Every time I see a mas 36 I imagine two rifles stuck together by the bayonet lugs.

Not so much mediocre as pragmatic. It was the back up weapon while they worked the bugs out of the MAS40 semiautomatic. It was expected that they would be used by rear echelon troops, who didn't need anything fancy.

"Mediocrity" seems like a pretty harsh condemnation for a rifle with no actual shortcomings compared to other bolt action rifles in a combat context.

Mediocrity is a very poor word choice when describing such a reliable and effective combat rifle with little to no shortcomings

Ah yes. Been waiting for this. The MAS 36 reciever with rear locking lugs is the basis for the FR-F1, debunking the myth that rear locking lugs are inherently innacurate. Furthermore, rear locking lugs, in theory, might be more resistant to mud ingress, allowing the rifle to go into battery in dirtier conditions. One legitimate criticism from me though is the default length of pull is really short for me. Nice work, mon ami.

I've always loved how modern the MAS-36 looks. And I think the rifle would have had a lot of potential if it had a windage-adjustable rear sight.

This is the content we want. So many Tubegunners and Instagunners are filling 9 minutes of a 20 minute video, with ads for Raid Shadow Legends and wooden sunglasses and crap.

My Mas is probably my favorite milsurp I own next to my 1891 Finnish Mosin. I'm thinking about using my Mas for deer hunting this coming season.

I had two at one point. One was a Santa Fe sporterized carbine, the other was original. I actually really enjoyed the gun and found it pretty well thought out for a “modern” military bolt gun. My biggest point of contention was the super wide front sight.

It seemed to pull the best from the Enfield, Mauser, and M1917 along with enough parts commonality to go along with the later semi-auto rifle. Everything being equal, I would take this over any other bolt action rifle in World War II. Great video on this rifle.

I bought one of these years ago during the first wave of importations. Got dies n brass from graft n sons in MO. Thanks for video!

Very enjoyable video. I actually did not much consider a MAS 36 for my milsurp collection. It just wasn't on my radar. As I filled in my collection for WWII battle rifles, I figured I might need to look at getting one if I could find at a decent price. I looked at several videos, including one of your earler ones. It got me thinking that this might not be a bad addition to have, Long story short, I found one at a cost I was comfortable with. Really felt good to handle, nice weight, comfortable to shoulder, smooth bolt action. It just felt solid. Took it to the range and I became a believer. Such an enjoyable gun to shoot. It is definitely one of my favorite guns. I can really understand why you rated it so high on yur bolt action milsurp review.

I picked one up a few years ago that was a Century import that had a safety added and rebored to 7.62 NATO. I had no illusions about collector value, but it is fun to plink with.

With your extensive collection do you own a MAS 45 and if so we'd love to see a video on it.

I have no experience with bolt action rifles but I'm trying to get into them and I really like the ww2 era rifles. Would this be a good starter rifle for a collection? I'd also like to use it for hunting. I've been looking at the Springfield 1903s and various others but the size of the mas 36 seems like itd be great for my size and arm length. The research I've come across says that the mas 36 was supposed to be carried on an empty chamber. Thanks for the video

A good analysis. I was a capability(combat developer) for the US Army so I understand that military requirements drive design. The French have their own view on what is required that is very different than the US or German requirements so you cannot compare one to an other easily, one has to look at the national drivers. In this case, the MAS 36 is spectacular if you are looking for a rifle that is for non frontline combat troops who are most likely conscripts. It is pretty much a Soldier proof rifle that will handle mud and is easy to clean. Being a target shooter is not a requirement. Hitting a man at 300 yards is OK. The US used the 1903A2 for the same purpose, I have both but that mission the MAS is a better rifle. All French rifles appear strange to an American and require different mind-muscle training (psychomotor) but if you have been trained on it, an American rifle would appear to be very difficult.

My local shop has one for 700. Not sure the year of production. Is this a good price? Looks like full retail from what I could find!

le titre est inexact. "la médiocrité à son paroxysme" ??? la perfection d'une arme de courte et moyenne portée avec un calibre conséquent à son paroxysme plutôt. J'ai utiliser le MAS à l'armée .c'est une arme "facile" ,semi automatique, fiable , "robuste "et super précise. Tu fais mouche à chaque fois jusqu'à 200 m . un vrai régal et ça envoie du lourd 😅. On me ferait un cadeau et je devrai choisir entre un MAS ou un FAMAS, j'hésiterai "très" longuement 🙄🤔. Je pencherai pour "papy" je pense 😁

I bought mine the week this video came out! Mine is post war, but has the pre-war mag floorplate w matching serial number, and a pre-war nose cap with post-war stacking rod welded on.

Honestly, now that I think of it, that doctrine is actually pretty good for rifles. Handguns are another thing, if you have to use a handgun, you're drawing it out of a holster and in that scenario, you need to use that as soon as possible. With a rifle though, you're carrying that, with something like a Galil ACE, I can see that actually being faster than using a safety

don't let Ian see this

Can someone please tell me how to put a sling on this gun?

Thanks for another great presentation. The MAS 36 seems to be an excellent design given its intent to be an inexpensive, second line rifle. I also appreciate the French doctrine of not using safeties. Your comments in this regard are appreciated. It would seem that soldiers going into battle could simply leave the bolt pulled back with a loaded magazine. This would seem to create a rather safe condition even if the soldier were to fall or suffer some other calamity. In an emergency, simply pushing the bolt forward and chambering a round would appear to be nearly as quick as manipulating a safety. It would also have less chance of error due to fine motor skills under stress. If the need were to chamber a round without urgency but with stealth, carefully moving the bolt forward and chambering a round seems to be a viable option. Finally, leaving off the safety allows a rifle which is that's expensive, quicker to build, more reliable, and easier to use. Forgive me if I have speculated incorrectly on any of this, I am no expert but I deeply appreciate the field. Thanks again!

