1 is a variation of the model above, with a long barrel and a Chatellerault M 1924 M29 bipod.
MAC 48/2 (Light)
The MAC 48/2 is similar to the MAC 48/1 Light but with two triggers which allow single shots or burst. The stock had a folding flap designed to allow shooting singlehandedly.
MAC 48 L.S. (Light and Simplified)
This is a submachine gun with a modern design, a short barrel, a folding magazine and a telescopic stock similar to those of the U.S. M 3. The cocking lever is independent from the bolt, attached with a cover. The rear sight is a folding “L” with two apertures. The front sight is covered by a tunnel. The pistol grip has a safety button and no other safety.
TECHNICAL FEATURES
MAC 48 L.S.
- Caliber 9mm (.38in)
- Ammunition 9mm Luger
- Overall length 0.640m (25.19in)
- Overall length with stock retracted 0.420m (16.53in)
- Barrel length 0.200m (11.81in)
- Weight 2,700kg (7.87lb)
- Magazine capacity 32 rounds
- Cyclic rate 600 rpm
Saint-Etienne Submachine Gun
Before the beginning of the new military program, MAS (a Saint-Étienne arms manufacturer) designed several prototypes from the MAS 38:
- 9mm Luger SMG with light alloy stock;
- Another in the same caliber with folding stock and magazine housing;
- A .45 ACP model.
MAS 47
In 1947, MAS developed a new mechanism with a delayed blowback. It was used on several submachine guns and automatic carbines. The bolt is made of three parts: a cylindrical carrier which moves over the barrel, a bolt head and a lever. After the shot, the gas pressure pushes the empty case on the bolt head and locks the bolt in place. After a short delay, the pressure decreases, and the lever can move and push the carrier to the rear. Then the bolt can open.
A first M 1947 was designed. It has a triangular wooden stock which can be folded on the left side. The weapon has a safety grip and staged trigger which allows both single-shot and burst, depending on the pressure exerted on it.
MAS 48
This is the next generation of submachine guns, and several variations were made: A, B, C, D, E. We never saw the A and B variations, but the others can be described.
MAS 48 C1
The frame is made of moulded steel. The front looks like one cylinder over another. The top cylinder receives the carrier and the recoil spring, and the barrel is located in the other. The cocking lever is on the left side. The rear looks like a box with flat sides. It contains the bolt under which are the pistol grip, lock and magazine housing. A metal stock can be folded under the SMG, and the magazine is from a German MP 40. The sights are made of a tangent rear sight and a front sight under a cover.
MAS 48 C2
It is the same as the MAS 48 C1 but with a shorter barrel, a trombone-type stock and an “L-”shaped flap rear sight with two apertures.
MAS 48 C3
The MAS 48 C3 has a triangular wooden stock folding on the right. The ejection port has a cover.
MAS 48 C4
This is similar to the MAS 48 C3 but with a left side folding stock. The folding magazine housing was improved.
The MAS 48 C3 and C4 were used in Indochina, like the MAT 48.
TECHNICAL FEATURES
MAS 48 C4
- Caliber 9mm (.38in)
- Ammunition 9mm Luger
- Overall length 0.650m (25.59in)
- Overall length with stock folded 0.406m (15.98in)
- Barrel length 0.205m (8.07in)
- Weight 3,000kg (6.61lb)
- Magazine capacity 32 rounds
- Cyclic rate 600 rpm
MAS 48 D Light
The MAS 48 D Light has a medium-length barrel and a fixed stock assembled on the base of the pistol grip. Several firing devices were used with one or two triggers.
MAS 48 D Heavy
This gun has a long barrel and conventional fixed stock.
MAS 48 E
The MAS 48 E is the same as the MAS 48 C3 with a longer barrel.
Tulle Submachine Gun
MAT 48
The MAT 48 was the first of a long family of experimental guns, designed by Chief Engineer Pierre Monteil and Factory Manager Jacques Delamaire of Manufacture Nationale d’Armes de Tulle (MAT). Its manufacturing process was the result of modern applications with many sheet metal parts, designed with the help of German technicians working at the Saint-Louis factory and Dallet Company in Brive.
The gun is made around a square frame associated with another part which bears the pistol grip, trigger mechanism and folding magazine housing. The magazine is the same as the one used on the STEN SMG. The front sights are at the top of the barrel, and a rear aperture sight is set on the frame (100m to 300m ranges) with a rack adjustment.
Variations were:
- MAT 48 (light), fixed wooden stock and metallic frame;
- MAT 48 (light), folding right side wooden stock;
- MAT 48 (light), metal-made stock, which can be folded under the gun;
- MAT 48 (light), with telescopic stock;
- MAT 48 (heavy), long barrel and upper wooden stock; and
- MAT 48 (heavy), wooden stock fixed under the pistol grip.
TECHNICAL FEATURES
MAT 48 (Light) MAT 48 (Heavy)
- Caliber 9mm (.38in) 9mm (.38in)
- Ammunition 9mm Luger 9mm Luger
- Overall length 0.708m (27.84in) 0.810m (31.89in)
- Barrel length 0.220m (8.66in) 0.320m (12.59in)
- Weight 3,000kg (6.61lb) 3,700kg (8.16lb)
- Magazine capacity 32 rounds 32 rounds
MAT 49
After good results came during the field trials, the MAT 48 with a telescopic stock was adopted in June 1949 as the MAT 49 SMG. After the beginning of its production, some parts were improved:
- The rear “cube” was enlarged;
- A more effective safety pedal was developed, on the grip (five-point star stamped on the left side of the trigger); and
- Other details to make its manufacturing easier.
The MAT 49 was built by MAT from January 1950 to 1964 (more than 700,000 were made) and also built by MAC from May 1951 to December 1958 (125,143 specimens).
| This article first appeared in Small Arms Review V24N3 (March 2020) |
