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Post by Étienne on Mar 15, 2015 20:05:47 GMT -5
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Post by lew on Mar 16, 2015 17:45:49 GMT -5
I hadn't planned on drinking today, but I might reconsider. It looks like there's no modification required to mount it, so there's that if someone actually buys one. The -36 stock is already short, so any gains with the collapsible stock are going to be limited.
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Post by Étienne on Mar 20, 2015 19:39:33 GMT -5
If only someone would put that much effort into reproducing a CR39 stock!
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Post by lew on Mar 21, 2015 16:10:35 GMT -5
Agreed. A CR-39 retrofit kit would be pretty easy to put together and the producer could easily recoup the investment. I know of more than a few people who would want one. Even with the full-length barrel and forend of a regular Mle. 36, I'd be delighted to have one.
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Post by Étienne on Mar 22, 2015 15:15:23 GMT -5
I, too, believe that there is [somewhat of] a demand for a CR39 stock to be produced, even if a fixed /non-folding one was made.
I even found a MAS36 that someone shortened on one of the online gun auctions awhile back, but it retained its original wood full-length stock. If a repro CR39 stock was available, I would have bought it!
Wasn't it Sarco that had some stocks made about 20 years ago, and they made up some "repro" CR39s with them?
Hmmm...if only I had a machine shop...
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Post by craigtx on Mar 22, 2015 18:53:26 GMT -5
Yeah, I'll join the chorus, a CR39 conversion kit would be excellent! I'd definitely buy one!
Craig
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Post by lew on Mar 22, 2015 20:15:41 GMT -5
I think it was Sarco. I saw one of the kits for sale years ago. If I remember right, it was priced into the stratosphere.
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Post by craigtx on Mar 23, 2015 9:09:10 GMT -5
I heard rumors of a Sarco conversion kit in the past. Nothing about the price though. Of course, my luck is they're out of production by the time you know that you want one. Like the WPG 47/52s...
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Post by lew on Mar 23, 2015 9:36:50 GMT -5
Yessir. I know exactly how you feel. The Sarco kits were in the mid-90's, I do believe. Funny that I've never seen one assembled onto a rifle.
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Post by Étienne on Mar 23, 2015 19:15:25 GMT -5
I seem to recall reading about a converted MAS36 (Sarco converted, that is) on some gun forum somewhere online, and that they're going for a lot of money now, at least $1,000 or more. Almost as much as an original!
I don't see how it wouldn't be financially feasible to reproduce the CR39 at such prices...
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Post by Egostomus on Apr 1, 2015 20:49:07 GMT -5
I purchased one of those Sarco weapons back in the mid 80's. First one I got had a defective chamber and had it allowed the cartridge to chamber, would have blown the rifle up in my face. Sent it back and got another one and it shoots fine. Correct barrel, forestock, aluminum butt stock with retracting sling and proper length baytonet. It is assembled on a regular MAS 36 receiver though, so no CR39 stamp. Looking for one of the MAS 36 rifles that have a CR 39 receiver so I can turn this baby into the real (well, almost) deal.
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Post by lew on Apr 2, 2015 6:51:31 GMT -5
Wow. Lucky dog. Mind posting pictures?
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Post by Étienne on Apr 2, 2015 8:21:55 GMT -5
Watching a few ECPAD videos, it's really cool to see some of the paras deploying their CR39's as soon as they pop their chutes and get out of their harness. They stand up and quickly snap the stock into place with one flick of the hand and get the rifle to their shoulder. I've never held or seen a CR39 close up, so I wasn't aware of how smoothly the stock worked.
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Post by lew on Apr 2, 2015 9:30:16 GMT -5
I don't think it would be too effective fired with the stock folded. It's a lightly polished aluminum stock sliding against the aluminum bracket. Should be pretty smooth.
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Post by Étienne on Apr 2, 2015 16:08:39 GMT -5
With my luck, I'd try and fling it open and my fingers would get pinched! It's probably better than struggling with a stuck zipper on the US Army's M-1950 weapons case and/or a broken M-16A2 inside the dang thing.
But as with any weapon, especially when jumping with one, practice makes perfect!
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Post by Étienne on Apr 8, 2015 9:28:00 GMT -5
Speaking of CR39's, I just e-mailed SARCO a few questions about them and they got back to me... Basically, they said that back in the day they had the CR39 rifles and/or parts for them and/or converted some MAS36's to look like them; they had the stocks custom made but that was a limited run only to make up the CR39s that they had the parts for. So, I'm guessing that unless they somehow one day in the nether regions of one of their warehouses find some more CR39 parts, that was it. I wish I had an original CR39 stock or a Sarco one that I could take to a machine shop and see what they'd charge to repro it, but alas I do not. I think it could/would be financially rewarding to convert some standard MAS36's, especially if some sporterized ones can be found cheap. Perhaps someone out there in www land might think about doing so one day?
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Post by craigtx on Apr 8, 2015 10:25:51 GMT -5
Nice thought, but I'm not optimistic. It's a niche product, and except for newcomers to this part of history most everyone that wanted 'em got 'em. For us it's the tedious task of watchin' for the infrequent times they surface for sale.