Middle finger technique is only for QCB and you can see this in two British manuals. The bolt location is trying to minimize movement/distance needed during cycling to regrip the rifle. The only time I've seen it used in ww2 time frame was a Long Branch factory worker test firing brand new No.4 for a video presentation of the long branch production facilities.

Older video, but I just came across it (despite being subscribed). One thing to flag - I bought one of the Century Arms conversions to .308 a few year back. I had to get the barrel re-installed because the headspace was SO FAR out of spec - way too excessive. If you've got one and are shooting it, have it checked by a gunsmith. Great video, as per usual.

I still need one of these for my college

You’re not supposed to take the front sight band off, but if you do you can drift the front sight if needed for windage. However, if you drift it one way or the other too much, you will not be able to reinstall the front sight band. I drifted my front sight ever so slightly and my MAS 36 hits dead center at 100 yards now. Great shooting rifles.

Mas36 is an awesome ww2 mil bolt rifle with good looking and reasonable recoil. Only downside for me is that it’s hard to do windage adjustment. Apart from that, it’s my favorite bolt rifle along with the Finn M39.

The 7.5 French round is just scarce enough and soooo close to .308 to make a conversion tempting. I saw one for sale a few years ago at Liberty Tree in .308 (new barrel, not a Century chamber set back). A classic should of bought it when I saw it.

Mine is a post war but was counterbored at the muzzle about a 1/4inch the rifling is excellent so maybe the factory counterbore?

I had the opportunity to pick one of these up years ago, but I went with an old 336 instead.

During Dien Bien Phou we used Mas 36 against Vietminh.

2:00 When I find 69 in a gun's serial number

Song ,still spinning shrapnel by skyclad one of my favorites

I think he's talking shit!!! Mine is totally fine

It was also designed for non front line troops: artillery, drivers, etc.

Very slick-looking rifle. The series leads in aesthetics.

Very good video, greetings from New Zealand.

French Military Doctrine at the time the MAS36 was being developed was purely defensive. Thus they felt no need for a rifle with a longer barrel and greater range. It should also be noted that even though the MAS36 was adopted in 1936 most French units still had the Lebel Rifle at the start of WW2.

Speaking of mediocre when are we gonna see a vid on your new smle?

light usual easy to cliean the mas 36 dont need optic it is the ultimate bolt rifle under 400 m

You have a nice collection. I'd love to see it some day.

The Mas 36 has been used at some point by the Foreign Legion , even in their jungle training in French Guiana..

The Remington 600 has a similar bolt handle

Nice I love the other rifles in the back

I bought one in nice shape for $15.00 ,and used it on a trade fourty bucks. I do kind of miss it.

I'd love to have one...seems like a very handy rifle. The rear locking lugs are a direct result of the mud issue from the Great War. France more than any other nation took the lessons of the Great War to heart...likely too much so.

Ian McCollum is a French collector. He'd love the MAS.

You just sold me on the MAS 36! :)

Calling it mediocre in the usual sense is unfair. However, except for the lack of a manual safety, the rifle represents a high standard that all other bolt guns should strive to exceed. In that way, it is what the average bolt gun of its time _should_ have been. The MAS 36 is a combat rifle, not a target rifle. It was designed to meet the needs of the ordinary rifleman and as such the lack of fiddly features like a windage adjustable rear sight are entirely reasonable. Eugene Stoner would later apply the same logic to the rear sight of the early M16.

Thank you for steering clear of the tropes and also the BotR mention 😊

Anytime you look at something 85 years and 2k miles from your home of course you'll find "problems" with it.

I have one...excellent condition. Nice looking rifle.

I have one of these that someone fired in a chamber sleeve to chamber 7.62x39. Therefore turning it into a single shot.

It is heavy

France : what shall we do with these crap bolt guns? USA : Let us flood our market with your crap. USA : God they re crap in 308w, France do you want them back? France: Yes sure, send them in! That's how in France we ended up struggling to find our French Mas in original caliber.

No sight adjustment really. You have to replace the entire piece. This was done on purpose so that the soldiers would not have to worry about it in the field. The trainers would replace the piece as the soldiers shot their rifles if needed. That is what I have heard.

NOT meant to be taken apart! Screw heads are designed to NOT have the average soldier take it apart. No need!

I really want one of those lol

Excellent rifle

ਸ਼ਾਨਦਾਰ ਰਾਈਫਲ ਹੈ ਵੀਰੇ

I think mine is post war.

SSG69 is rear locking lugs.

Nice doggy. My cat would love chasing him.

you only seem to ride for Mauser with your beautiful Tshirt. Mas 36 then has no chance. But hey, I'm not a specialist like you. For the history of the cylinder head bolts, they were moved to the front on the FR-F1 ..... But I'm not a specialist

Dude why are you killin me 😂😂😂 Bayonet video plz That bolt is not smooth at all it looks like the one on the garbage rod

Such a beautiful gun that has sadly skyrocketed in price throughout the years, id much rather get a lot of those imported than all the carcanos that are getting imported

It's a simple rifle for simple soldiers.

I have two MAS-36's, both are post war built and were refurbished before they came into the US. I agree with you, it easily is the best, mediocre rifle out there. I always think they are Ruger American rifles in a Military Halloween costume. I got both of mine for stupid cheap so I actually like them quite a bit. Not a fan of that stupid big front sight, makes for very imprecise shots. I'd like to get a Pre-War example and a sporter that I could restore and maybe rechamber in .308. That'd be pretty neat

The rifle is fine. It's the video content that's mediocre. Learn some History bud. The design was vindicated by decades of use.

French military arms...fired once...dropped😆