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Post by Étienne on Apr 8, 2015 17:45:50 GMT -5
What makes me mad (at myself) is the 1990s was my gun collecting/buying heyday, and I was interested in FIW stuff at the same time, and I wish I would have known about the CR39 (as I was buying parts from Sarco). I did buy my MAS36 in 1995 or so, and I think I paid between $50 and $70 for it at a gunshow, so I'm glad I got it at least. I really wish I hadn't sold a M1 Carbine I had in 1994 or so (for $250, and it was all original and mostly correct for WWII) as now I'm looking to buy one to put into a repro para stock. Drats, I say!
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Post by lew on Apr 8, 2015 19:34:46 GMT -5
If it's any consolation, it's not that out of place for airborne units in Indo/Algérie to have had a regular Mle. 36. Not ideal, but our options are limited. It's crazy that the Frogs produced so many of the CR39's and so few remain, especially considering that they surplused everything else- Mle. 36, -44, -49, -49/56. We still have a better selection available of period weapons than any other countries. I wonder if some small time gunsmith somewhere would be willing to take on this project.
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Post by craigtx on Apr 9, 2015 15:43:30 GMT -5
Or that out of place for paras to use regular stock M1 Carbines for that matter.
Agreed! We have a really fine selection here. Although, a bit short on French small arms at times.
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Post by lew on Apr 9, 2015 16:08:06 GMT -5
I count myself as lucky to have the French rifles I do. Finding a MAC Mle. 50 in good condition for less than a grand is next to impossible, and an FM-24/29 would require about ten grand (last time I checked). I'm curious about the little Mle. 35 A and S pistols. Oddball cartridge or not, I will probably snag an example of each.
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Post by Étienne on Apr 9, 2015 16:56:46 GMT -5
I have a really nice and early Mle 35 that I'm putting up for auction at RIA. I got it in Fayetteville, NC (maybe a vet bringback?) in the mid-1990s and I think I paid $75 for it at a pawnshop because "someone painted it and the ammo is weird." Well, they're supposed to be "painted"!
I was thinking about replacing it with a MAC Mle. 50, as I have a bunch of 9mm from other pistols, but I didn't realize they were worth that much now! Yowza...
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Post by lew on Apr 10, 2015 11:31:57 GMT -5
If it's a 35A and you don't want to bother with auctioning it, would you mind sending some details my way via private message?
The only thing going for the Mle. 50 is rarity. The condition on specimens in-country is usually around 50%.
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Post by Étienne on Apr 10, 2015 17:07:04 GMT -5
Yup! I hadn't sent it to them yet (been procrastinatin'). Let me get my info together on it and some pics and I'll PM you in a few days.
Ahhh...I was wondering why I hadn't seen many for sale. I really like the Mle 35 but have decided to part with any weapons I have that I feel are worth too much $ for me to own. I presumed Mle 50's could be had for under $300...obviously I was wrong! It's like my '41 dated Vis Radom (also supposed to be going to RIA for auction)...it's gotten to be worth around/between $750 and $1200 so it's time for it to go. Found a guy selling pretty nice High Powers (I think they're former Israeli) for around $400, so I guess I'll be getting one of them instead of a Mle 50 to fulfill my 9mm vintage pistol needs!
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Post by lew on Apr 10, 2015 18:36:00 GMT -5
No rush, and sorry to quash yer dream about the Mle. 50.
I have two Hi Powers- one Argentine and one Belgian. I'm a casual handgunner, but Hi Powers feel like they were made just for me. I like my P38 and I want a 1911, but HP's are my pistol. I need to find a 1950's or late '40's model with the internal extractor so I can use it for Indo/Algérie crap.
Speaking of French rifles, has anyone seen an Mle. 36 LG48 for sale any time in the recent past?
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Post by craigtx on Apr 11, 2015 13:55:47 GMT -5
Nope... Not a one.
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Post by Étienne on Apr 12, 2015 16:43:19 GMT -5
I thought I saw one awhile back (maybe a few weeks ago?) mislabeled as a 36-51 on Gunbroker.com, but I could be wrong. I've been hunting the Internets for parts to "convert" my MAS36 into one if I ever get all the parts (as it's one of the rifles that was intended to be converted if necessary), but have only had a little luck. Northridge has some of what seem to be LG48 parts: northridgeinc.com/store/index.cfm/c47/i1197Speaking of such things, anyone know where to get a French LG48 grenade pouch? The one that looks like a MAT49 mag pouch?
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Post by lew on Apr 13, 2015 9:39:22 GMT -5
I believe the grenade launcher parts for the -49 and LG-48 are identical, so that Nortridge bunch would work. Of course, you'd need to alter the forestock, handguard, and stacking lug and fabricate a new front sight base and forward barrel band. Good luck converting a Mle. 36; you would need it.
I got my TAP grenade pouch off of one of the eBays. Took forever to find one as they do not come up for sale often. I was disappointed to find that 22mm NATO grenades as used on the -36/51 and -49/56 will not fit properly as they are too long. I'm still looking for a dummy 50mm grenade as used on the -49 and -LG48.
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Post by Saigon1965 on May 11, 2016 13:22:59 GMT -5
That weapon in the OP is just bad! One in my collection -
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Post by lew on May 11, 2016 17:55:00 GMT -5
Thank you for redeeming that thread, but I'm afraid to inform you that you will be banned from this forum unless that rifle ends up in my collection. You have been warned. A very rare piece, indeed. Too bad the French destroyed most of them. They made a pile, so they could have been as numerous as the regular -36 had they not done so.
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